Arcata Municipal Code Art. 1 City Manager

The office of City Manager of the City of Arcata is hereby created and established. The City Manager shall be appointed by the City Council on the basis of his administrative and executive ability and qualifications and shall hold office at the sole pleasure of the City Council. The City Manager job description and employment agreement shall govern the employment of the City Manager.

Residence in the City at the time of appointment shall not be required as a condition of the appointment of a City Manager, but if required as a condition of employment, the City Manager shall, within one hundred eighty (180) days thereafter, become a resident of the City or his terms of office shall thereupon terminate and the City Council shall appoint another person as City Manager.

No person elected as a Councilmember of the City shall, subsequent to such election, be eligible for appointment as City Manager until one year has elapsed after such Councilmember shall have ceased to be a member of the City Council.

During the temporary absence or disability of the City Manager, the City Manager shall designate a full-time employee from the Senior Management staff to perform the duties of Acting City Manager. In the event the City Manager is unable to or does not make such designation, the order of succession for performance of the duties of the Acting City Manager shall be: (1) Human Resources/Administrative Services Director, and (2) the Chief of Police.

The foregoing provisions shall not apply to a vacancy in the office of City Manager in which case the City Council shall appoint an Interim City Manager to serve until a replacement is selected. (Ord. 1024, eff. 9/02/1983; Amd. Ord. 1312, eff. 11/2/2000; Ord. 1443, eff. 7/18/2014; Ord. 1567, eff. 3/22/2024)

The City Manager shall receive such compensation as determined in the City Manager Employment Agreement.

The City Manager shall be reimbursed for all sums necessarily paid or debts necessarily incurred by him in the performance of his duties, or sums paid or debts incurred when traveling on business pertaining to the City pursuant to the direction of the City Council.

The City Manager shall be the administrative head of the government of the City under the direction and control of the City Council except as otherwise provided in this article. He/she shall be responsible for the efficient administration of the affairs of the City that are under his/her control. In addition to his/her general powers as administrative head, and not as a limitation thereof, he/she shall have the following duties and powers:

(a) Law Enforcement. It shall be the duty of the City Manager to see that all laws and ordinances of the City are enforced and to see that all franchises, licenses and permits granted by the City and contracts entered into by the City are faithfully performed and observed.

(b) Authority Over Employees. It shall be the duty of the City Manager and he/she shall have the authority to control and give directions to all heads of departments and to subordinate officers and employees of the City under his/her jurisdiction through their department heads.

(c) Power of Appointment and Removal. With the exception of the City Attorney, it shall be the duty of the City Manager to appoint, remove, promote or demote the officers and employees of the City of Arcata, including without limitation the City Clerk.

(d) Attendance at Council Meetings. It shall be the duty of the City Manager to attend all meetings of the City Council, except when his/her removal is under consideration or unless excused by the City Council.

(e) Financial Reports and Budget. It shall be the duty of the City Manager to keep the City Council at all times fully advised with respect to the financial conditions and needs of the City, and to prepare and submit a proposed annual budget and a proposed annual salary plan to the City Council for its approval.

(f) Purchasing Agent. It shall be the duty of the City Manager to purchase and he/she shall be responsible for the purchase of all supplies for the City and all supplies of all the departments and divisions of the City. All expenditures recommended to the City Council shall be submitted through the City Manager.

(g) Attendance at Commission Meetings. The City Manager may attend any and all meetings of the Planning Commission, and any other commission, board or committee hereafter created by the City Council, upon his/her own volition or upon direction of the City Council. At such meetings the City Manager may be heard by such commission, boards or committees as to all matters upon which he/she wishes to address the members thereof, and he/she shall inform the members as to the status of any matter being considered by the City Council and he/she shall cooperate with the members of all commissions, boards or committees appointed by the City Council to the fullest extent consistent with his/her duties as prescribed by ordinance or other act of the City Council.

(h) Employee Relations. It shall be the responsibility of the City Manager to carry out the function of Personnel Officer as specified in Title II, Chapter 2, Article 3 herein. However, it shall be the responsibility of the Human Resources/Administrative Services Director to carry out the labor relations process on behalf of the City Council.

(i) Authority to Sign Documents. The City Manager is hereby authorized to sign any of the following documents, as provided in California Government Code Section 40602, when authorized by motion, resolution, minute order or other appropriate action of the City Council:

(1) Warrants drawn by the City Treasurer;

(2) Written contracts and conveyances made or entered by the City; or

(3) Instruments requiring the City seal.

All contracts shall be in writing. No oral contract shall become an obligation of the City. For the purposes of this section, the term "contract" shall refer to any agreement, contract, lease, promise, or other obligation to which the City is, or is alleged to be, a party and shall include, but not be limited to, any contract for equipment, supplies, services, or public works. The City Manager or his/her designee is also authorized to sign contracts on behalf of the City that do not require prior City Council approval. (Ord. 1443, eff. 7/18/2014; Ord. 1567, eff. 3/22/2024; Ord. 1572, eff. 12/6/2024)