Government of Indianapolis

The government of Indianapolis is a mayor-council, consolidated city-county system. The executive branch is headed by the elected mayor, and the legislative branch is made up of the 25-member City-County Council. Indianapolis and Marion County have a consolidated government known as Unigov. Most government offices are located in the City-County Building.

Executive

The Mayor of Indianapolis is the chief executive of both the city and the county. The mayor is elected to a four-year term, with no term limits. The current mayor is Democrat Joe Hogsett.

Since the mayor's power extends to all of Marion County, all Marion County residents have the right to vote in mayoral elections.

There are several city departments and other agencies included in the executive branch. The agencies' heads are appointed by the mayor.

Departments
  • Department of Business and Neighborhood Services (BNS) - Responsible for the licensing, permitting, inspection and enforcement of many types of industries operating within the city-county jurisdiction. Also has authority over property use and safety, as well as permitting, inspection and enforcement of city building and construction codes.[1]
  • Department of Metropolitan Development - Carries out urban planning and enforcement of zoning and land-use ordinances. Also responsible for redevelopment of blighted areas and vacant land.[2]
  • Department of Parks and Recreation (known locally as Indy Parks) - Maintains public parks and recreational facilities.[3]
  • Department of Public Safety - Includes animal control, emergency management, the Indianapolis Fire Department, and the Indianapolis EMS. As of January 1, 2015, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department became its own entity with a chief reporting directly to the mayor.[4]
  • Department of Public Works - Maintains city infrastructure, including streets and drainage. The Department also collects municipal solid waste and is responsible for the removal of snow from city-owned streets during winter months. Sewers are owned and maintained by Citizens Energy Group.[5]
  • Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department - Headed by the Chief of Police, its operational jurisdiction covers all of the consolidated city of Indianapolis and Marion County except for the Airport Authority and the four excluded cities of Beech Grove, Lawrence, Southport and Speedway. Prior to January 1, 2015, it was part of the Department of Public Safety.

Citizens Energy Group is responsible for city water, wastewater and stormwater systems. These were previously operated by the City's Department of Waterworks through a contract with Veolia. However, the transfer of the water and wastewater systems to Citizens Energy Group was approved by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission on July 13, 2011. The transfer of the systems to Citizens Energy Group was completed on August 26, 2011. Citizens is a public charitable trust that is operated for the benefit of its customers; it was acquired by the city of Indianapolis in 1933.[6]

Executive offices
  • City Controller - Manages the city's finances. The office controls all purchasing by city agencies, human resources, fixed assets, and writes the annual budget. Fady Qaddoura was appointed as City Controller by Mayor Hogsett in January 2016.[7]
  • Corporation Counsel - Provides legal services to city agencies and represents the city in court. Prosecutes ordinance violations.[8]

Municipal corporations

Legislative
Main article: Indianapolis City-County Council

The legislative branch of the city government is the Indianapolis City-County Council, which is composed of 25 members elected to four-year terms. Each of the members represent geographic districts that are drawn every 10th year in the year following the census (i.e. The 2010 Census led to the 2011 drawing of districts). The Council previously consisted of the 25 district councilors and 4 at-large council seats, however in 2013 the Indiana General Assembly adopted a new local government act that eliminated the 4 at-large seats.

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References
  1. Indy.gov. "BNS Home". www.indy.gov.
  2. Indy.gov. "Department of Metropolitan Development". www.indy.gov.
  3. Indy.gov. "Indy Parks Home". www.indy.gov.
  4. http://www.indy.gov/eGov/City/dps/Pages/home.aspx
  5. Indy.gov. "DPW Home". www.indy.gov.
  6. "Citizens Gas & Coke Utility Records, 1873-1994" (PDF). Indiana Historical Society. July 25, 1996. Retrieved October 14, 2018.
  7. Indy.gov. "Office of Finance and Management". www.indy.gov.
  8. "Home". Archived from the original on 2008-02-13. Retrieved 2008-02-07.
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