Encyklopedia Administracji Publicznej MW Pivot Skin

VILLAGE MAYOR (Polish wójt) – an executive body in rural municipalities. He is elected in local government elections that are universal, equal, direct and conducted by secret ballot The term comes from the German voght and has been operating in Poland since the Middle Ages with the introduction of settlement under German law. V.m. was a lord’s vassal (appointed by him), had jurisdiction, and this function was often hereditary. He was assisted by the town council in performing his tasks. The position of v.m. has evolved since the Middle Ages, in the 1920s it was characteristic only of rural municipalities. V.m. was the head of the executive body elected by the municipality council and at the same time he was its chairman. During Polish People’s Republic (since 1950) the office of v.m. was abolished. In the reorganised in 1990 local government the office of v.m. returned, he became the chairman of the executive body (board) elected by the municipality council. Since 2002, it is a monocratic executive body in rural municipalities, directly elected (if the residents do not choose the v.m. in the election or if there’s no candidate, the v.m. is elected by the municipal council). Candidates must be at least 25 years old on the election day and they are not obliged to live in the municipality where they apply for office. The term of office (as the council’s) lasts four years. The v.m. may be removed from office by a local referendum on the initiative of the residents or the council, and in case of blatant violations the constitution may be ousted by the President of the Council of Ministers. The v.m. (in the same way as → mayor and → president of the city) has extensive competence in the management of the municipality, e.g., preparing draft budget resolution and other draft resolutions (in practice he is the main initiator of the legislative process), develops plans in case of crises and spatial development plan. He executes the budget and resolutions, manages municipal property, issues → administrative decisions, he is the head of the municipality office, nominates his deputy, at his request the council appoints a treasurer (→ executive body of local government) [ J. Wasil ].

Literature: A.K. Piasecki, Samorząd terytorialny i wspólnoty lokalne, Warszawa 2009 ■ Z. Bukowski, T. Jędrzejewski, P. Rączka, Ustrój samorządu terytorialnego w Polsce, Toruń, 2013 ■ B. Dolnicki, Samorząd terytorialny, Warszawa 2016.