Sec. 5.1 Appointment; compensation. - The city council shall appoint an officer whose title shall be city manager and who shall be the chief executive officer of the city and the head of the administrative branch of the city government. The city manager shall be chosen by the council solely on the basis of his executive and administrative qualifications with special reference to his actual experience in, or knowledge of, accepted practice in respect to the duties of his office as hereinafter prescribed. At the time of his appointment he need not be a resident of the city, but shall reside therein, or within the extraterritorial jurisdiction of the city, during his tenure of office. No person elected as mayor or as a member of the city council shall be eligible for appointment as city manager until one year shall have elapsed following the expiration of the term for which he was elected. The city manager shall serve at the pleasure of the city council and shall receive such salary as the council shall fix. In case of absence or disability of the city manager, the council may designate a qualified officer or employee of the city to perform the duties of the office during such absence or disability.
(Amended by Senate Bill 628, passed 6-6-91)
Sec. 5.2 Chief administrator. - The city manager shall be responsible to the city council for the proper administration of all the affairs of the city. As chief administrator, the city manager shall have the power to appoint and remove all officers, department heads, and employees in the administrative service of the city, except the city attorney, who shall be appointed as provided in article VI. Neither the mayor nor the city council nor any of its committees or members shall direct or request the appointment of any person to, or his removal from, office by the city manager, or in any manner take part in the appointment or removal of officers and employees in the administrative service of the city. Except for the purpose of inquiry, the mayor and the city council and its members shall deal with officers and employees in the administrative service only through the city manager, and neither the mayor nor the city council nor any of its members shall give orders or directions to any subordinate of the city manager, either publicly or privately.
Sec. 5.3 Duties of city manager. - It shall be the duty of the city manager to supervise the administration of the affairs of the city; to see that the ordinances, resolutions, and regulations of the city council and the laws of the state are faithfully executed and enforced; to make such recommendations to the city council concerning the affairs of the city as he shall deem expedient; to keep the city council advised of the financial condition and the future financial needs of the city; to attend all meetings of the city council and to prepare and submit to the council such reports as he may deem expedient or as may be required of him by the council; and to perform all other duties as may be required of him by the city council.