The City Manager shall be chosen by the City Council solely on the basis of his or her executive and administrative qualifications with special reference to actual experience in, or knowledge of, accepted practice in respect to the duties of the office as hereinafter set forth.
The City Manager shall hold office for an indefinite term and may be removed by a majority vote of City Council in accordance with N.J.S.A. 40:69A-93 and other applicable law.
A. 
The City Manager shall have the following duties and responsibilities:
(1) 
Be the chief executive and administrative official of the City.
(2) 
Execute all laws and ordinances of the City.
(3) 
Appoint and remove a Deputy City Manager if one is authorized by the City Council.
(4) 
Appoint and remove all department heads and all other officers, subordinates, and assistants whose appointment or removal is not otherwise provided for in this chapter or by law.
(5) 
May authorize the head of a department to appoint and remove subordinates in such department.
(6) 
Supervise and control all appointees, and report all appointments or removals at the next meeting thereafter of the City Council.
(7) 
Negotiate contracts for the City subject to the approval of the City Council.
(8) 
Make recommendations concerning the nature and location of municipal improvements, and execute municipal improvements as determined by the City Council.
(9) 
See that all terms and conditions imposed in favor of the City or its inhabitants in any statute, public utility franchise or other contract are faithfully kept and performed.
(10) 
Receive notice of all regular and special meetings of the City Council and all advisory committees, boards, commissions and other agencies of the City, including meetings with other governmental bodies and agencies, and attend all meetings of the City Council with the right to take part in the discussions, but without the right to vote.
(11) 
Recommend to the City Council for adoption such measures as he or she may deem necessary or expedient.
(12) 
Keep the City Council advised of the financial condition of the City. Submit to City Council as soon as possible after the close of the fiscal year a complete written report on the financial activities of the City for the preceding year.
(13) 
Investigate at any time the affairs of any officer or department of the City. Diligently and timely render reports to the City Council or to individual members of the City Council, as required, on the progress of investigation into, or implementation of those matters referred by the City Council or individual members for the City Manager's attention.
(14) 
Perform such other duties as may be required of the City Manager by ordinance or resolution of the City Council.
(15) 
Be responsible to the City Council for carrying out all policies established by it and for the proper administration of all affairs of the City.
(16) 
Prior to any increase in the total employee head count or adding any new position within the administration, the City Manager shall report to City Council on the financial impact and administrative need of any proposed increase or additional position. This provision will not apply to the filling of vacancies occurring in the administrative service.
[Added 5-18-2021 by Ord. No. 422-2021]
B. 
Budget.
(1) 
The City Budget shall be prepared by the City Manager. During the month of November in each year, the City Manager shall require all department heads to submit requests for appropriations for the ensuing budget year, and to appear before him or her at public hearings, which shall be held during that month, on the various requests.
(2) 
On or before the 15th day of the fiscal year the City Manager shall submit to City Council a recommended budget together with an explanatory statement regarding the estimated budget, including a comparison of prior years' budgets, appropriations and expenditures and an analysis of the proposed expenditures with recommendations regarding the feasibility thereof and such other explanatory comment or statement as he or she may deem desirable.
(3) 
The budget shall be in such form as is required by law for municipal budgets, and shall in addition have appended thereto detailed analysis of the various items of expenditure and revenue.
(4) 
In any local budget year for which budget dates are extended pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:4-5.l, the City Manager shall submit to the City Council his or her recommended budget not less than 16 days prior to the extended date for the introduction and approval of municipal budgets.
Any provision of general law conferring the appointing power or other power upon the Mayor or other executive head of the City shall be construed as meaning the City Manager, and the appointments or the power exercised by the City Manager in accordance with such provision shall be classified and given the same force and effect as if executed by the official named therein.
The City Manager shall receive as compensation for such position such amount as may be fixed and adopted by the City Council subject to the annual salary ordinance of the City, and his or her employment contract shall so specify.
[Amended 2-20-2018 by Ord. No. 338-2018]
A. 
There is hereby established, in the City of Cape May, the position of Deputy City Manager.
B. 
The Deputy City Manager shall be appointed and removed by the City Manager, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:69A-95(c). His position shall be considered an unclassified position for Civil Service purposes.
C. 
Although the City Manager shall appoint the Deputy City Manager, whether the City shall fill the position of Deputy City Manager shall be a matter for Council's discretion.
D. 
The Deputy City Manager shall be chosen based solely on his or her executive and administrative qualifications.
E. 
The Deputy City Manager shall have such duties and responsibilities as authorized to the City Manager and which are assigned to him or her by the City Manager.
F. 
In the temporary absence of the City Manager, the Deputy City Manager shall serve as City Manager.
G. 
Should the City Manager's position become vacant, there shall be no automatic succession of Deputy City Manager to City Manager. The City Council shall fill the City Manager position by appointment in accordance with the governing law.
The City Manager may designate a qualified administrative officer of the City to perform his or her duties during his or her temporary absence or disability. In the event of his or her failure to make such designation, the City Council may by resolution appoint an officer of the City to perform the duties of the City Manager during such absence or disability until he or she shall return or his or her disability shall cease.