Chapter 2.04
POWERS OF ASSEMBLY1
Sections:
2.04.010 Designated.
The borough, being an organized optional law borough of the second class, and having adopted a borough manager plan of government, has all of its legislative powers vested in the assembly. The assembly shall determine all policy questions, shall exercise such powers as may be conferred upon it by law, including the following:
A. To establish and prescribe the function of borough departments, offices, or agencies;
B. To establish and prescribe salaries for the borough assembly, the borough manager, and borough officers and employees;
C. To make investigation of the affairs of the borough, and make inquiries into the conduct of any borough department;
D. To enter into agreements, including those for cooperative or joint administration of any functions or powers, with any other local government, with the state, or with the United States;
E. To require periodic and special reports from any borough department to be submitted through the borough manager;
F. To sue and be sued;
G. To levy all taxes and special assessments, enforce tax liens, and assess and collect penalties in the manner provided for first class cities. It may levy:
1. Area-wide taxes for area-wide functions, and
2. Taxes limited to the area outside cities for functions limited to the area outside cities;
H. To prescribe penalties for violations of borough ordinances in the manner provided for first class cities;
I. To acquire and dispose of real and personal property in the manner provided for first class cities;
J. To acquire membership in organizations and to promote legislation to the good of the borough in the manner provided for first class cities;
K. To share with the state those taxes that the state shares with other units of local government, to the extent that such taxes are collected in the borough but outside any city which receives a share of the same tax;
L. To annex and exclude territory in the manner of cities of the first class, following the same procedures for annexation and exclusion as first class cities, except that Article V of the State Constitution shall govern voting qualifications;
M. To incur indebtedness in the same manner and to the same extent as first class cities, either:
1. On an area-wide basis for area-wide functions, or
2. On a noncity basis for functions performed in the area outside cities only;
N. To establish, operate, alter, or abolish service areas in the manner provided by law;
O. To assess and collect property taxes in the manner provided for first class cities, and as provided by law;
P. To establish, maintain, and operate a system of public schools in the manner provided by law;
Q. To provide for planning, platting, and zoning in the manner provided by law;
R. To add to the powers which it may exercise in the area outside cities in the manner provided by law;
S. To exercise any powers or functions transferred to the borough by a city in the manner provided by law;
T. To provide the terms of office of members of the assembly;
U. To elect a presiding officer and a deputy presiding officer to serve at the pleasure of the assembly;
V. To confirm the appointment of a borough clerk by the borough manager;
W. To prescribe the time and place of regular meetings of the assembly, determine its rules and order of business, and keep a journal of its proceedings, as well as compel attendance of assembly members;
X. To adopt standard published codes of technical regulations in the manner provided by law;
Y. To establish dates for the fiscal year of the borough, and the manner for the preparation and submission of the budget and capital program by the borough manager;
Z. To provide dates of regular elections, and general rules for the election of members of the school board and members of the assembly, and call special elections; and
AA. To declare and fill vacancies in the office of the assembly. (Ord. 2015-11 §4, 2015: Ord. 2013-08 §1 (part), 2013: Ord. 2 §2, 1963).
For statutory provisions concerning the power of a borough assembly, see AS 29.23.010; for provisions concerning powers applicable to all municipalities, see AS 29.48.010 et seq.