(a) Each Municipal department shall be headed by a full or part-time department head.
(b) The Manager may suspend department heads for a period not to exceed forty-five (45) days by informing the department head and Council in writing of his/her reasons for said suspension. For disciplinary reasons the Manager may suspend a department head for a period not to exceed five (5) days without pay and without the right of appeal.
(c) The department head may file a written request for a public hearing upon suspension with Council within seven (7) days notice of suspension.
(d) If the department head does not file a written request for a public hearing with the Council, the department head's employment shall be terminated after fourteen (14) days from the date the Manager's suspension letter was received by Council.
(e) If the department head does request a public hearing from the Council, this hearing shall be held at a Council meeting not earlier than fifteen (15) days nor later than thirty (30) days after the request is filed. If four (4) members of the Council do not vote to overrule the suspension, the department head's employment shall be terminated at that time. If four (4) members do vote to overrule the suspension, the department head shall be reinstated with back pay.
(f) All department heads shall be administrative officers of the Municipality.
(g) The Chief of Police shall be the department head for the Department of Police. The Fire Chief shall be the department head of the Department of Fire/EMS. The Director of Public Service shall be the department head of the Department of Public Service. The Finance Director shall be the department head of the Department of Finance.
(Amended 11-6-01; 11-6-12.)