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HomeMy WebLinkAboutD - About Seal Beach GovernmentSeal Beach Government Q & A Sheet City Charter - Article VI - City Manager hJ� SE4( ef� J�=t About Seal Beach's Form of Government e!",� � (Charter City) Fb What is a Charter City? A charter city is a city in which the governing system is defined by the city's own charter document rather than by state, provincial, regional, or national laws. In locations where city charters are allowed by law, a city can adopt or modify its organizing charter by a majority vote of its resident citizens. A charter gives a city's residents the flexibility to choose any kind of government structure allowed by law. A copy of the Seal Beach Charter can be reviewed at the City Clerk's Department or libraries (it is included with the Seal Beach Municipal Code book). Fb What is the Council/City Manager form of local government? The Council/City Manager form is the system of local government that combines the strong political leadership of elected officials in the form of the City Council with the strong managerial experience of the City Manager. Fb What is the purpose of the Council/City Manager form of local government? The Council/City Manager form of local government is intended to provide the City Council with the power to govern a community and the City Manager with the authority to carry out the Council's programs. Fb What is the difference between the role of the Council and the role of the City Manager? The City Council is the community's legislative body and provides direction on business matters, sets policy, and adopts the annual budget. The City Council hires the City Manager and supervises his/her performance. The City Manager serves as the City Council's chief advisor, prepares the budget, oversees the City staff, and acts to carry out the City Council's policies and programs. Because the City Council is the legislative body, its members are the community's decision makers. The City Manager is hired to serve at the pleasure of the City Council as its full-time executive whose job it is to administer the City staff, projects, policies, and programs on behalf of the City Council. Fb How is City policy formulated and established under the Council/City Manager plan? The City Council retains the sole power of being the policy making and legislative body for the City. However, both the City Council and City Manager have responsibility for initiating consideration of new policies and programs. The City Manager routinely prepares policy alternatives and recommendations for consideration by the City Council. The City Council may adopt, reject, or modify the recommendations. The City Manager is bound by whatever action the majority of the City Council takes and is responsible for implementation of City Council - approved policy. Ib Who appoints the City Manager, City Attorney, and other staff? The City Council is responsible for appointing the City Manager and City Attorney. The City Manager, serving as the City's personnel officer, is responsible for appointing all other City employees, including the Chief of Police. W How is the City budget created? The City Manager has the responsibility for preparation of the proposed annual budget for the City. The City Council is responsible for reviewing the document and making those policy choices that ensure that the budget fits the needs of the community. After adoption by the City Council, the City Manager implements and administers the budget. A copy of the budget can be reviewed at City Hall or checked out through the City Clerk's Department. Kb Who supervises the day-to-day activities of the City staff? The City Manager exercises general supervision and provides direction to the City staff. City Department Heads report directly to the City Manager. The City Council deals with the administration of the City through the City Manager. lb Does the City Manager participate in local politics? The City Manager refrains from participation in the election of the City Council and from those partisan activities that would impair the performance as a professional administrator. W What is the role of the Mayor? The Mayor represents the City at community functions, maintains liaison with other governmental agencies, and serves as the presiding officer at City Council meetings. The City Council Member who will serve as Mayor is selected every year by the City Council. The City Council also selects a Mayor Pro Tempore to act for the Mayor when he/she is not available. W Who appoints City Board, Commission, and Committee members? The City Council appoints all members of official City Boards, Commissions, and Committees. The Council may also establish other committees to study a particular issue in the City (AdHoc or Standing). Seal Beach Official Charter ARTICLE VI CITY MANAGER SECTION 600. City Manager. There shall be a City Manager appointed by the City Council who shall be the chief administrative officer of the City. In the selection of a City Manager, the City Council shall screen qualified applicants and other qualified persons known by the Council to be available. It shall appoint by a majority vote, the person that it believes to be best qualified on the basis of his/her executive and administrative qualifications, with special reference to experience in, and knowledge of, accepted practice in respect to the duties of the office as set forth in this Charter. The City Manager shall serve at the pleasure of the City Council. SECTION 601. (Repealed 2002) SECTION 602. Eligibility. No person shall be eligible to receive appointment as City Manager while serving as a member of the City Council nor within one year after the member has ceased to be a City Councilmember. SECTION 603. Compensation and Bond. The City Manager shall be paid a salary commensurate with his/her responsibilities as chief administrative officer of the City, which salary shall be established by ordinance or resolution. The City Manager shall furnish a corporate surety bond conditioned upon the faithful performance of his/her duties in such form and in such amount as may be determined by the City Council. SECTION 604. Powers and Duties. The City Manager shall be the head of the administrative branch of the City government and shall be responsible to the City Council for the proper administration of all affairs of the City. Without limiting the foregoing general grant of powers, responsibilities and duties, the City Manager shall have the power and be required to: (a) To enforce all laws and ordinances of the City and to see that all franchises, permits and privileges granted by the City are faithfully observed. (b) To exercise administrative control over all departments, divisions and employees of the City government, except the City Attorney and City Clerk. (Amended 1978) (c) To appoint, promote, discipline and remove employees of the City, except the City Attorney and City Clerk, subject to the rules and regulations of the civil service commission. (Amended 1978) 14 Seal Beach Official Charter (d) To organize or reorganize such offices, positions, departments or units under his/her direction as may be indicated in the interest of efficient, effective and economical conduct of the City's business. (e) To attend all meetings of the City Council unless excused therefrom by the City Council. (f) To recommend to the City Council for adoption such measures and ordinances as he/she deems necessary or expedient. (g) To serve as finance officer and to keep the City Council fully advised as to the financial conditions and needs of the City. The City Manager shall be the chief financial officer of the City. (Amended by Statutes 1973) (h) To prepare and submit to the City Council an annual or bi-annual budget and be responsible for its administration after adoption by the Council. (Amended 2002) (i) To recommend a comprehensive salary plan for all City employees and to recommend changes in line with current conditions. Q) To organize for and supervise the purchase of all supplies for all departments or divisions of the City. No expenditure shall be submitted or recommended to the City Council except on report and approval of the City Manager. (k) To make investigations into the affairs of the City and any department or division thereof, and any contract, and the proper performance of any obligation of or to the City. (1) To investigate all complaints in relation to matters concerning the administration of the government of the City and in regard to the services maintained by public utilities in the City. (m) To exercise general supervision over all public buildings, public parks and all other public property which is under the control and jurisdiction of the City Council. (n) To devote his/her entire time to the duties and interests of the City, except as may be specifically authorized by the City Council. (o) To represent the City in discussions of administrative and policy questions between the City and other levels of government, i.e., county, state, federal and other cities, when and if requested by the Council to do so. 15 Seal Beach Official Charter (p) To cooperate with leadership of civic movements designed to benefit the residents of the City when so directed by the City Council. (q) To attend any and all meetings of any commissions or committees heretofore or hereafter created by the City Council, upon his own volition or upon the direction of the City Council. (r) To act as personnel officer for the City and to develop a comprehensive personnel program. (s) To perform such other duties and exercise such other powers as may be delegated to him/her from time to time by resolution, ordinance or other action of the City Council. SECTION 605. Financial Duties of the City Manager. The City Manager shall perform the following duties: (a) Maintenance of financial records. Maintain all records readily reflecting the financial condition of the City and all of its departments. (b) Report for fiscal year. At the end of each fiscal year, prepare and present to the City Council a summary statement of receipts and disbursements by departments and funds, including opening and closing fund balances in the City Treasury. (c) Publication of financial statement. Cause the financial statement of the City to be published in accordance with the provisions of Section 40804 and 40805 of the Government Code. (d) Compilation of financial information for budget. Compile all financial information necessary for the preparation of the City's budget and make such information available to the officer whose responsibility it is to prepare the budget. (e) Monthly financial report. Prepare a monthly statement of all receipts and disbursements in sufficient detail to show the financial condition of the City and each of its departments. (f) Licenses. Supervise and be in charge of all license issuance and inspection. (g) Payroll records. Supervise and be in charge of all payroll records. 16 Seal Beach Official Charter (h) Insurance policies. Maintain a record of all insurance policies and their expiration dates. (i) Collection of taxes, assessments, etc. See that all taxes, assessments and other fees and revenues of the City, or for whose collection the City is responsible, and all other money receivable by the City from the county, state or federal government, or from any court, office, department or agency of the City are collected, and perform such other duties that are from time to time assigned to hin Cher by the City Council. (Amended by statutes 1973) SECTION 606. Meetings. The City Manager shall be accorded a seat at the City Council table and at all meetings of boards and commissions and shall be entitled to participate in their deliberations, but shall not have a vote. SECTION 607. Removal. The City Manager shall not be removed from office during or within a period of ninety days next succeeding any municipal election at which a member of the City Council is elected. At any other time the City Manager may be removed only at a regular meeting of the City Council and upon the affirmative votes of a majority of the entire membership of the City Council. SECTION 608. Notification of Resignation. The City Manager shall notify the City Council at least thirty days in advance of his/her intended resignation. Failure to do so shall be grounds for withholding payment due for services. This provision may, however, be waived by majority vote of the City Council. SECTION 609. Manaaer Pro Temoore. The City Manager shall appoint, subject to the approval of the City Council, one of the other officers or department heads of the City to serve as Manager Pro Tempore during any temporary absence or disability of the City Manager. If the Manager fails to make such appointment, the City Council may appoint an officer or department head to serve as such Manager Pro Tempore. 17