The office of city manager is created and established. The city manager shall be appointed by the city council solely on the basis of his or her executive and administrative qualifications and ability, and shall hold office at and during the pleasure of the city council.
(Prior code § 2100)
Residence in the city, at the time of appointment, shall not be required as a condition of appointment.
No person elected to membership on the city council shall, subsequent to such election, be eligible for appointment as city manager until one year has elapsed after he or she has ceased to be a member of the city council.
(Prior code § 2101)
The city manager shall furnish a corporate surety bond to be approved by the city council in such sum as may be determined by the city council and shall be conditioned on the faithful performance of the duties imposed on the city manager as herein prescribed.
(Prior code § 2102)
The city manager shall appoint, subject to the approval of the city council, one of the other officers or department heads of the city to serve as manager pro tempore during any temporary absence or disability of the city manager. In case of the absence or disability of the city manager and his or her failure to so appoint a manager pro tempore, the city council may designate some duly qualified person to perform the duties of the city manager, during the period of absence or disability of said manager, subject, however, to said person furnishing a corporate surety bond conditioned on faithful performance of the duties required to be performed, as set forth in Section 2.08.030.
(Prior code § 2103)
The city manager shall receive such compensation as the city council shall from time to time determine and fix by resolution, and said compensation shall be a proper charge against such funds of the city that the city council shall designate.
The city manager shall be reimbursed for all sums necessarily incurred or paid by him or her in the performance of his or her duties, or incurred when traveling on business pertaining to the city under discretion of the city council. Reimbursement shall only be made, however, when a verified itemized claim, setting forth the sums expended for which reimbursement is requested has been presented to the city council, and by said city council duly approved and allowed.
(Prior code § 2104)
The city manager shall be the administrative head of the city government under the direction and control of the city council, except as otherwise provided in this chapter. He or she shall be responsible for the efficient administration of all the affairs of the city which are under his or her control.
(Prior code § 2105)
In addition to his or her general powers as administrative head, and not as a limitation therein, it shall be the duty of the city manager and he or she shall have the power:
(1) 
Enforce Laws. To see that all laws and ordinances of the city are duly enforced, and that all franchises, permits and privileges granted by the city are faithfully observed;
(2) 
Control Department Heads. To control, order and give directions to all heads of departments, subordinate officers and employees of the city, except the city clerk, city treasurer and city attorney; and to transfer employees from one department to another; and to consolidate or combine officers, positions, departments or units under this direction; provided, however, that nothing contained in this chapter shall be construed to supersede the authority of the city personnel board in the matter of classification of city officers or employees;
(3) 
Appoint. To appoint, promote, demote and remove any city officers and employees except the city clerk, city treasurer and city attorney, subject to the city civil service system. In the event the people of the city by election change the status of the office of the city clerk and city treasurer to appointive, then the city manager shall have the power and duty, subject to the civil service provisions of this code, to appoint, suspend and remove the city clerk and city treasurer;
(4) 
Control Departments. To exercise control over all departments of the city government and over all appointive officers and employees thereof, except the city clerk, city treasurer and city attorney;
(5) 
Attend Meetings. To attend all meetings of the city council unless excused therefrom by the council, except when his or her removal is under consideration by the council;
(6) 
Recommend. To recommend to the city council for adoption such measures and ordinances as he or she deems necessary or expedient;
(7) 
Advise Council. To keep the city council at all times fully advised as to the financial conditions and needs of the city;
(8) 
Prepare Budget—Accounting. To prepare and submit to the city council on or before June 1st of each year the annual budget for the city for the next succeeding fiscal year; and to require the director of finance to keep such a system of budget accounting as he or she may deem necessary or desirable.
From the effective date of the budget, the several amounts stated therein as proposed expenditures shall be and become appropriated to the several departments, offices and agencies for the respective objects and purposes therein named. All appropriations shall lapse at the end of the fiscal year to the extent that they shall not have been expended or lawfully encumbered.
At any meeting after the adoption of the budget, the city council may amend or supplement the budget by motion adopted by the affirmative votes of at least three members so as to authorize the transfer of unused balances appropriated for one purpose to another purpose or to appropriate available funds not included in the budget;
(9) 
Purchase. To purchase or acquire in any lawful manner all property, equipment, services, materials and supplies for the city and for all departments and divisions thereof, provided the purchase or acquisition thereof has been approved by the city council or is included in a budget which has been approved and adopted by the city council. No expenditure shall be submitted or recommended to the city council except on report or approval of the city manager;
(10) 
Disposal of Surplus Property. To sell, declare surplus, or otherwise dispose of any city-owned equipment (such as typewriters, office equipment and miscellaneous tools) having a value of less than two hundred fifty dollars;
(11) 
Investigate City Affairs. To make investigations into the affairs of the city, and any department or division thereof, and any contract, or the proper performance of any obligations running to the city;
(12) 
Investigate Complaints. To investigate all complaints in relation to matters concerning the administration of the city government and in regard to the service maintained by public utilities in the city, and to see that all franchises, permits and privileges granted by the city are faithfully performed and observed;
(13) 
General Supervision. To exercise general supervision over all public buildings, public parks and other public property which are under the control and jurisdiction of the city council and not specifically delegated to a particular board or officer;
(14) 
Full Time. To devote his or her entire time to the duties of his or her office and the interests of the city;
(15) 
Civic Movements. To provide leadership for civic movements designed to benefit the residents of the city when so authorized by the city council;
(16) 
Authorize Employees to Arrest. To designate officers or employees of the city who shall have the authority under California Penal Code Section 836.5 and Chapter 4.10 of this code to make arrests and issue notices to appear, to establish procedures and rules governing the conduct of said officers and employees, and to specify what ordinances the officers and employees shall have the duty to enforce if other than all ordinances of the city;
(17) 
Other Duties. To perform such other duties and exercise such other powers as may be delegated to him or her from time to time by ordinance or resolution of the city council.
(Prior code §§ 2105—2120; Ord. 1201 § 1, 1968; Ord. 1695 § 3, 1987; Ord. 2127 § 4, 2016)
The exercise of the powers and duties of the city manager herein, and the provisions of this chapter, shall be subject to the provisions of Chapter 2.28, and to any rules and regulations heretofore or hereafter adopted pursuant thereto, as to classification of employees, the appointment, transfer, promotion, demotion, removal, suspension, dismissal and reinstatement of such employees and the procedures outlined therein governing the same.
The city manager shall be the appointing power under the terms of Chapter 2.28.
(Prior code § 2121)
The city council and its members shall deal with the administrative services of the city only through the city manager, except for the purpose of inquiry, and neither the city council nor any members thereof shall have orders to any subordinates of the city manager.
(Prior code § 2122)
The removal of the city manager shall be only on a majority vote of the whole council, subject, however, to the provisions of Section 2.08.140. In case of his or her intended removal by the council, the city manager shall be furnished with a written notice stating the council's intention to remove him or her and the reasons therefor, at least thirty days before the effective date of his or her removal.
(Prior code § 2123)
Within seven days after the delivery to the city manager of such notice, he or she may by written notification to the city clerk, request a public hearing before the council. Thereafter, the council shall fix a time for the public hearing which shall be held at its usual meeting place, but before the expiration of the thirty-day period, and at which the city manager shall appear and be heard.
(Prior code § 2124)
After furnishing the city manager with written notice of intended removal, the city council may suspend him or her from duty, but his or her compensation shall continue until his or her removal by resolution of the council passed subsequent to the aforesaid public hearing.
(Prior code § 2125)
In removing the city manager, the city council shall use its uncontrolled discretion and its action shall be final and shall not depend upon any particular showing or degree of proof at the hearing; the purpose of which is to allow the city manager to publicly present to the city council his or her grounds of opposition to removal prior to its action.
(Prior code § 2126)
Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter, the city manager shall not be removed from office during or within a period of ninety days next succeeding any general municipal election held in the city at which said election a member of the city council is elected; the purpose of this provision is to allow any newly elected member of the city council or a reorganized city council to observe the actions and ability of the city manager in the performance of the powers and duties of his or her office. After the expiration of the ninety-day period aforementioned, the provisions of the preceding sections as to the removal of the manager shall apply and be effective.
(Prior code § 2127)
The office of city manager is specifically excluded from the civil service or personnel system of the city, and the city manager shall not be entitled to the benefits, advantages or protection of the civil service or personnel system of the city. The city manager shall not be subject to the procedure outlined or prevailing in said system.
(Prior code § 2128)