ARTICLE III
CITY MANAGER AND ADMINISTRATIVE DEPARTMENTS

Section

III-1    City manager—appointment, term, qualifications, removal

III-2    City manager—powers and duties

III-3    Finance department—director, duties

III-1 City manager—appointment, term, qualifications, removal

There shall be a city manager. The council shall appoint the manager for an indefinite term by a vote of a majority of all its members. The manager shall be chosen solely on the basis of executive and administrative qualifications. At the time of appointment, the manager need not be a resident of the City or State; but, during the tenure of office, the manager shall reside within the City. Neither the mayor nor any councilmember may be appointed city manager during the term for which they shall have been elected. The council may suspend or remove the city manager at any time by a vote of a majority of all its members.

III-2 City manager—powers and duties

The city manager shall be chief administrative officer and head of the administrative branch of the city government. The manager shall execute the laws and ordinances and administer the government of the City, and shall be responsible therefor to the council. The manager shall:

(1) Appoint, and when deemed necessary for the good of the service, lay off, suspend, demote, or remove all directors or heads of administrative departments and all other administrative officers and employees of the City except personnel in the department of law; provided, that the city manager or the council, by ordinance, may delegate this power and duty to directors or heads of departments and other administrative officers and agencies as regards their own subordinates;

(2) Supervise and control all administrative departments, agencies, officers, and employees appointed by the manager or by agencies and officers subordinate to the manager;

(3) Prepare a budget annually and submit it to the council, be responsible for the administration of the budget after it goes into effect, and recommend to the council any changes in the budget which the manager deems desirable;

(4) Submit to the council a report as of the end of the fiscal year on the finances and administrative activities of the City for the preceding year;

(5) Keep the council advised of the financial condition and future needs of the City, and make recommendations on policy and other matters; and

(6) Have such other powers, duties, and functions as this charter may prescribe, and such powers, duties, and functions consistent with this charter as the council may prescribe.

III-3 Finance department—director, duties

There shall be a finance director or treasurer, who may also be city clerk, and who shall be an officer of the City appointed by the city manager for an indefinite term, and who shall be director or head of the finance department. Except as the council provides otherwise by ordinance, the finance director shall collect or receive revenue and other money for the City, shall be responsible for its custody, safekeeping, deposit, investment, and disbursement, in accordance with this charter and the ordinances of the City and shall maintain a general accounting system for the city government. When reference is made by law or otherwise to city treasurer, it shall mean the finance director unless the council, by ordinance, creates a separate office of city treasurer within the finance department.