Duties of the County Mayor

Mayor, Sumner County
2022 – 2026
As chief executive officer of the county, the County Mayor exercises a role of leadership in county government. The primary duties focus on county financial management. The County Mayor is the general agent of the county and thus may draw warrants upon the general fund unless otherwise provided in an optional general law or county charter. The County Mayor has custody of county property not placed with other officers, and may also examine the accounts of county officers.
The County Mayor is a nonvoting ex officio member of the county legislative body and of all committees of the body, and in most counties may be elected chair of the county legislative body (a post that the County Mayor is not required to seek or accept). If the County Mayor is chair of the county legislative body, the County Mayor may break a tie by casting a deciding vote; otherwise, the County Mayor cannot vote on measures before the county legislative body. The County Mayor who is not chair may veto legislative resolutions of the county legislative body, but such a veto may be overridden by a majority vote of the members of the county legislative body. The County Mayor may call special meetings of the county legislative body.
Unless an optional general law, charter or private act provides otherwise, the County Mayor compiles a budget for all county departments, offices, and agencies, which is presented to the county legislative body. The amount of discretion in making budget proposals varies from county to county, and in almost all counties, the school board’s budget proposal is submitted to the county legislative body without modification. If the county operates under the 1981 Financial Management System, the County Mayor is a member of the financial management committee. If the county operates under the 1957 County Budgeting Law, the County Mayor is a member of the county budget committee.
The County Mayor is elected by popular vote at the regular August election every four years coinciding with the governor’s election, and takes office on September 1 following the election, after receiving the proper certification of election, obtaining the official bond and taking the required oath of office. Failure to take and file the proper oath and bond is a misdemeanor offense.