The board of aldermen controls municipal legislative powers, sets employment policies by ordinance, and the mayor is the municipality’s chief executive officer.
§362. Exercise of municipal powers; legislative, executive A.(1) The legislative powers of a municipality shall be vested in and exercised by the board of aldermen. (2) The board of aldermen may: (a) Repealed by Acts 1986, No. 1076, §2, eff. Jan. 1, 1987. (b) Enact ordinances and enforce the same by fine not to exceed five hundred dollars or imprisonment not exceeding sixty days, or both. (c) Provide by ordinance for assessing against the abutting property the cost of cutting, destroying, or removing noxious weeds, grass, or other deleterious, unhealthy, or noxious growths or accumulations on any sidewalk; assess on the owner of such lot or place or area the cost of cutting, destroying, or removing noxious weeds, grass or other deleterious, unhealthy, or noxious growths or accumulations within the corporate limits; and on the owner of any lot or place or area within the corporate limits the cost of cutting, destroying or removing noxious weeds, grass, or other deleterious, unhealthy, or noxious growth or accumulation on the lot or place or area; and provide for the filing of notice of such cost which shall constitute a privilege upon the property and shall be prior in rank to mortgages, vendor's privileges, and all other privileges except tax privileges. (d)(i) Seek reimbursement from a former municipal employee on whose behalf the municipality paid licensure fees for a commercial driver's license when such employee is employed by the municipality for a period of six months or less from the date upon which the municipality paid such licensure fee on behalf of the employee. Reimbursement shall be limited to the amount of the licensure fee paid by the municipality. (ii) The former employee of the municipality shall be liable to the municipality for an amount equal to the amount of the licensure fee paid by the municipality. (3) Subject to law, including R.S. 33:423.2 and 423.3, and applicable civil service rules and regulations, the board of aldermen shall, by ordinance, provide policies and procedures regulating the employment of municipal employees including the hiring and firing of such employees. B. The mayor shall be the chief executive officer of the municipality. C. Any department of a municipality, other than the police department in a municipality with an elected chief of police, shall be created, abolished, merged, or consolidated by the board of aldermen, upon written recommendation of the mayor. Acts 1985, No. 890, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986; Acts 1986, No. 1076, §2, eff. Jan. 1, 1987; Acts 1997, No. 441, §1. {{NOTE: SEE ACTS 1985, NO. 890, §3.}}