(A) Establishment. There is hereby established the Office of City Attorney.
(B) Appointment and qualifications. The Mayor shall appoint a City Attorney, who shall be the general law officer and legal counsel of the city. The Mayor may remove the City Attorney at will. He or she shall be an attorney licensed to practice in the commonwealth. He or she shall be chosen solely on the basis of his or her legal qualifications, with special emphasis on actual experience in or knowledge of the state’s municipal and administrative law. The City Attorney may also engage in the private practice of law and may hold other public or private employment.
(C) Duties and powers. The City Attorney shall have and exercise all powers and duties assigned to him or her by statute, this chapter and such other municipal responsibilities delegated from time to time. He or she shall attend all meetings of the City Council at which his or her presence is specifically requested, shall advise the Mayor, the City Council and all other city officers and employees in all legal matters pertaining to their municipal duties or affecting the interests of the city, shall appear for and defend the city in all legal actions and administrative proceedings in which the city is a party or is interested, shall institute legal action for and in behalf of the city wherever necessary for protection or enforcement of rights or interests of the city, shall prepare and examine ordinances, resolutions, orders and legal instruments as the Council may direct, and generally shall attend to all legal business of the city.
(D) Compensation. The City Attorney shall receive compensation in accordance with a contract or similar agreement approved by City Council.
(E) Oath and bond. No person shall be appointed or act as City Attorney unless such person has taken the oath required by § 228 of the Constitution of the commonwealth and has provided a bond, if required, in the sum as established by City Council, with corporate surety authorized to transact business in the state and conditioned upon the performance of the duties specified herein.
(Prior Code, § 31.45) (Ord. passed 2-16-2010)