Division 20 — OFFICES OF THE CITY
Los Angeles Municipal Code Ch. 1 General Provisions Applicable to Departments and
Los Angeles Municipal Code · 2026-09 edition · updated 2026-10-04 · Los Angeles
Cite as: Los Angeles Municipal Code Chapter 1 · Text as of 2026-10-04
COMMISSIONS
Section 21.1 Powers and Duties of General Manager as Chief Administrative Officer. 21.2 Powers and Duties of Boards of Commissioners. 21.3 Assignment of Employee as Commission Secretary. 21.4 Duties of the Secretary. 21.8 Appointment of Chief Accounting Employee; Authentication of Demands. 21.12 Attendance Fees. 21.16 Powers of Boards Exercised by Resolution. 21.19 Voting. 21.20 Applicability of Charter Provision 506.
Sec. 21.1. Powers and Duties of General Manager as Chief Administrative Officer.¶
The general manager of each department under the control and management of the general manager shall be the head of the department, and shall have those powers and duties set forth in Charter Sections 506 and 510.
SECTION HISTORY
Previous Chapter in Entirety Repealed, New Chapter and Section Added by Ord. No. 173,290, Eff. 6-30-00, Oper. 7-1-00.
Sec. 21.2. Powers and Duties of Boards of Commissioners.¶
The board for each department under the control and management of a general manager shall have the power (subject to the provisions of this Charter and to such ordinances of the City as are not in conflict with the Charter), to make and enforce all necessary and desirable rules and regulations for the exercise of powers and the performance of the duties conferred upon each such board.
SECTION HISTORY
Added by Ord. No. 173,290, Eff. 6-30-00, Oper. 7-1-00.
Sec. 21.3. Assignment of Employee as Commission Secretary.¶
As required by Charter Section 504, the general manager of each department under the control and management of a general manager shall assign an employee of that department, other than a member of the board, as the secretary to the board of commissioners of the department, if any. The Council may by ordinance, at the request of the general manager concerned, combine the position of secretary with any other position in any department. The board of each department under the control of a board of commissioners shall assign an employee of that department, other than a member of the board, as the secretary to the board of commissioners.
SECTION HISTORY
Added by Ord. No. 173,290, Eff. 6-30-00, Oper. 7-1-00.
Sec. 21.4. Duties of the Secretary.¶
The secretary of each board created by the Charter or by ordinance shall keep a record of the proceedings and transactions of the board, specifying the names of the commissioners at all meetings and giving the ayes and noes upon all votes. The secretary shall post and publish all orders, resolutions and notices which the board shall order to be posted or published, and shall perform such other duties as are imposed upon the secretary by the Charter, ordinance, or order of the board.
SECTION HISTORY
Added by Ord. No. 173,290, Eff. 6-30-00, Oper. 7-1-00.
Sec. 21.8. Appointment of Chief Accounting Employee; Authentication of Demands.¶
(a) The head of each department created by Charter or by ordinance shall appoint an employee of the department, other than a member of the board or the chief administrative officer, to serve as chief accounting employee.
(b) Except as otherwise authorized in Charter Section 505, no money shall be drawn from any fund under the control of any department, except upon demands authenticated by the signature of the chief accounting employee of the department, who shall be directly responsible to the head of the department in the discharge of the chief accounting employee’s duties. The head of the department shall file with the Controller a notice giving the name and signature of the chief accounting employee authorized to sign its demands. The head of the department, by resolution if the head of the department is a board, may authorize a temporary substitution in the case of the absence or inability to act of the previously designated chief accounting employee. A copy of any designation of substitution shall be filed with the Controller.
SECTION HISTORY
Added by Ord. No. 173,290, Eff. 6-30-00, Oper. 7-1-00.
Sec. 21.12. Attendance Fees.¶
Commissioners of departments created by Charter Sections 500 and 600, the Board of Animal Services Commissioners, and the Board of Building and Safety Commissioners shall be paid an attendance fee of $50.00 per commissioner for each meeting attended, not to exceed $250.00 per commissioner in any one calendar month. Notwithstanding the above, compensation for members of the Board of Public Works shall be as provided in Section 22.315 of this Code.
SECTION HISTORY
Added by Ord. No. 173,290, Eff. 6-30-00, Oper. 7-1-00. Amended by: “Board of Animal Regulation Commissioners” renamed “Board of Animal Services Commissioners,” Ord. No. 174,661, Eff. 8-9-02.
Sec. 21.16. Powers of Boards Exercised by Resolution.¶
The powers conferred upon each board shall be exercised by order or resolution adopted by a majority of its members and recorded in the minutes with the ayes and noes at length. Such action shall be attested by the signatures of the President or Vice-President, or two members of the board, and by the signature of the Secretary of the board.
SECTION HISTORY
Added by Ord. No. 173,290, Eff. 6-30-00, Oper. 7-1-00.
Sec. 21.19. Voting.¶
Where such will not be inconsistent with Charter-prescribed duties, or prohibited by law, a member of a City board or commission or of a committee thereof, who is present when a question is put to that board, commission or committee shall vote on that question at the call of the roll thereon. In the event such member fails to affirmatively vote either “yes” or “no,” that member will be deemed to have voted “yes,” and the member’s vote will be spread as such upon the record.
SECTION HISTORY
Added by Ord. No. 173,290, Eff. 6-30-00, Oper. 7-1-00.
Sec. 21.20. Applicability of Charter Provision 506.¶
Each city department, office or commission created by ordinance shall comply with Charter Section 506, unless expressly provided otherwise by ordinance.
SECTION HISTORY
Added by Ord. No. 173,290, Eff. 6-30-00, Oper. 7-1-00.
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