The city council shall elect a city manager, who shall be the administrative head of the municipal government. He shall be chosen by the council without regard to his political belief and solely upon the basis of his executive and administrative qualifications. The choice shall not be limited to the inhabitants of the city or state unless otherwise required by the Constitution of the state. The city manager shall receive such compensation as shall be fixed by the council by ordinance or resolution. He shall be appointed for an indefinite period and shall serve at the will of the council. During the absence or disability of the city manager, the council shall designate some properly qualified person to perform his duties.
The city manager shall be responsible to the council for the efficient administration of all affairs of the city, and he shall be vested with such administrative and executive powers of the municipal government as are provided in sections two thousand nine hundred and forty-three, two thousand nine hundred and forty-four, and two thousand nine hundred and forty-five, under the city manager plan of the Code of Virginia, and acts amendatory thereto, except that all appointments made by the city manager shall be subject to the approval of the council.
No person elected to the council, whether he qualify or not, shall during the term for which he was elected or twelve months after the expiration of that time be elected by the council or appointed by the city manager to any position of trust or office of trust or profit of the city.