The city council shall appoint a city manager who shall have the powers and perform the duties herein conferred on and required of the city manager by this Charter.
The city manager shall be chosen solely on the basis of his executive and administrative qualifications, and need not, when appointed be an inhabitant of the city or state.
The city manager shall not be appointed for a definite term, but shall be removable at the pleasure of the city council. If removed at any time after he has served six (6) months he may demand written charges and the right to be heard at a public meeting of the city council prior to the date on which his final removal shall take effect. Pending and during such hearing the city council may suspend him from office. The action of the city council in suspending or removing the city manager shall be final, it being the intention of this charter to vest all authority and fix all responsibility for any such suspension or removal wholly in the city council.
In case of the absence or disability of the manager, the city council shall designate some qualified person to perform the duties of the office. The city manager shall receive such compensation as may be fixed by the city council.
(Ordinance 34-2020, sec. 4(Meas. 1), adopted 6/16/20, ref. 11/3/20)
The city manager shall be responsible to the city council for the proper administration of all affairs of the city placed in his charge and to that end shall appoint all officers and employees of the city except as otherwise provided in this Charter.
Neither the city council nor any of its committees or members shall dictate the appointment of any person to office or employment by the city manager or in any manner interfere with him or prevent him from exercising his own judgment in the appointment of officers and employees in the administrative service. Except for the purpose of inquiry, the city council and its members shall deal with that part of the administrative service for which the city manager is responsible solely through such city manager, and neither the city council nor any member thereof shall give orders to any of the subordinates of the city manager, either publicly or privately.
Except when Council is considering the evaluations, duties, appointments, reassignment, removal, or discipline of the city manager, city attorney, city clerk, or presiding municipal court judge, the city manager shall have the right to be present at all meetings of the city council and of its committees and to take part in their discussions. He shall prepare and submit the annual budget estimate and may make such other recommendations to the city council concerning the affairs of the city as may seem to him desirable.
(Amended by Ordinance 63-2024 at an election held on November 5, 2024, prop. 3)
There shall be a department of law, a department of finance, a department of health, and such other departments and offices as may be established by ordinance.
Except as otherwise provided in this Charter, the city council shall by ordinance prescribe and define the functions of all departments and offices and may abolish any department or office established by ordinance or transfer its duties in whole or in part to any other department or office. In establishing departments and offices, providing for their organization and defining and distributing their functions, the city council shall pass a general ordinance with the title “An ordinance to establish an administrative code.” After the passage of such ordinance, which shall thereafter be known as “The Administrative Code,” all subsequent changes made by the city council in the number, functions and organization of departments and offices, shall be in the form of amendments or additions thereto. The purpose of the foregoing requirements is that the city council shall provide a comprehensive and systematic plan of administrative organization for the city, and that all facts of the city council relating thereto may be found in one ordinance.
(Ordinance 34-2020, sec. 4(Meas. 4), adopted 6/16/20, ref. 11/3/20)
A city attorney and a city clerk shall be appointed by the city council, without definite term, and may be removed at the pleasure of such council. Each shall appoint, and may remove, such assistants and subordinates as the city council may authorize each to employ.
All other directors and heads of departments and officers shall be appointed by the city manager on the basis of executive and administrative ability, and education, training and experience in the work which they are to administer. All such officers shall be immediately responsible to the city manager, and may be removed by him at any time. In the case of the removal, if the officer so demands, a written statement shall be made by the city manager of the reasons therefor, and the officer shall be given a public hearing by the city manager before the order of removal is made final. The statement of the city manager and the written reply of the officer thereto shall be filed as a public record in the office of the city clerk.
All other employees of the city, unless otherwise provided herein, shall be appointed by, or under the direction and supervision of the city manager, who shall have authority to discharge any such employee with or without cause at any time.
In making appointments the city manager shall give preference to [the] citizens of Wichita Falls, provided any citizen thus considered is qualified by education, training, or experience to perform the duties of the position to which he/she, is to be appointed. The city manager shall have the authority to determine the qualifications of all such appointees.
The city council, city manager, and any officer or committee authorized by either of them, shall have the power to make investigations as to city affairs, and for that purpose may subpoena witnesses, administer oaths, and compel the production of books and papers, and it shall be the duty of the city manager to designate a police officer to serve such subpoena.
The city attorney shall have practiced as an attorney at law for at least two (2) years in the State of Texas. He shall be chief legal advisor of, and attorney for the city.
He shall attend all meetings of the city council, and when so requested, shall give advice in writing to the city council, the city clerk, the city assessor and collector and all other officers of said city and the city manager. He shall prosecute or defend, as the case may be, all suits or cases to which the city is a party. He shall attend sessions of the municipal court, either in person or by deputy, and prosecute all persons charged with offenses. He shall approve the form of all official bonds, and of all contracts to which the city is a party, and render such other professional legal service as may be required by the city council.
(Ordinance 34-2020, sec. 4(Meas. 1), adopted 6/16/20, ref. 11/3/20)