There shall be a City Administrator who shall be the Chief Administrative Officer of the City. He shall be appointed by the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the members of the City Council and shall serve at the pleasure of the City Council, provided, however, that he shall not be removed from office except as provided in this Charter. He shall be chosen on the basis of his executive and administrative qualifications, and adequate examination, with special reference to his actual experience in, and his knowledge of, accepted practice in respect to the duties of his office as herein set forth, and shall have been the manager or Chief Administrative Officer of a City or County for at least five years or shall have been the assistant or deputy of such manager or Chief Administrative Officer for at least five years or shall have had at least five years experience in the management of a business or other organization, or shall have had commensurate and equal public or private administrative experience. He shall be at least 30 years of age.
(Amended pursuant to election held June 4, 1974)
The City Administrator need not be a resident of the City at the time of his appointment, but he shall establish his residence within the City within 30 days after the effective date of his appointment, unless such period is extended by the City Council, and thereafter maintain his residence within the City during his tenure of office.
No person shall be eligible to receive appointment as City Administrator or Acting City Administrator while serving as a member of the City Council nor within one year after he has ceased to be a member of the City Council.
The City Administrator shall be paid a salary commensurate with his responsibilities as Chief Administrative Officer of the City, which salary shall be established by ordinance or resolution. The City Administrator shall furnish a corporate surety bond conditioned upon the faithful performance of his duties in such form and in such amount as may be determined by the City Council; the premium on such bond shall be paid by the City.
The City Administrator shall be the Chief Administrative Officer and head of the administrative branch of the City government. Except as otherwise provided in this Charter, he shall be responsible to the City Council for the proper administration of all affairs of the City. Without limiting the foregoing general grant of powers, responsibilities and duties, subject to the provisions of this Charter, including the civil service provisions thereof, the City Administrator shall have power and be required to:
(a) 
Appoint, and he may promote, demote, suspend or remove all department heads, officers and employees of the City except elective officers and those department heads, officers and employees the power of whose appointment is vested by this Charter in the City Council. He may authorize the head of any department or office to appoint or remove subordinates in such department or office. No department head shall be appointed or removed until the City Administrator shall first have reviewed such appointment or removal with the City Council and received its approval for such appointment or removal.
(b) 
Prepare the budget annually, submit it to the City Council, and be responsible for its administration after its adoption.
(c) 
Prepare and submit to the City Council as of the end of each fiscal year, a complete report on the finances of the City for the preceding fiscal year, and annually or more frequently, a current report of the principal administrative activities of the City.
(d) 
Keep the City Council advised of the financial condition and future needs of the City and make such recommendations as may to him seem desirable.
The City Administrator each year shall prepare and submit to the City Council a Five-Year Capital Program at least three months prior to the final date for submission of the budget. The Capital Program shall include:
(1) 
A clear general summary of its contents;
(2) 
A list of all capital improvements which are proposed to be undertaken during the five fiscal years next ensuing, with appropriate supporting information as to the necessity for such improvements;
(3) 
Cost estimates, method of financing and recommended time schedules for each such improvement; and
(4) 
The estimated annual cost of operating and maintaining the facilities to be constructed or acquired.
The above information may be revised and extended each year with regard to capital improvements still pending or in process of construction or acquisition. Said Capital Program shall be a public record open to public inspection.
(e) 
Establish and maintain through the Director of Finance, a centralized purchasing system for all City offices, departments and agencies.
(f) 
Prepare rules and regulations governing the contracting for, purchasing, inspection, storing, inventory, distribution and disposal of all supplies, materials and equipment required by any office, department or agency of the City government and recommend them to the City Council for adoption by ordinance, and administer and enforce the same after adoption.
(g) 
Supervise the enforcement of the laws of the State pertaining to the City, the provisions of this Charter and the ordinances, franchises and rights of the City.
(h) 
Subject to policy established by the City Council, exercise control of all administrative offices and departments of the City and of all appointive officers and employees except those directly appointed by the City Council and prescribe such general rules and regulations as he may deem necessary or proper for the general conduct of the administrative offices and departments of the City under his jurisdiction.
(i) 
Perform such other duties consistent with this Charter as may be required of him by the City Council.
The City Administrator shall be accorded a seat at all meetings of the City Council and of all boards and commissions and shall be entitled to participate in their deliberations, but shall not have a vote. He shall receive notice of all special meetings of the City Council, and of all boards and commissions. He shall attend all meetings of the City Council, unless excused, except when his removal is under consideration.
The City Administrator shall not be removed from office during or within a period of 90 days next succeeding any municipal election at which a member of the City Council is elected. At any other time the City Administrator may be removed only at a regular meeting of the City Council and upon the affirmative votes of a majority of the members of the City Council. At least 30 days prior to the effective date of his removal, the City Administrator shall be furnished with a written notice stating the Council's intention to remove him and, if requested by the City Administrator, the reasons therefor. Within seven days after receipt of such notice, the City Administrator may by written notification to the City Clerk request a public hearing before the City Council, in which event the Council shall fix a time for a public hearing which shall be held at its regular meeting place before the expiration of the 30 day period above referred to. The City Administrator shall appear and be heard at such hearing. After furnishing the City Administrator with written notice of his intended removal, the City Council may suspend him from duty, but his compensation shall continue until his removal as herein provided. In removing the City Administrator, 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 Council and the City Administrator to present to each other and to the public all pertinent facts prior to the final action of removal.
Except as otherwise provided in this Charter, neither the Council nor any of its members shall order, directly or indirectly, the appointment by the City Administrator, or by any of the department heads in the administrative service of the City, of any person to any office or employment, or his removal therefrom. Except for the purpose of inquiry, the City Council and its members shall deal with the administrative service under the jurisdiction of the City Administrator solely through the City Administrator, and neither the City Council nor any member thereof shall give orders to any subordinate of the City Administrator, either publicly or privately. This section shall not apply to any officer appointed by the City Council or to the members of his department.
The City Administrator shall appoint, subject to the approval of the City Council, his assistant or deputy or one of the other officers or department heads of the City to serve as Acting City Administrator during any temporary absence or disability of the City Administrator. If he fails to make such appointment, the City Council shall appoint either an assistant or deputy City Administrator or officer or department head of the City to serve as such Acting City Administrator during any such absence or disability.