(a) The City shall operate under the council-manager form of government in accordance with Part 2 of Article 7 of Chapter 160A of the General Statutes of North Carolina and any charter provisions not in conflict therewith.
(b) The board of commissioners shall appoint a City Manager to serve at its pleasure. The City Manager shall be appointed solely on the basis of his executive and administrative qualifications, he need not be a resident of the City or state at the time of his appointment, and he may hold such office concurrently with other appointed offices pursuant to Article VI, Section 9, of the North Carolina Constitution.
(c) The City Manager shall have the powers and duties described in G.S. 160A-148, including any other duties that the Board of Commissioners may require or authorize.
(d) The City Manager shall have the power to appoint, suspend, and remove all officers, department heads, and employees in the administrative service of the City not elected by the people and whose appointment or removal is not otherwise provided by law, except the City attorney, in accordance with such general personnel rules, regulations, policies, and ordinances as the board of commissioners may adopt. Notwithstanding the contrary provisions of G.S. 105-349, the City Manager may appoint and remove the tax collector for the City, and the tax collector shall serve under the direction and at the will of the City Manager.
(Ord. of 8-8-83; Acts 1996, ch. 619, § 1)