The commission shall appoint a city manager who shall be the chief executive officer of the city. The manager shall be chosen by the commission solely on the basis of his executive and administrative qualifications and need not, when appointed, be a resident of the city or the state. No member of the commission shall, during the time for which elected, be chosen as city manager. The manager shall be appointed for an indefinite term but shall be removable at the pleasure of the commission. Before the manager may be removed he shall, if he so demand, be given a written statement of the reasons for his removal and the right to be heard publicly thereon at a meeting of the commission prior to the final vote on the question of his removal but pending and during such hearing the commission may suspend him from office. The action of the commission in suspending or removing the manager shall be final, it being the intention of this charter to vest all authority and fix all responsibility for such suspension or removal in the commission. In case of the absence or disability of the manager the commission may designate some qualified person to perform the duties of the office during such absence or disability, except that the city manager may appoint his own replacement for periods of absence or disability not to exceed thirty days.
(Adopted by electorate, November 7, 1989 – Amending Ordinance No. 53-89)