Bikini Bottom Municipal Council

The Bikini Bottom Municipal Council (Portuguese: Conselho Municipal de Fundo) is the executive and legislative body of the government of the City of Bikini Bottom and the outlying suburbs without city status of Rutherford Heights and Vista da Montanha, together known as the Bikini Bottom District. It is made up of 13 members: 10 from Bikini Bottom, one from Rutherford Heights and two from Vista da Montanha, all elected to serve three-year terms. However, it is a continually changing body (not unlike the United States Senate), and one third (usually four, but every second year five) of the seats go up for election every May. It is headed by an Executive Magistrate, usually the kingpin of the majority party, although there are exceptions: when the Republicans and Progressives both had five seats each in 1993, the District Court ruled that, because the Progressives had gotten the majority vote of the entire District as opposed to individual constituencies, they were the official majority party.

Corruption
The current Council is a rather corrupt body, with many members, including Alpoim himself, being suspected of involvement in the snakehead trade and other black market activities; such allegations are being looked in to by the Federal Police with help from local authorities. This isn't very helpful, either, as the District Constabulary has become rather corrupt since reforms, led by Alpoim and fellow Tory councilor Fátima Godinho, laid off several policemen and replaced them with less efficient newcomers, not to mention an entirely new Commissioner of Police, Calvert Rastel. Since his appointment in early 2008, the constabulary's reputation has gone down, and corruption is abound.



Members
Conservatives


 * Sebastião Alpoim (elected 2003, 3rd term expires 2012)-- became Executive Magistrate in 2007


 * Barclay Richardson III (elected 2002, 3rd term expires 2011)-- became Deputy Magistrate in 2009


 * Fátima Godinho (elected 2006, 2nd term expires 2012)-- former Deputy Magistrate 2007-9; resigned


 * Robin D. Verrier (elected 2010, 1st term expires 2013)


 * Ezequiel Quintanilhas (elected 2005, 2nd term expires 2011)


 * Emma Wright (elected 2009, 1st term expires 2012)

Progressives


 * Matthew Goldsmith (elected 1997, 5th term expires 2012)-- leader of Progressives in Council, Executive Magistrate from 2001-7


 * Haley Davis (elected 2010, 1st term expires 2013)


 * Alexandre Coutinho (elected 2004, 3rd term expires 2013)


 * Débora Lançós (elected 2005, 2nd term expires 2011)

Republicans


 * Alice da Cunha (elected 2003, 3rd term expires 2012)-- leader of Republicans in Council


 * Jeremy Willis (elected 2005, 2nd term expires 2011)


 * Isabelle Keech (elected 2001, 4th term expires 2013)

Departments
The Council is the highest authority of several departments, known as offices. They are listed here.


 * Office of Community Services- exactly what it says on the tin. Widely believed that the office hasn't been decent in the slightest since Goldsmith entered office, and only got worse when he left it.


 * Fire Department


 * Office of Finance- the body overseeing the District Exchequer.


 * Office of Legal Services- works in tandem with the District Court.


 * Office of Nature and Recreation


 * Police Department