The City Manager's tenure shall be indefinite, but shall continue only at the pleasure of Council, an affirmative vote of at least five (5) members of Council being necessary for removal. The process of removal shall require at least three (3) members of Council to propose the removal of the City Manager by introducing a resolution at a regular or special meeting of the Council to suspend the City Manager pending the City Manager's removal and the resolution shall set forth the reasons for the removal. The resolution proposing to suspend the City Manager pending removal shall not require three (3) readings at three (3) separate meetings of the Council but it must be approved by the affirmative vote of at least four (4) members of Council to become effective. A copy of such resolution shall be served immediately upon the City Manager using one of the methods for service in Section 5.02. Upon service of the resolution upon the City Manager, the City Manager shall have fifteen (15) days in which to reply thereto in writing, and upon written request filed with the Clerk of Council within that fifteen (15)-day period, shall be afforded a hearing at a public meeting. The hearing shall occur no earlier than fifteen (15) days nor later than thirty (30) days after the request for a hearing is filed. If a hearing is not requested by the City Manager within the fifteen (15)-day period, the removal of the City Manager is effective on the sixteenth (16th) day after service of the resolution provided for above. After the hearing, if one is requested, and after full consideration of the evidence presented at the hearing, the Council may adopt a final resolution of removal. A final resolution of removal shall be acted upon by the Council within fifteen (15) days after the close of all evidence and arguments at the Council's hearing and it shall be effective immediately upon its passage. An affirmative vote of at least five (5) members of Council shall be necessary for removal of the City Manager.
By the affirmative vote of at least four (4) members of Council, the Council shall appoint a Municipal employee to serve as the Acting City Manager during any suspension pending removal of the City Manager. (Amended 11-3-20)