Seal Beach Municipal Code Art. I Incorporation and Succession

The Municipal Corporation now existing and known as the City of Seal Beach shall remain and continue a body politic and corporate in name and in fact, by the name of the City of Seal Beach.

The boundaries of the City of Seal Beach shall continue as now established until changed in the manner authorized by law.

The City of Seal Beach shall remain vested with, and continue to have, hold, and enjoy, all property, rights of property and rights of action of every nature and description now pertaining to this municipality, and is hereby declared to be the successor of the same. It shall be subject to all the liabilities that now exist against this municipality.

All lawful ordinances, resolutions, rules and regulations, or portions thereof, in force at the time this Charter takes effect and not in conflict with or inconsistent herewith, are hereby continued in force until the same have been duly repealed, amended, changed or superseded by proper authority.

All contracts entered into by the City, or for its benefit prior to the effective date of this Charter, shall continue in full force and effect. Public improvements for which proceedings have been instituted under laws existing at the time this Charter takes effect, in the discretion of the City Council, may be carried to completion as nearly as practicable in accordance with the provisions of such existing laws or may be continued or perfected under this Charter.

No action or proceeding, civil or criminal, pending at the time when this Charter takes effect, brought by or against the City or any officer, office, department or agency thereof, shall be affected or abated by the adoption of this Charter or by anything herein contained, but all such actions or proceedings may be continued notwithstanding that functions, powers and duties of any officer, office, department or agency a party thereto, may be assigned or transferred by or under this Charter to another officer, office, department or agency, but in that event the same may be prosecuted or defended by the head of the office, department or agency to which such functions, powers and duties have been assigned or transferred by or under this Charter.

The members of the City Council in office at the time of the approval of this Charter by the Legislature shall continue to hold office and discharge their duties for the balance of the term for which they were elected, or until their successors are elected and qualified. All appointive officials, officers and employees of the City now in the office or employed at the time of the approval of this Charter by the Legislature, shall continue to hold their office or employment until they are re-appointed or their successors are appointed in their place in accordance with the provisions of this Charter.

Notwithstanding any general or special provisions of this Charter, the Council, in order to insure continuity of governmental operations in periods of emergency resulting from disasters of whatever nature, shall have the power and immediate duty:

a. To provide for prompt and temporary succession to the powers and duties of all City officers, of whatever nature and whether filled by election or appointment, the incumbents of which may become unavailable for carrying on the powers and duties of such offices, and

b. To adopt such other measures as may be necessary and proper for insuring the continuity of City operations, including, but not limited to the financing thereof. In the exercise of the powers herein conferred, the City Council, in all respects, shall conform to the requirements of this Charter except that at such times they may make purchases and enter into contracts without calling for bids or giving therefor; to the extent the emergency requires such action.

This Charter shall take effect upon its approval by the Legislature.