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2.08.070 Powers and duties.

The city manager is the administrative head of the government of the city, under the direction and control of the city council except as otherwise provided in this chapter. He or she shall be responsible for the efficient administration of all the affairs of the city which are under his or her control. In addition to his or her general powers as administrative head and, not as a limitation thereon, it shall be his or her duty and he or she shall have all the powers set forth in the following subsections:

(1)      Law Enforcement. It is the duty of the city manager to enforce all laws and ordinances of the city and to see that all franchises, contracts, permits and privileges granted by the city council are faithfully observed;

(2)      Authority Over Employees. It is the duty of the city manager, and he or she shall have the authority to control, order and give directions to all heads of departments and to subordinate officers and employees of the city under his or her jurisdiction through their department heads;

(3)      Power of Appointment, Etc. It is the duty of the city manager to appoint, remove, promote and demote any and all officers and employees of the city except the city attorney. Appointment of department heads, including the city clerk and city treasurer, shall be subject to ratification by the city council;

(4)      Reorganization of Offices, Etc. It is the duty and responsibility of the city manager to recommend to the city council such reorganization of offices, positions, departments or units under his or her direction as may be indicated in the interest of efficient, effective and economical conduct of the city’s business;

(5)      Ordinances. It is the duty of the city manager to recommend to the city council for adoption such measures and ordinances as he or she deems necessary or expedient;

(6)      Attendance at Council Meetings. It is the duty of the city manager to attend all meetings of the city council unless excused therefrom, except when his or her removal is under consideration;

(7)      Financial Reports. It is the duty of the city manager to keep the city council at all times fully advised as to the financial conditions and needs of the city;

(8)      Budget. It shall be the duty of the city manager to prepare and submit the proposed annual budget and the proposed annual salary plan to the city council for its approval;

(9)      Purchasing Agent. It shall be the duty of the city manager and he or she shall be responsible for the purchase of all supplies for all of the departments or divisions of the city. No expenditures shall be submitted or recommended to the city council except on report and approval of the city manager;

(10)   Investigations. It is the duty of the city manager to make investigations into the affairs of the city and any department or division thereof, and of any contract or of the proper performance of any obligation of the city;

(11)   Public Utilities—Franchises. It is the duty of the city manager to investigate all complaints in relation to matters concerning the administration of the city government and in regard to the service maintained by public utilities in the city, and to see that all franchise permits granted by the city are faithfully performed and observed;

(12)   Public Buildings. It is the duty of the city manager to exercise control over all public buildings, public parks and all other public property which are under the control and jurisdiction of the city council;

(13)   Hours of Employment. It is the duty of the city manager to devote his or her entire working time to the duties of his or her office in the interests of the city, except on permission of the city council by action thereof;

(14)   Additional Duties. It is the duty of the city manager to perform such other duties and exercise such other powers as may be delegated to him or her from time to time by ordinance or resolution or other action of the city council;

(15)   Council-Manager Relations. The city council and its members shall deal with the administrative services of the city only through the city manager, except for the purpose of inquiry; and neither the city council nor any member thereof shall give orders to any subordinates of the city manager. The city manager shall take his or her orders and instructions from the city council only when sitting in a duly held meeting of the city council, and no individual councilman shall give any orders, or instructions to the city manager. Nothing in this section, however, shall prevent any member of the city council from discussing with the city manager any matter of general public interest or concern relative to the proper operations of the city or of the needs, problems, or projects thereof;

(16)   Departmental Cooperation. It is the duty of all subordinate officers as well as the city treasurer and city attorney to assist the city manager in administering the affairs of the city efficiently, economically and harmoniously so far as may be consistent with their duties as prescribed by law and by the ordinances of the city;

(17)   Attendance at Commission Meetings. The city manager may attend any and all meetings of any commissions, boards or committees created by the city council upon his or her own volition or upon direction of the city council. At such meetings which the city manager attends, he or she shall be heard by such commissions, boards or committees as to all matters upon which he or she wishes to address the members thereof, and he or she shall inform the members as to the status of any matter being considered by the city council, and he or she shall cooperate to the fullest extent with the members of all commissions, boards or committees appointed by the city council;

(18)   To prescribe administrative policies and procedures providing direction to city employees for the courteous and efficient operation of all offices of the city under the direction and control of the city manager;

(19)   To prepare the meeting agendas for the council meetings and, in preparing such agendas, to annotate in concise language, each agenda item, which, in the manager’s judgment, is of sufficient importance to warrant additional explanatory material for the purpose of clarification of such item to the council;

(20)   To keep a personnel file on all city employees, avoiding duplication, whenever it is practical to do so. (Ord. 1762 § 2, 2002)