Chapter 2.24
CITY MANAGER
Sections:
2.24.020 Appointment of city manager.
2.24.030 Appointment of interim city manager.
2.24.040 Removal of the city manager.
2.24.050 Power and duties of the city manager.
2.24.060 Council not to interfere with appointments or removals.
2.24.070 Legislative policy making prohibited.
2.24.010 Creation of office.
The office of city manager is created.
(Ord. 870 § 1, 2006)
2.24.020 Appointment of city manager.
The city manager shall be appointed by a majority vote of the city council for a specific time period or for an indefinite term if the council chooses not to designate a specific time period. The city manager shall be chosen by the council primarily on the basis of executive and administrative qualifications and without regard to political considerations. No city council member shall receive such appointment during the term for which the council member shall have been elected nor within one year after the expiration of the council member’s term.
(Ord. 870 § 2, 2006)
2.24.030 Appointment of interim city manager.
When the city manager is absent from the city or disabled from acting as city manager, or when the office of city manager becomes vacant, the council may, but shall not be required to, appoint an interim city manager, who shall have the powers and duties of city manager, except that the interim city manager may appoint or remove personnel only with the approval of the council. No person shall be interim city manager more than six consecutive months; however, the council, by resolution, may extend that term beyond the six-month period on a case-by-case basis.
(Ord. 889 § 1, 2007: Ord. 870 § 3, 2006)
2.24.040 Removal of the city manager.
The city council may remove the city manager at any time by a majority vote of its members.
(Ord. 870 § 4, 2006)
2.24.050 Power and duties of the city manager.
The city manager shall be the chief administrative officer of the city, may head one or more departments, and shall be responsible to the city council for the proper administration of all affairs of the city. The city manager may appoint, suspend or remove all employees of the city except as otherwise provided by the City Charter or law. The city manager may authorize the head of a department or office to appoint, suspend, or remove subordinates in such department or office. The city manager shall see that all laws and ordinances are duly enforced. The city council may designate additional duties of office and conditions of employment for the city manager by adopting a specific job description for the city manager, by negotiating an employment agreement with the city manager, or both. Such actions may be approved by amendment to the ordinance codified in this chapter or by separate ordinance.
(Ord. 870 § 5, 2006)
2.24.060 Council not to interfere with appointments or removals.
Neither the mayor nor the council nor any of the council’s individual members shall direct or request the appointment of any person to, or removal from, office by the city manager or any of the city manager’s subordinates, or in any manner take part in the appointment or removal of employees in the administrative services of the city except as provided by the City Charter or law. Except for the purpose of inquiry or as specifically provided in collective bargaining agreements between the city and its employees or council-adopted employee grievance appeals, the mayor, council and the individual council members shall deal with the administration solely through the city manager and neither the council nor any member thereof shall give orders to any subordinates of the city manager, either publicly or privately.
(Ord. 870 § 6, 2006)
2.24.070 Legislative policy making prohibited.
The city manager shall not exercise any legislative policymaking or legislative functions, nor attempt to commit or to bind the mayor or council to any action, plan or program regarding legislative policy or legislative function, and such shall remain exclusively the province of the city council.
(Ord. 870 § 7, 2006)
2.24.080 Emergencies.
In case of accident, disaster, or other circumstance creating a public emergency, and except as provided by the City Charter, ordinance, or law, the city manager may award contracts and make purchases for the purpose of meeting said emergency; but the manager shall file promptly with council information showing such emergency and the necessity for such action, together with an itemized account of all expenditures.
(Ord. 870 § 8, 2006)
2.24.090 Bond.
The council may require that the city manager furnish, at the city’s sole expense, a surety bond to be approved by the council, said bond to be conditioned on the faithful performance of all the manager’s duties.
(Ord. 870 § 9, 2006)
2.24.100 Compensation.
The city manager shall receive such compensation, as the council shall fix from time to time by ordinance or resolution.
(Ord. 870 § 10, 2006)
2.24.110 Vacancy.
Any vacancy in the office of the city manager shall be filled as soon as practicable after the effective date of such vacancy.
(Ord. 870 § 11, 2006)