The Council, by a majority vote of its total
membership, shall appoint a City Manager, hereinafter referred to
as "Manager," who shall be a full-time employee to serve under terms
established by the Council. The Council shall, in the Administrative
Code or other ordinance, set the compensation of the Manager.
The Manager shall be chosen solely on the basis
of executive and administrative training or experience with respect
to the duties of the office set forth in the Charter. The Manager
need not be a resident of the city nor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
at the time of appointment but as soon as possible thereafter and
within one year shall become and during tenure shall remain a resident
of the city unless otherwise specifically authorized by the Council.
The Manager may be removed from office at any time by a majority vote of the total membership of the Council. Action to remove the Manager may be taken only by a resolution adopted at a public meeting of the Council, which shall set forth the effective date of such removal. The Council shall notify the Manager in writing of its intention to remove the Manager at least five days prior to the date on which such action shall be considered. When a vacancy occurs in the office of Manager by reason of death, resignation or removal, the Council shall appoint a qualified successor in accordance with §
2-401.
The City Manager shall be the chief executive
officer and Secretary of the city and shall be responsible to the
Council for executing all policies established by the Council and
for the proper administration of all affairs of the city placed under
the charge of the Manager. In addition, the powers and duties of the
Manager shall include but not be limited to the following:
A. Supervise and be responsible for the activities of
all municipal departments and all city employees except as otherwise
provided by this Charter.
B. Appoint, with the approval of the majority of the
total membership of the Council, all officers and department heads
except the Solicitor and members of boards and commissions.
C. Approve the hiring and, when necessary, suspend or
discharge any or all employees under the supervision of the Manager
except for department heads or other officers which are appointed
by or with the approval of the Council. Department heads and other
officers appointed by the Manager may be suspended or discharged with
the approval of a majority of the total members of the Council.
D. Prepare and submit to the Council the proposed budgets
of the city as required by this Charter and be responsible for administration
of the budgets and all other ordinances and resolutions adopted by
the Council.
E. Keep the Council fully informed as to the conduct
of city affairs; submit monthly reports on the city finances and administrative
matters and such other report as the Council may prescribe; prepare
an annual report to the Council, which shall be available to the public;
and make such recommendations to the Council as the Manager deems
necessary on matters affecting the health, safety, welfare and administration
of the city.
F. Exercise any additional powers and duties conferred
upon the Manager by this Charter, general laws or by ordinance or
resolution of the Council.
No Council member shall publicly or privately
seek individually to interfere with the official acts of city officers
and employees. However, nothing herein contained shall prevent the
Council from establishing committees of its members to review operations
and legislative needs of the city departments or from assigning individual
members to liaison relationships with boards, commissions and authorities.
It is the intent of this Charter that the Council act as a body in
relation to all administrative matters.
The Manager shall designate, in writing, a qualified
member of the administrative staff of the city to serve as Acting
Manager during the temporary absence or disability of the Manager.
The Council, by a majority vote of its total membership, may at any
time revoke such designation and appoint a qualified employee of the
city to serve as Acting Manager during such temporary absence or disability
of the Manager.