Policy I: City Manager Executive Accountability Policy:
(A) City Manager responsibility. The City Manager shall ensure that all city practices, activities, decisions and organizational circumstances are lawful, prudent and in conformance with commonly accepted business and professional ethics, including but not limited to the following:
(1) The City Manager shall ensure the city’s assets are protected, adequately maintained and risked only as necessary. Accordingly the City Manager shall:
(a) Allow only authorized personnel access to material amounts of funds;
(b) Monitor facilities or equipment for improper wear and tear or insufficient routine maintenance;
(c) Protect the city, Council or staff from unnecessary claims of liability;
(d) Assure that any non-inventory purchase:
1. Of over $5,000 has obtained at least three comparative prices and qualities where brand consistency is not a consideration (i.e., Dell/Gateway/Apple computers); and
2. Of over $150,000 has utilized a stringent method of assuring the balance of long-term quality and cost through a formal bidding process.
(e) Be limited in authority to only purchases under $5,000 without Council approval, with the exception of budgeted maintenance items;
(f) Protect intellectual property, information and files from loss or significant damage, or access by unauthorized persons;
(g) Receive, distribute and/or account for funds under controls that are sufficient to meet standard accounting practices and/or to protect the city;
(h) Invest or hold operating capital in secure instruments, including insured checking accounts or in interest-bearing accounts except where necessary to facilitate ease in operational transactions or where it benefits the city;
(i) Enhance the city’s image or credibility, particularly in ways that would facilitate its accomplishment of its mission; and
(j) Timely provide Council, City Recorder, staff, contract vendors and the public with the information necessary to carry on the city’s business.
(2) With respect to the treatment of employees, the City Manager shall cause or allow conditions that are fair or dignified. Accordingly, the City Manager shall:
(a) Operate by following written personnel policies that clarify personnel rules for employees, provide for effective handling of complaints and protect against wrongful or illegal conditions;
(b) Protect all employees from discrimination at any time for any reason;
(c) Facilitate employees in taking a complaint to the Council when internal complaint procedures have been exhausted; and
(d) Acquaint staff with this policy.
(3) Financial planning in any fiscal year mandates that actual expenditures remain within the budget parameters, except for approved budget adjustments. Accordingly, the City Manager shall provide a budget that:
(a) Contains sufficient information to enable credible projection of revenues and expenses, separation of capital and operational items, cash flows and disclosure of planning assumptions; and
(b) Acquires, encumbers or disposes of real property with the Council’s approval.
(4) Regarding employment, compensation and benefits to employees, consultants and contract workers, the City Manager shall protect the city’s fiscal integrity and image. Accordingly, the City Manager may not:
(a) Change his or her own compensation and/or benefits;
(b) Promise or imply benefits that are outside approved benefit policies;
(c) Promise or imply permanent or guaranteed employment; or
(d) Establish compensation that deviates materially from the geographic or professional market for the skills employed and/or that is outside of the approved budget.
(5) The City Manager shall keep the Council informed and supported in its work. Accordingly, the City Manager shall:
(a) Submit monitoring data, status reports, financial information or other pertinent information required by the Council in a timely, accurate and understandable manner;
(b) Let the Council be aware of relevant trends or significant changes of any kind that could or have negatively impacted the city; and
(c) Report in a timely manner an actual or anticipated noncompliance with any Council-approved policy.
(6) Regarding city insurance, employee benefit providers and employee wages, the City Manager shall:
(a) Review annually all benefits providers for cost and comparative services; and
(b) Do bi-annual wage research and analysis.
(B) Staff treatment. With respect to treatment of paid and volunteer staff, the City Manager shall cause or allow conditions, procedures, actions or decisions which are lawful, ethical, safe, respectful, dignified, moral, reputable and in accordance with Council policy. Accordingly, the City Manager shall:
(1) Develop procedures for reasonable background inquiries and checks prior to hiring any paid personnel or utilizing the services of any volunteers;
(2) Operate within the parameters of written personnel and administrative policies which:
(a) Clarify personnel rules and procedures for staff;
(b) Provide for effective handling of grievances;
(c) Include adequate job descriptions for all staff positions;
(d) Include salary and compensation plans that comply with state law;
(e) Include an effective personnel performance evaluation system;
(f) Establish procedures for reductions in force;
(g) Protect against sexual harassment;
(h) Protect against racial, religious, gender, age, disability and ethnic bias or discrimination; and
(i) Provide for a drug-, smoke- and alcohol-free workplace.
(3) Facilitate employees in grieving to the Council when internal grievance procedures have been exhausted and the employee alleges that Council policy has been violated;
(4) Protect confidential information;
(5) Provide for open communication and the sharing of ideas; and
(6) Provide staff with an opportunity to become familiar with the provisions of this policy.
Policy II: City Recorder Executive Accountability Policy:
The City Recorder shall help to ensure that all city practices, activities, decisions or organizational circumstances are lawful, prudent and in conformance with commonly accepted business and professional ethics, including but not limited to the following:
(A) The City Recorder shall assure that the city’s assets are protected, adequately maintained and risked only as necessary. Accordingly, the City Recorder shall:
(1) Insure against theft and casualty losses to at least 100% of replacement value and against liability losses to the city, employees and the organization itself in an amount greater than the average for comparable organizations;
(2) Allow only authorized personnel access to material amounts of funds;
(3) Protect the city, Council or staff from unnecessary claims of liability;
(4) Assure that any non-inventory purchase of over $5,000 has obtained at least three comparative prices and qualities where brand consistency is not a consideration (i.e., Dell/Gateway/Apple computers);
(5) Be limited in authority to only purchases under $5,000 without Council approval with the exception of budgeted maintenance items;
(6) Protect intellectual property, information and files from loss or significant damage, or access by unauthorized persons;
(7) Receive, distribute and/or account for funds under controls that are sufficient to meet standard accounting practices and/or to protect the city;
(8) Invest or hold operating capital in secure instruments, including insured checking accounts or in interest-bearing accounts, except where necessary to facilitate ease in operational transactions or where it benefits the city;
(9) Protect the city’s image or credibility, particularly in ways that would enhance its accomplishment of its mission; and
(10) Timely provide Council, City Manager, staff, contract vendors and the public with the information necessary to carry on the city’s business.
(B) With respect to the treatment of employees, the City Recorder shall ensure conditions that are fair or dignified. Accordingly, the City Recorder shall:
(1) Operate within the written personnel policies that clarify personnel rules for employees, provide for effective handling of complaints, and protect against wrongful or illegal conditions;
(2) Protect against discrimination toward any employee at any time for any reason;
(3) Facilitate employees in taking a complaint to the Council when internal complaint procedures have been exhausted; and
(4) Acquaint staff with this policy.
(C) Financial planning in any fiscal year mandates that actual expenditures remain within the budget parameters, except for approved budget adjustments. Accordingly, the City Recorder shall assist in budgeting that:
(1) Settles payroll and debts in a timely manner;
(2) Assures that tax payments or other government-ordered payments or filings will not become overdue or inaccurately filed; and
(3) Aggressively pursues receivables after a reasonable grace period.
(D) Regarding employment, compensation and benefits to employees, consultants and contract workers, the City Recorder shall protect the city’s fiscal integrity or image. Accordingly, the City Recorder may not:
(1) Change her or his own compensation and/or benefits; or
(2) Promise or imply benefits that are outside approved benefit policies.
(E) The City Recorder shall keep the Council informed or supported in its work. Accordingly, the City Recorder shall:
(1) Submit monitoring data, status reports, financial information or other pertinent information required by the Council in a timely, accurate and understandable manner;
(2) Make the Council aware of relevant trends or significant changes of any kind that could or have negatively impacted the city; and
(3) Report in a timely manner any actual or anticipated noncompliance with any Council-approved policy.
(F) Regarding city insurance, employee benefit providers and employee wages, the City Recorder shall get bi-annual bids from insurance broker.
(Prior Code, Ch. 30, App. B) (Ord. 1256a, passed 8-1-2011)