The mayor, with the advice and consent of the council, shall nominate and appoint a city administrator. The city administrator shall serve during the term of office of the mayor appointing him and until the appointment and qualification of his successor, subject to removal as provided by the charter.
The city administrator shall be chosen solely on the basis of his training, experience, and administrative and executive qualifications. Prior to his appointment, he shall have completed and received a master's degree in public or business administration and shall have had at least 2 years of actual executive experience in municipal administration or an equivalent combination of education and experience. At the time of his appointment, he need not be a resident of the city or of the State.
Under the direction and supervision of the mayor, the city administrator shall:
(a) 
Direct and supervise the administration of the departments of the city government, subject to the provisions of the charter;
(b) 
Provide for the organization of the work of the departments, subject to the requirements of an administrative code to be adopted by the council;
(c) 
Review the administration and operation of each of the departments and recommend to the mayor from time to time such measures as may appear necessary or desirable for the purpose of improving the efficiency and the economy of the city government;
(d) 
Review, analyze and forecast trends of city services and finance the activities and programs of all boards, commissions and other municipal bodies, and report and recommend thereon to the mayor;
(e) 
Assist the mayor to prepare an annual current expense budget and an annual capital budget for consideration by the council;
(f) 
Develop, install and maintain centralized personnel and purchasing procedures and systems as may be authorized by the administrative code;
(g) 
Perform such other functions and duties as may be prescribed by charter or ordinance.
(a) 
There shall be the following administrative departments of the city government:
(1) 
Administration and finance;
(2) 
Public works;
(3) 
Public affairs and safety.
In addition, the council may, by ordinance adopted by a majority vote of its whole number, establish up to an additional five administrative departments of the city government. The council may, by ordinance adopted by a majority vote of its whole number, abolish, amend, or rename any such optional administrative departments established pursuant to this subsection.
(b) 
Council shall by ordinance allocate and assign all of the administrative functions, powers and duties of the city among and within such departments. Council may, by ordinance, create, abolish and modify boards and commissions, whether or not heretofore or hereafter established by or pursuant to ordinance; provided that whenever a board, commission, public corporation or other body is abolished or substantially altered by ordinance and has outstanding bonded indebtedness or other obligations, the city shall assume and become liable for such indebtedness and obligations to the same extent and with the same security and enforceability as though such indebtedness and obligations had been issued or incurred originally in the same form by the city itself.
Each department shall be headed by a director, who shall be appointed by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council. A director shall serve during the term of office of the mayor appointing him and until the appointment and qualification of his successor, subject to removal as provided by the charter.
(a) 
Subject to the direction and supervision of the city administrator, each department director shall:
(1) 
Administer his department in accordance with the charter and administrative code;
(2) 
Organize the work of the department, and allocate and assign personnel and functions within the department;
(3) 
Supervise and direct the programs and activities of the department.
(b) 
Each director shall appoint and remove subordinate officers and employees within his department, subject to the approval of the city administrator and in accordance with the provisions of the Revised Statutes, Title 11, Civil Service, or other applicable provision of the charter and administrative code.
There shall be a corporation counsel who shall be nominated and appointed by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council. The corporation counsel shall serve during the term of office of the mayor appointing him or her and until the appointment and qualification of his or her successor, subject to removal as provided by the charter. Corporation counsel shall be the chief legal officer of the city government, and shall have such specific functions, powers and duties, and may appoint such assistants, as may be provided by the administrative code.
Whenever any statute applicable to the city authorizes the appointment of the members of any board, commission, authority or other body for municipal purposes within the city, the power of appointment, notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in such statute, shall be exercised by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.