Coalinga Municipal Code Art. 1 City Manager

The Office of the City Manager of the City is hereby created and established.

(§ 1, Ord. 316)

The City Manager shall be appointed by the Council on the basis of his administrative and executive qualifications, ability, and technical training and shall hold office for and during the pleasure of the Council.

(§ 1, Ord. 316)

Unless the Council determines to enter into a contract of employment with the City Manager, as set forth in this section, the Council shall appoint the City Manager for an indefinite term and may remove him by a majority vote of the Council. The Council, in removing the City Manager, shall use its uncontrolled and unqualified discretion, and its action shall be final.

The Council may, at its option, enter into a binding contract of employment with the City Manager upon such terms as may be mutually agreed upon.

(§ 6, Ord. 316; as amended by § 2, Ord. 709, eff. March 2, 2006)

Residence in the City by the City Manager is not required as a condition of appointment or employment. However, it is highly beneficial to the City and its relationship with its citizens, for the City Manager, to be an active and visible participant in the affairs of the community. Therefore, the City Manager shall use his/her best effort to reside within the current water service area of the City.

(§ 2, Ord. 316; as amended by § 3, Ord. 709, eff. March 2, 2006)

In the case of the absence or disability of the City Manager for a period exceeding two (2) weeks, the Council may designate some duly qualified person to perform the duties of the office during the period of the absence or disability of the City Manager. A department head or other City employee may be appointed by the City Manager Pro Tempore, during any such temporary absence.

(§ 3, Ord. 316)

The City Manager shall receive such compensation as the Council shall from time to time determine. Such compensation shall be fixed by resolution and shall be a proper charge against such funds of the City as the Council shall designate.

In addition, the City Manager shall be reimbursed for all the sums necessarily incurred or paid by him in the performance of his duties or incurred when traveling on business pertaining to the City under the direction of the Council. Reimbursement shall only be made when a claim, setting forth the sums expended for such business for which reimbursement is requested, has been presented to the Council for approval and has been so approved.

(§ 4, Ord. 316)

The City Manager shall be paid an automobile allowance for City business or, in the discretion of the Council, shall be furnished with the use of a City-owned automobile.

(§ 5, Ord. 316)

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

(a) Law enforcement. To ascertain that the laws of the state pertaining to the City and all laws, ordinances, and policies of the City are duly enforced and that all franchises, permits, and priveleges granted by the City are faithfully observed;

(b) Direction of officers and employees. To control, order, and give directions to all heads of departments, subordinate officers, and employees of the City, except the City Clerk, City Treasurer, and the City Attorney; to transfer employees from one department to another; to consolidate or combine and/or eliminate offices, positions, departments, or units under his direction; and to exercise control over and supervise, in general, all departments and divisions of the City and all appointive officers and employees thereof; provided, however, the provisions of this subsection shall not be construed to supersede the authority of the Board of Review of the City, created by Section 2-4.310 of Article 3 of this chapter, in the matter of the classification of City officers and employees and provided, further, any actions taken by the City Manager shall be consistent with the Personnel Rules of the City;

(c) Appointment of officers and employees. To appoint all officers and employees over whom he has jurisdiction. Such appointments shall be made subject to the applicable Personnel Rules and the regulations set forth in Article 3 of this chapter and shall be made from eligibility lists when available. The City Manager may, subject to the applicable Personnel Rules and the regulations set forth in Article 3 of this chapter, take action to remove, suspend, demote, and promote such officers and employees over whom the City Manager has jurisdiction;

(d) Reorganization of offices, positions, and departments. To make such reorganizations of offices, positions, departments, or units under his direction as may be indicated in the interests of the efficient, effective, and economical conduct of the City's business;

(e) Recommendation of adoption of laws. To recommend to the Council for adoption such measures and ordinances as he deems necessary or expedient;

(f) Attendance at Council meetings. To attend all the meetings of the Council, unless excused therefrom by the Council, except when his removal is under consideration;

(g) Preparation of financial reports. To keep the Council at all times fully advised as to the financial conditions and needs of the City, including the current and anticipated expenses, appropriations, cash on hand, and anticipated revenue of all municipal funds and accounts;

(h) Preparation of budgets and salary plans. To prepare and submit to the Council the annual budget and to administer the budget after its adoption and to annually recommend to the Board of Review, created by Section 2-4.310 of Article 3 of this chapter, for its consideration, and then to the Council, a salary plan;

(i) Expenditure control and purchasing. To purchase or cause to be purchased all supplies for the departments of the City. No expenditures shall be submitted or recommended to the Council except by report or approval of the City Manager. However, no purchase shall be made or obligation incurred by the City Manager except upon authorization by the Council. The Council shall, by appropriate resolution, fix and determine the maximum amount which the City Manager may spend or for which he may obligate the City to pay for designated services, or equipment, within which limits the City Manager shall not need or require prior approval or authorization. A report on all such expenditures shall be made to the Council;

(j) Investigations. To make investigations into the affairs of the City, and any department thereof, and any contract or the proper performance of any obligations of the City;

(k) Supervision of public property. To exercise general supervision over all public buildings, parks, streets, and other public property which are under the control and jurisdiction of the Council, including all utility systems and properties;

(l) Investigations and recommendations of government and overseeing franchises, permits, and licenses. To investigate all complaints and recommendations in relation to matters concerning the administration of the City government and concerning the service maintained by public utilities in the City and to ascertain that all franchises, permits, and licenses granted by the City are faithfully performed and observed;

(m) Devotion of time to his duties. To devote his entire time to the duties and interests of the City, and he shall not engage in any other private occupation or employment for gain or profit;

(n) Preparation of reports and recommendations requested by Council. To make reports and recommendations as may be desirable or as requested by the Council;

(o) Provide leadership. To provide leadership for civil movements designed to benefit the residents of the City when so authorized by the Council; and

(p) Performance of additional duties. To perform such other duties and exercise such other powers as may be delegated to him from time to time by ordinance, resolution, or other action of the Council, including the duty of acting as City Engineer if he is so qualified; provided, however, the Council shall not assign to the City Manager any duties the nature of which would operate to give the City Manager any civil service status.

(§§ 7, 8, and 9, Ord. 316, as amended by § 1, Ord. 650, eff. May 19, 2001, § 1, Ord. 656, eff. October 20, 2001, §§ 1 and 2, Ord. 661, eff. November 3, 2001, § 1, Ord. 679, eff. August 17, 2002)

The Council and its members shall deal with the administrative services of the City only through the City Manager, except for the purposes of inquiry, and neither the Council nor any of its members shall give orders directly to any subordinate of the City Manager. The City Manager shall take his orders and instructions from the Council only upon official action taken in a duly held meeting of the Council, and no individual Councilman shall give any orders or instructions to the City Manager, except as the Council shall have officially instructed such Councilman to do so.

(§ 10, Ord. 316)

The City Manager may attend any and all meetings of the Planning Commission, boards, or committees, existing now or hereafter created by the Council, upon his own volition or upon the direction of the Council, at which meetings he shall be heard by such commissions, boards, or committees as to all matters upon which he may wish to address the members thereof, and he shall inform such members as to the status of any matter being considered by the Council, and he shall cooperate to the fullest extent with the members of all such commissions, boards, or committees appointed by the Council.

(§ 11, Ord. 316)

The City Manager shall be entitled to and have the same rights and privileges with respect to vacations and sick leave as may from time to time be provided for the employees of the City by the personnel system set forth in Article 3 of this chapter.

(§ 12, Ord. 316)

The rules and regulations prohibiting political activities by City employees, as set forth in Article 3 of this chapter, shall apply with equal force and effect to the City Manager.

(§ 12, Ord. 316)

Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary in this Code, the City Manager may designate as a code enforcement officer any City employee, including, but not limited to, a police officer of the City. Pursuant to the provisions of Section 836.5 of the Penal Code, the designated code enforcement officer shall have the authority to write citations for violations of any provision of this Code or for disobedience to any order duly issued hereunder and to take such actions as are authorized by this Code related to nuisances, property maintenance and code enforcement.

(§ 1, Ord. 707, eff. July 1, 2005)

The City Council hereby provides by ordinance that the following instruments may be signed by the City Manager, in lieu of the Mayor:

(a) All instruments related to Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) programs; and

(b) All instruments related to California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) programs.

Nothing in this section shall be construed to:

(a) Authorize the City Manager (or any officer) to approve or enter into any contract, conveyance, warrant, or instrument on behalf of the City without the required approval under applicable law, the Coalinga Municipal Code, or action of the City Council; or

(b) Supersede, waive, or modify any requirement that the City Council approve the underlying act before execution. The City Manager's authority under this section is limited to execution/signature of instruments as authorized by this section and as otherwise lawfully approved.

(Ord. No. 877, § 2, eff. 1-20-2026)