AN ACT to amend Chapter 7 of the Private Acts of 1999; as amended by Chapter 24 of the Private Acts of 2009; Chapter 37 of the Private Acts of 2014; and any other acts amendatory thereto, relative to the City of Milan.
HB1428 is a local private act affecting the City of Milan, Tennessee. It updates the city’s private charter provisions in several areas of municipal governance, including how alderman vacancies are filled, the mayor’s authority to make temporary appointments, the mayor’s authority to execute certain contracts, the handling of the city recorder reference, the sale of surplus property, and who may authorize disbursements.
The bill extends the time for the board of mayor and aldermen to fill an alderman vacancy from 30 days to 60 days, clarifies that temporary appointments to the city attorney or city judge positions may be made during sickness, absence, or other temporary disability, and allows the mayor to execute contracts up to $10,000 without board approval if the spending is within budget and the contract does not otherwise require board approval. It also revises the rules for selling surplus city property by requiring board approval for sales of real property or surplus property valued above $2,500, and it updates the disbursement authorization language to specify the mayor, city treasurer, vice-mayor, or their designee.
Because this is a private act, its legal effect is limited to Milan rather than changing statewide law. The act amends multiple sections of the city’s private charter and deletes one section entirely, while also including a savings clause stating that no incumbent officeholder is removed or has their term shortened. It becomes effective only if approved by a two-thirds vote of Milan’s legislative body, meaning local ratification is required before the charter changes take effect.
The overall sentiment appears strongly favorable and noncontroversial. The bill advanced unanimously through committee and floor consideration, with no recorded opposition in the available votes. That pattern suggests broad agreement on the need to modernize or clarify Milan’s municipal procedures.
The main points of potential contention are structural rather than partisan: the bill increases mayoral administrative authority in several areas, including temporary appointments, contract execution, and disbursements, while also preserving board oversight for larger property sales and certain contracts. Any concern would likely center on the balance of power between the mayor and the board of mayor and aldermen, but the unanimous votes indicate those issues did not generate visible opposition in the legislative process.
HB1428 amends the private charter of the City of Milan, Tennessee, rather than the general laws of the state. It changes local procedures for filling alderman vacancies, temporary appointments to city attorney and city judge positions, mayoral contract authority, surplus property sales, and disbursement approvals, and it deletes one charter section. The act has no effect unless approved by a two-thirds vote of Milan’s legislative body, so its practical impact depends on local ratification.
The bill appears to have been received positively and without controversy in the General Assembly. It passed committee and floor votes unanimously, including consent calendar passage, indicating broad support and little to no opposition. The available record suggests the measure was viewed as a routine local charter update for the City of Milan.
The only likely area of contention is the reallocation of authority within city government. The bill gives the mayor more direct power to execute smaller contracts, make temporary appointments, and authorize disbursements, while still preserving board approval for larger property transactions and certain contracts. Any concern would likely come from those attentive to checks and balances between the mayor and the board of mayor and aldermen, but no recorded votes or transcripts show active opposition.