(A) The City Administrator shall be appointed by the Mayor by and with the consent of a majority of the City Council. He or she shall be the administrative head of the city government under the direction and control of the Mayor and City Council and shall be responsible to the Mayor and City Council for the efficient conduct of his or her office. The responsibilities of the City Administrator shall be as follows:
(1) To see that a current inventory of all property, real and personal, owned by the city is kept on file;
(2) To act as purchasing agent for the purchase of all supplies, goods, wares and merchandise, equipment, and material which may be required for the various departments, divisions, or services of the city;
(3) To keep the Mayor and Council fully advised as to the financial condition and needs of the city and be responsible for the preparation of the annual estimate of expenditures for presentation to the Mayor and Council prior to the passage of the annual appropriation ordinance;
(4) To serve as public relations officer of the city government, and in the capacity to endeavor to investigate all complaints filed against any employee, department, division, or service thereof and cooperate and work with all community organizations whose aim and purpose is to advance the best interests and development of the city and its people and to attend meetings of the organizations within and outside the city if the attendance is necessary and desirable;
(5) To attend all meetings of the Council with the duty of reporting any matter concerning city affairs under his or her supervision or direction and to attend other meetings of the city departments and officials as may be required to fulfill his or her responsibilities;
(6) To analyze the functions, duties, and activities of the various departments, divisions, and services of the city government and of all employees thereof, and to make his or her recommendations regarding the same to the Mayor and Council;
(7) To carry out the Mayor and/or Council's recommendations in coordinating the administrative functions and operations of the various departments;
(8) To procure facts and submit long range improvement recommendations to the Mayor and Council;
(9) To recommend to the Mayor and Council the appointment and dismissal of all department heads and other employees over which he or she exercises supervisory responsibility. Appointment or dismissal of department heads will be made upon the recommendations of the Mayor and confirmation by the Council. In the absence of the Mayor, the City Administrator may suspend any employee with or without pay, should the City Administrator determine that any city employee is guilty of gross misconduct, or wanton dereliction of duty, until the time as the Mayor returns, or otherwise exercises jurisdiction over the employee;
(10) To investigate and make recommendations to the Mayor and City Council regarding duties and activities of any employee of the city and recommend to the Mayor and Council the promotion, demotion, suspension, transfer, or discharge of the employees;
(11) To administer and be responsible for all departments and divisions of the city government, which are under the Mayor's and Council's direction, including the Board of Public Works and any public utilities hereafter acquired by the city and including Fire and Police Departments, except insofar as the jurisdiction and administration conflicts with the civil service law pertaining to the Fire and Police Departments. The office of the City Attorney and City Physician shall not come under the administration and responsibility of the City Administrator, the Administrator, however, shall be available to assist these offices in any administrative matter that may arise and those officers in turn shall be available to assist the City Administrator in the discharge of his or her duties;
(12) To recommend to the Mayor and Council for adoption measures and ordinances as are deemed necessary or expedient;
(13) To recommend to the Mayor and Council any changes he or she deems appropriate in the employee manual;
(14) To make investigations into the affairs of the city and any department or division thereof, and any contract, or the proper performance of any obligation pertaining to the city;
(15) To exercise general supervision over all public buildings, streets, and other public property which are under the control and jurisdiction of the Mayor and Council;
(16) To oversee the preparation and submission to the Mayor and Council as of the end of the fiscal year, a complete report on the finances and administrative activities of the city for the preceding year;
(17) To make recommendations regarding appropriate insurance coverage for the city;
(18) To keep open his or her office for public affairs during days and hours set by the Mayor and Council; and
(19) (a) To perform other duties and exercise other powers as may be delegated to him or her from time to time by ordinances or resolutions of the Council, and where action of the Council is not required duties and powers as may be prescribed by the Mayor; and
(b) The City Administrator in the discharge of his or her duties shall have the right to expend an amount not to exceed the limits set forth in the city's purchasing procedure.
(B) The city may contract in writing with the City Administrator to occupy the position and to assume the duties in writing, upon the terms and conditions as the Council may approve.
(C) In the event the City Administrator serves pursuant to a written contract, his or her renewal shall be governed by the writing. In the event the City Administrator is serving by appointment and without a written contract, he or she may be removed at any time by the Mayor.
(D) The City Administrator shall act as the City Fiscal Officer, and be responsible for preparing all budgets for departments and presenting the same to the Mayor and Council.
(Prior Code, § 1-220) (Ord. 837, passed 8-5-2008)