(A) The Office of the Administrator of the City of Schuyler, Nebraska, is hereby established, as provided by law. The City Administrator shall be appointed by the Mayor by and with the consent of the majority of the City Council and shall be the administrative head of the municipal 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 the Administrator’s office. The Office of the City Administrator may not be held by the Mayor; however, the appointed Administrator may concurrently hold any other appointed office provided for in this code. When so appointed, the Administrator shall hold his or her office for the term as is agreed upon and contracted for by the Mayor and City Council and the Administrator, as hereinafter provided, unless sooner removed by the Mayor, with the approval of the City Council.
(B) (1) The Mayor and City Council shall, upon the appointment of a City Administrator, negotiate and enter into a written contract of employment with the Administrator which contract shall provide for, but not be limited to, the following items:
(a) Term of employment;
(b) Compensation for services rendered by Administrator;
(c) Duties of the Administrator;
(d) Expenses of the Administrator;
(e) Vacation time and sick leave; and
(f) Disability of the Administrator.
(2) The contract may be revised and rewritten by the Mayor and City Council with the consent of the Administrator at any time during its term, if the revision is deemed necessary by the parties thereto.
(C) The duties, responsibilities, and powers of the City Administrator shall be as follows:
(1) To administer and manage the daily operation of the city government in accordance with the general policies, directives and recommendations for the operation of the city as are promulgated by the Mayor and City Council of the City of Schuyler, Nebraska;
(2) To prepare and keep up to date an inventory of and exercise general supervision and control over all real and personal property and other public property that the city owns or has an interest in, and to coordinate the purchase of all supplies, goods, wares, merchandise, equipment, and materials which may be required for the various departmental divisions and services of the city, subject to the approval of the Mayor and City Council;
(3) To keep the Mayor and City Council fully advised as to the financial condition and needs of the City; to be responsible for and prepare the annual estimate of expenditures for presentation to the Mayor and City Council prior to the time for the passage and adoption of the annual appropriation ordinance, and upon the adoption of the ordinance to properly administer and execute the same;
(4) To serve as public relations officer of the city government; to endeavor to investigate and adjust all complaints made or filed against the city government and against any department, division, service, officer, or employee thereof; and to cooperate with all community organizations whose aim and purpose is to advance the best interests of the city and its citizens;
(5) To analyze the functions, activities, duties and responsibilities of the various departments, divisions and services of the city government and of all officers and employees thereof and to make recommendations respecting the same to the Mayor and City Council respecting the functions, activities, duties, and responsibilities;
(6) To recommend to the Mayor and City Council the appointment and dismissal of all department heads and supervisors over which the Mayor and City Council exercise the jurisdiction and control as provided by law; to appoint and dismiss or delegate to department heads such right by resolution all subordinate employees of the city over which the Mayor and City Council exercise the jurisdiction and control as provided by law at the compensation as may be fixed or authorized by the Mayor and City Council; and to provide for and order the transfer of the subordinate employees from one department, division, or service to another;
(7) To prepare and recommend to the Mayor and City Council a position classification and compensation plan respecting city officers and employees; and to prepare and submit to the Mayor and City Council at the end of each fiscal year a complete report respecting the finances and administrative activities of the city for the preceding fiscal year which report shall include recommended short and long range improvements and any necessary facts to substantiate the recommendations;
(8) To attend all regularly scheduled meetings of the City Council and any other meetings of the City Council and city departments, divisions, services, boards, commissions, committees, and officers as the Administrator’s duties may require; to report at the meetings any matter concerning city affairs within the jurisdiction and under the control of the Administrator; and to recommend to the Mayor and City Council for passage and adoption the measures, resolutions, and ordinances which may be deemed necessary or expedient;
(9) To properly manage the affairs of the city and any department, division, or service thereof and any contract or obligation running to the city; and
(10) To perform any other duties and exercise any other powers as may be delegated to the Administrator from time to time by ordinance or resolution; and to delegate any duty, responsibility, or power set forth herein upon approval of the Mayor and City Council by proper ordinance or resolution.
(D) The Administrator shall devote his or her entire time, attention, and energy to the affairs of the City of Schuyler, and shall not, during the terms of office or employment, be engaged in any other business activity whether or not the business activity is pursued for gain, profit, or other pecuniary advantage.
(E) The City Council and its members shall deal with the administrative services of the city only through the Administrator except for purposes of inquiring and investigating into the various departments and offices. Neither the City Council nor any members thereof shall give orders to any subordinate of the Administrator.
(F) The Administrator shall nominate a department head or any employee of the City of Schuyler to serve as Acting City Administrator during the temporary disability or absence from the city by the Administrator. The nominee, when confirmed by the Mayor and Council, shall perform all the duties and exercises all the powers of the Administrator during the period of disability or absence of the Administrator, but shall receive no additional compensation therefor.
(G) The salary of the Administrator shall be fixed by ordinance and by the written contract of employment with the Administrator. The written contract of employment may also require residency within the City of Schuyler as a condition of the employment as City Administrator.
(H) The City Administrator shall not participate in a local election that affects the Offices of Mayor, City Councilmembers, or any other elective municipal position, except for the casting of an individual ballot.
(I) The City Administrator shall have on file with the City Clerk a bond in favor for the city for the faithful performance of his or her duties and responsibilities in the amount fixed by resolution. The premium for the bond shall be a city expense.
(1972 Code, § 1-221) (Ord. 731, passed 1-3-1985)
Statutory reference:
City Administrator, see Neb. RS 16-308