Coachella Municipal Code Ch. 2.12 City Manager

The office of city manager of the city is established and created pursuant to the provisions of Section 34851 et seq. of the Government Code. The city manager shall be appointed by the city council wholly on the basis of his or her administrative and executive ability and qualifications and shall hold office for and during the pleasure of the city council.

(Prior code § 2-53)

Residence in the city at the time of appointment of a city manager shall not be required as a condition of the appointment, but within one hundred eighty (180) days thereafter, the city manager must become a resident of the city, or the city council shall declare the office of city manager to be vacant.

(Prior code § 2-54)

No person elected as a council member of the city shall, subsequent to such election, be eligible for appointment as city manager until one year has elapsed after such council member shall have ceased to be a member of the city council.

(Prior code § 2-55)

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 which shall be conditioned upon the faithful performance of the duties imposed upon the city manager as prescribed in this chapter. The premium for such bond shall be a proper charge against and shall be paid by the city.

(Prior code § 2-56)

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 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 qualified city employee to perform the duties of the city manager during the period of absence or disability of the city manager.

(Prior code § 2-57)

The city manager shall receive such compensation as the city council shall from time to time determine and fix by resolution, and the compensation shall be a proper charge against such funds of the city as the city council shall designate.

(Prior code § 2-58)

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 direction of the city council; reimbursement shall only be made, however, when a verified itemized claim, setting forth the sums expended for such business for which reimbursement is requested has been presented to the city council for approval and has been so approved.

(Prior code § 2-59)

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 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. In addition to his or her general powers as administrative head, and not as a limitation thereon, it shall be his or her duty and he or she shall have the powers set forth in the following sections.

(Prior code § 2-60)

It shall be the duty of the city manager to enforce all laws and ordinances of the city and to see that all franchises, contracts, permits, licenses and privileges granted by the city council are faithfully observed.

(Prior code § 2-61)

It shall be the duty of the manager and he or she shall have the authority to control, order and give directions to all heads of departments and to subordinate officers and employees of the city under his or her jurisdiction through their department heads.

(Prior code § 2-62)

It shall be the duty and responsibility of the city manager to appoint, remove, promote, and demote any officers and employees of the city, except the city clerk, city attorney, and city treasurer, subject to the provisions of any personnel ordinance and resolutions, rules and regulations that may be adopted by the city council. However, the city manager shall have complete authority to appoint, remove, promote, and demote, with or without cause, any person who holds any of the following positions: assistant city manager; human resources director; public works director; city engineer; community development director; finance director; and any other position that may be created at the level of director or higher.

(Ord. 965 § 1, 2007: prior code § 2-63)

It shall be the duty and responsibility of the city manager to recommend to the city council such reorganization of offices, positions, departments or units under his or her direction as may be indicated in the interest of efficient, effective and economical conduct of the city's business.

(Prior code § 2-64)

It shall be the duty of the city manager to recommend to the city council for adoption such measures and ordinances as he or she deems necessary or expedient.

(Prior code § 2-65)

It shall be the duty of the city manager to attend all meetings of the city council unless excused therefrom, except when his or her removal is under consideration.

(Prior code § 2-66)

It shall be the duty of the city manager to keep the city council at all times fully advised as to the financial conditions and needs of the city.

(Prior code § 2-67)

It shall be the duty of the city manager to prepare and submit the proposed annual budget, and to supervise the administration of the budget after its adoption.

(Prior code § 2-68)

No expenditures shall be submitted or recommended to the city council except on report and approval of the city manager, provided, however, that provisions of this section with respect to the actual purchase of supplies shall not apply to purchases made when required under a sealed bid presented to the council.

(Prior code § 2-69)

It shall be the duty and responsibility of the city manager to approve all warrants drawn on the city before payment thereof.

(Prior code § 2-70)

It shall be the duty of the city manager to make investigations into the affairs of the city and any department or division thereof.

(Prior code § 2-71)

It shall be the duty of the city manager 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 or privileges granted by the city are faithfully performed and observed.

(Prior code § 2-72)

It shall be the duty of the city manager to exercise general supervision over all public buildings, public parks and over all other public property under the control and jurisdiction of the city council.

(Prior code § 2-73)

It shall be the duty of the city manager to devote his or her entire time to the duties of his or her office in the interests of the city. The city manager shall not be employed or work in any other capacity.

(Prior code § 2-74)

It shall be the duty of the city manager to perform such other duties and exercise such other powers as may be delegated from time to time by ordinance or resolution or other action of the city council.

(Prior code § 2-75)

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 give orders to any subordinates of the city manager. The city manager shall take his or her orders and instructions from the city council only when sitting in a duly held meeting of the city council and no individual council member shall give any orders or instructions to the city manager; but nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent any council member from discussing matters of the city with the city manager.

(Prior code § 2-76)

It shall be the duty of all subordinate officers and the city clerk, city treasurer and city attorney to assist the city manager in administrating the affairs of the city efficiently, economically and harmoniously so far as may be consistent with their duties as prescribed by law and ordinances of the city.

(Prior code § 2-77)

The city manager shall attend any and all meetings of the planning commission, and any other commissions, boards or committees created by the city council upon his or her own volition or upon direction of the city council. At such meetings which the city manager attends, he or she shall be heard by such commissions, boards or committees as to all matters upon which he or she wishes to address the members thereof, and he or she shall inform such members as to the status of any matter being considered by the city council. He or she shall cooperate to the fullest extent with the members of all commissions, boards or committees appointed by the city council.

(Prior code § 2-78)

The removal of the city manager shall be only upon a three-member vote of the whole council in regular council meeting, subject, however, to the provisions of the next succeeding sections. In case of his or her intended removal by the city council, the city manager shall be furnished with a written notice stating the council's intention to remove him or her and the reason therefor, at least thirty (30) days before the effective date of his or her removal.

(Prior code § 2-79)

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 hearing before the city council. Thereafter, the city council shall fix a time for the hearing which shall be held at its usual meeting place, but before expiration of the thirty (30) day period, at which the city manager shall appear and be heard. Such hearing may be private at the option of the manager.

(Prior code § 2-80)

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 the council passed subsequent to the aforesaid hearing.

(Prior code § 2-81)

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 hearings; the purpose of which is to allow the city manager to present to the city council his or her grounds of opposition to his or her removal prior to its action.

(Prior code § 2-82)

Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter enumerated, the city manager shall not be removed from office during or within a period of ninety (90) days next succeeding any general municipal election held in the city at which 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 (90) day period, the provisions of the preceding sections as to the removal of the city manager shall apply and be effective.

(Prior code § 2-83)

A contract for performance of the duties to be performed by the city manager may be entered into between the city council and the city manager.

(Prior code § 2-84)