[Adopted 9-10-1991 as Ord. No. 454]
The office of City Administrator is hereby created by the City of Pottsville.
The Administrator shall be appointed for a term to be decided by a majority of all the members of the City Council. The Administrator shall serve at the pleasure of the City Council, and he may be removed at any time by a majority vote of all its members. At least thirty (30) days before such removal becomes effective, the City Council shall furnish the Administrator with a written statement setting forth its intention to remove him and the reasons therefor. In the event that the removal is without just cause, then in that event the City shall pay to the Administrator a severance pay in an amount equal to two (2) months of his salary. However, in the event there exists a contract of employment between City and Administrator, the provisions of said contract shall supersede this section as to severance of employment.
The Administrator shall be chosen solely on the basis of his executive and administrative abilities, with special reference to his actual experience in or his knowledge of accepted practices in respect to the duties of his office as herein outlined.
The salary and fringes of the City Administrator shall be fixed from year to year by the City Council.
Before entering upon his duties, the Administrator shall give a bond to the City with a bonding company as surety, to be approved by the City Council, as part of the blanket bond for all City employees, conditioned for the faithful performance of his duties. The premium shall be paid by the City.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code; see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I.
A. 
The Administrator shall be the chief administrative officer of the City and he shall be responsible to the City Council as a whole for the proper and efficient administration of the affairs of the City. His powers and duties shall relate to the general management of all City business not expressly by statute imposed or conferred upon other City officers.
B. 
Subject to recall by ordinance of the City Council, the powers and duties of the City Administrator shall include the following:
(1) 
He shall supervise and be responsible for the activities of all City departments. He shall serve as Deputy Director of all City departments. Council members acting in their executive capaCity as department directors may execute their direction through the City Administrator.
(2) 
He shall, with the prior approval of the majority of the City Council, hire and, when necessary for the good of the City, shall suspend or discharge all employees under his supervision; however, persons covered by the civil service provisions of the City Code shall be hired, suspended or discharged in accordance with such provisions; provided, further, that the Administrator shall report, at the next meeting thereafter of the City Council, any action taken by authority of this subsection. Such majority Council approval need not be obtained at a regular or special meeting but merely by polling the Council and obtaining written approvals.
(3) 
He shall prepare and submit to the City Council before the close of the fiscal year, or on such alternate date as the City Council shall determine, a budget for the next fiscal year and an explanatory budget message. In preparing the budget, the Administrator, or an officer designated by him, shall obtain from the head of each department, agency, board or officer estimates of revenues and expenditures and other supporting data as he requests. The Administrator shall review such estimates and may revise them before submitting the budget to the City Council.
(4) 
He shall be responsible for the administration of the budget after its adoption by the City Council.
(5) 
The Administrator shall be ex officio Zoning Officer, Health Officer, City Clerk and Building Inspector unless such offices, or either of them, are duly filled by appointment; and he shall perform the duties of each such office in the absence of such appointment to either of them. In addition, he shall hold such other City offices or head one (1) or more of the City departments as the City Council may from time to time direct.
(6) 
He shall attend all meetings of the City Council and its committees as requested by the City Council with the right to take part in the discussion, and he shall receive notice of all special meetings of the City Council or its committees.
(7) 
He shall prepare for the approval of City Council the agenda for each caucus and meeting of the City Council and supply facts pertinent thereto.
(8) 
He shall keep the City Council informed as to the conduct of City affairs; submit periodic reports on the condition of the City finances and such other reports as City Council requests; and make such recommendations to the City Council as he deems necessary.
(9) 
He shall submit to the City Council, as soon as possible after the close of the fiscal year, a complete report on the financial and administrative activities of the City for the preceding year.
(10) 
He shall see that the provisions of all contracts, leases, permits and privileges granted by the City are observed.
(11) 
He may employ, by and with the approval of the City Council, experts and consultants to perform work and to advise in connection with any of the functions of the City.
(12) 
He shall attend to the letting of contracts in due form of law, with prior approval of the majority of the City Council and the City Solicitor, and he shall supervise the performance and faithful execution of the same except insofar as such duties are expressly imposed upon some other City officer by statute.
(13) 
He shall see that all money owed the City is promptly paid and that proper proceedings are taken for the security and collection of all claims.
(14) 
The Administrator shall be general purchasing agent of the City and, except where specific provision to the contrary is made by law or by the City Council, he shall make all purchases of supplies, materials and equipment authorized by the City Council in the manner prescribed by and subject to the limitations imposed by law. No purchase shall be made or obligation incurred excepting upon authorization by the City Council, and no expense shall be incurred, except for the purpose for which no prior appropriation is required by law, if the amount thereof is not covered by an unexpended appropriation for the purpose. He shall keep an account of all purchases and shall, from time to time or when directed by the City Council, make a full written report thereof. He shall also issue rules and regulations, subject to the approval of the City Council, governing the requisition and purchasing of all municipal supplies and equipment. Notwithstanding anything herein contained to the contrary, the City Administrator shall not have the power and authority to make purchases or to enter into contracts where, according to the Third Class City Code,[1] advertising is required, except with the prior approval of the majority of the City Council.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 35101 et seq.
(15) 
All complaints regarding services or personnel of the City shall be referred to the office of the Administrator. He, or an officer designated by him, shall investigate and dispose of such complaints, and the Administrator shall report thereon to the City Council.
(16) 
He shall see that all laws and ordinances are duly enforced.
(17) 
He shall have the power to negotiate all contracts, wages, salaries and fringe benefits of all City employees with a range previously determined by the City Council.
(18) 
He shall, in conjunction with the preparation of the annual budget, develop long-range fiscal plans for the City, such plans to be presented annually to the City Council for its review and adoption.
(19) 
He shall develop and coordinate City training and continuing education programs for all departments.
(20) 
The Administrator shall keep a current inventory showing all real and personal property of the City and its location and shall be responsible for the care and custody of all such property, including equipment, buildings, parks and all other City property, which is not by law assigned to some other officer or body for care and control.
(21) 
The Administrator shall cause to be kept a complete set of maps and plats showing the location of all City utilities and other municipal properties, all street and other public places and all lots of parcels of land subdivided according to law.
(22) 
The Administrator shall establish proper accounting procedures; invest all idle funds; record all assets, property trusts, debts due, receipts and expenditures; supervise the accounts of all departments; prepare and present an annual budget; prepare and present monthly and annual reports on the condition of the City's finances; and suggest improvements of the City's finances.
(23) 
The Administrator shall create and maintain administrative controls to ensure compliance with the annual budget and the capital improvements budget.
(24) 
The Administrator shall develop a central purchasing system for procurement of supplies and materials to be used by the City.
(25) 
The Administrator shall develop facilities for the maintenance of all archives, documents and records of the City as provided by law; and shall establish a system of uniform forms to be used in the City's official business.
(26) 
The Administrator shall establish lines of administrative direction and control for all City departments and agencies and provide personal direction of all operating personnel through the establishment of administrative lines of procedure whereby he shall recommend the appointment or removal of all City operating employees, not subject to civil service.
(27) 
The Administrator shall develop means to expedite the business of the City Council and prepare from time to time, as he may deem in the Council's best interest or as Council may from time to time direct, reports and matters of research of interest to the community.
(28) 
The Administrator shall act as administrator and coordinator of the quasi-governmental bodies, as directed by the City Council, to include the Community Development Block Grant Program, Planning Commission, Historical Architectural Review Board and all other City boards and commissions.
(29) 
The Administrator shall maintain an office in City Hall and shall spend such time in the performance of his duties as may be required by the City Council.
In the event that the Administrator shall be absent from the City or incapacitated from performing the duties of his position, the City Clerk shall act as Administrator during such absence or incapacity.