A. 
Appointment by Council. The City of Onalaska, pursuant to §§ 62.09 and 66.01,[1] Wis. Stats., hereby elects not to be governed by those portions of Ch. 62, Wis. Stats., which are in conflict with this section. The following offices shall be filled by appointment by a majority vote of the Common Council for an indefinite term, subject to removal by a 3/4 vote of the Common Council for incompetency, misconduct, inefficiency or failure to perform duties:
[Amended 12-13-2022 by Ord. No. 1754-2022]
1. 
Attorney.
2. 
City Clerk.
3. 
Engineer.
4. 
Financial Services Director.
5. 
Treasurer.
6. 
Public Works Director.
7. 
Director of Parks and Recreation.
8. 
Zoning Administrator.
9. 
Director of Inspections.
[1]
Editor's Note: See now § 66.0101, Wis. Stats.
B. 
Duties. The holder of any City office may be assigned additional duties or appointed to additional offices as the Common Council may direct from time to time. Any reference in this Code of Ordinances to a particular office shall be construed to refer to the holder of that office regardless of whether that individual also has been assigned additional duties or also holds additional duties.
C. 
Compensation. Compensation of each office shall be determined by the City's current wage scale.
D. 
Deputies. City officers may appoint deputies subject to confirmation by a majority of all the members of the Common Council. Deputies shall act under the respective City Officer and shall during the temporary absences or disability of the City Officer or during a vacancy in such office, perform the duties of said City Officer.
E. 
Other officials. The Mayor shall have the authority to appoint such other officials as are created from time to time by law or by the Common Council, whose appointments shall be confirmed by a majority vote of the Common Council and whose terms of office and compensation, if any, shall be prescribed by the Council.
A. 
Appointment.
1. 
The Chief of Police shall be appointed by the Police and Fire Commission and shall hold the office, subject to suspension or removal by the Police and Fire Commission for cause. The Chief of Police shall within six months after commencement of employment, or following any required probationary period, whichever is later, establish and maintain residence at a distance not greater than 15 miles from the nearest corporate boundary of the City.
2. 
The compensation to be paid the Chief of Police for their services, the hours of active duty, rest days, vacation periods and any such similar benefits shall be determined by the Common Council from time to time.
B. 
Duties. The Chief of Police shall be responsible for performing the duties required under state law and the job description for the position of Chief of Police adopted by Common Council and as may be amended from time to time.
A. 
Appointment.
1. 
The Fire Chief shall be appointed by the Police and Fire Commission and shall hold the office, subject to suspension or removal by the Police and Fire Commission for cause. The Fire Chief shall, within six months after commencement of employment, or following any required probationary period, whichever is later, establish and maintain residence at a distance not greater than 15 miles from the nearest corporate boundary of the City.
2. 
The compensation to be paid the Fire Chief for their services, the hours of active duty, rest days, vacation periods and any such similar benefits shall be determined by the Common Council from time to time.
B. 
Duties. The Fire Chief shall be responsible for performing the duties required under state law and the job description for the position of Fire Chief adopted by Common Council and as may be amended from time to time.
A. 
Appointment.
1. 
The City of Onalaska hereby elects not to be governed by those portions of § 62.09(3)(b), Wis. Stats. relating to the method of selection of the City Assessor which are in conflict with this section.
2. 
The City Assessor, or assessing firm, shall be appointed by the Mayor, subject to confirmation by the Council. The Assessor's term shall commence on the first day of the month succeeding their appointment. The City Assessor shall have an indefinite term of office, subject to removal for cause by a 2/3 vote of the Common Council.
3. 
A corporation or an independent contractor may be appointed as Assessor. The corporation or independent contractor so appointed shall designate the person responsible for the assessment. The designee shall file the official oath under § 19.01, Wis. Stats., and sign the affidavit of the Assessor attached to the assessment roll under § 70.49, Wis. Stats.
4. 
No Assessor shall be appointed unless said Assessor is certified by the Wisconsin Department of Revenue as qualified to perform the functions of the office of Assessor.
B. 
Duties. The Assessor shall perform all duties required of such office as provided by law and such other duties as are requested to be executed by such person by the Common Council from time to time.
C. 
Definition. For purposes of this section:
INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR
A person who either is under contract to furnish appraisal and assessment services or is customarily engaged in an independently established trade, business or profession in which the services are offered to the general public.
D. 
Confidentiality of information.
1. 
Whenever the Assessor, in the performance of the Assessor's duties, requests or obtains income and expense information pursuant to § 70.47(7)(af), Wis. Stats., or any successor statute thereto, then, such income and expense information that is provided to the Assessor shall be held by the Assessor on a confidential basis; except, however, that the information may be revealed to and used by persons: in the discharging of duties imposed by law; in the discharge of duties imposed by office (including, but not limited to, use by the Assessor in performance of official duties of the Assessor's office and use by the Board of Review in performance of its official duties); or pursuant to order of a court. Income and expense information provided to the Assessor under § 70.47(7)(af), unless a court determines that it is inaccurate, is, per § 70.47(7)(af), not subject to the right of inspection and copying under § 19.35(1), Wis. Stats.
2. 
The several sections of the ordinance are declared to be severable. If any section or portion thereof shall be declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, unlawful or unenforceable, such decision shall apply only to the specific section or portion thereof directly specified in the decision, and shall not affect the validity of any other provisions, sections or portions thereof of the ordinance. The remainder of the ordinance shall remain in full force and effect. Any other ordinances whose terms are in conflict with the provisions of this ordinance are hereby repealed as to those terms that conflict.
A. 
The Weed Commissioner shall be appointed by the Mayor, subject to Council confirmation. The term of office of the Weed Commissioner shall commence on the first day of May following their appointment. The Weed Commissioner shall take the official oath, which oath shall be filed in the office of the City Clerk, and shall hold office for one year. The Weed Commissioner shall hold office pursuant to and fulfill the duties set out in state law.
A. 
Office and purpose. The office of City Administrator is created, to be an officer of the City, pursuant to § 62.09(1)(a), Wis. Stats. The City Administrator shall be the chief operating officer of the City, shall administer City departments to implement the policies set by the Council, and be responsible for the efficient coordination of all City departments, boards and commissions. The Common Council may adopt a job description for the City Administrator and amend it from time to time, and the City Administrator shall substantially comply with the requirements of the job description. It is the intent that the City Administrator shall have the clear authority to coordinate and administer the day-to-day operations of municipal government as specified in this section.
B. 
Appointment and termination. At any time there is a vacancy in the office of City Administrator, a nominee for the office shall be selected by a selection committee as determined by Common Council. The selection committee may delegate any duties of the selection process to City staff or working groups and may appoint nominating committees or interview panels as necessary. The selection committee shall negotiate the basic terms of the nominee's employment contract, and the final contract shall contain such additional provisions as are determined by the Common Council, City Attorney and Human Resources. The nominee and the proposed terms of the employment contract shall be presented to the Council, which shall then confirm or reject the nominee and the proposed terms of the nominee's employment contract. Confirmation shall be by simple majority vote. Upon confirmation by the Council, the Mayor shall execute the employment contract and the nominee shall assume the office. If the Common Council does not confirm either the nominee or the proposed terms of the employment contract, then the selection committee shall either begin searching for another nominee or attempt to renegotiate the terms of the employment contract to which the Council objects, and shall continue until a nominee and a contract have been confirmed by the Council and an employment contract has been executed by the Mayor on behalf of the City. Selection and confirmation of the City Administrator shall be based solely on merit, including education, training, general fitness for office and experience in municipal administration.
[Amended 12-13-2022 by Ord. No. 1755-2022]
C. 
Term. The City Administrator shall hold office for an indefinite term, subject to removal at any time by a 3/4 vote of the Council.
[Amended 12-13-2022 by Ord. No. 1755-2022]
D. 
Contract. The City Administrator's employment contract shall be in writing and shall specify that employment is at will.
E. 
Organizational level. The City Administrator, as chief operating officer, is delegated the Mayor's executive authority to administer independently the operations of certain City departments, as defined below, and is therefore subordinate to, and performs duties at the request of, the Common Council. The City Administrator is superior to, and has direct authority over, the heads of the City departments which are under the City Administrator's direction.
F. 
Specific duties. The City Administrator shall perform the following duties, in addition to the duties attendant to the office and as specified in the City Administrator's job description:
1. 
Administer the operations of, and have direct authority over, the City departments heads and all other City departments and offices the oversight of which is not given to other City officials.
[Amended 12-13-2022 by Ord. No. 1755-2022]
2. 
Coordinate the operations of, and facilitate the cooperation of all City departments, commissions and boards to maximize the efficiency of implementation of policies set by the Council, regardless of whether the City Administrator has direct authority over the departments, commissions or boards.
G. 
Annual review. The City Administrator shall undergo an annual performance review consistent with the review cycle for all exempt employees. The review shall be conducted by the Common Council President and Finance and Personnel Chair; if they are one and the same, then another Council member, other than the Council President, shall be chosen by the Council President. The City Attorney and Human Resources Manager will serve as advisors during the review. The Council President shall request input from the remaining Council members and Mayor for the review committee in the timeline established by the Council prior to the review being completed. The Council President and Finance and Personnel Chair shall prepare a report to the Council of the results of the review, identify specific goals to address performance deficiencies, and recommend other appropriate actions to be taken, including salary adjustments as per the City's annual performance review process.
[Amended 3-9-2021 by Ord. No. 1700-2021; 4-12-2022 by Ord. No. 1728-2022]
H. 
Acting City Administrator. The City Administrator may designate a City officer to act as City Administrator in the City Administrator's absence from office for reasons of illness, vacation, business or any other reason for a period of more than three days. The City Administrator may appoint a Deputy City Administrator subject to confirmation by a majority of all the members of the Common Council. The Deputy Administrator shall act under the City Administrator and shall during the temporary absences or disability of the City Administrator or during a vacancy in such office, perform the duties of City Administrator.