Fresno Municipal Code Art. VII Chief Administrative Officer

There shall be a Chief Administrative Officer who shall be head of administrative branch of the City government.

The Chief Administrative Officer shall be appointed solely on the basis of his executive and administrative qualifications, with special reference to his actual experience in or his knowledge of accepted practice in respect to the duties of his office as hereinafter set forth. He shall have at least five year's experience as the administrative head or assistant administrative head of a city, or he shall have had equivalent experience in the direction and supervision of other governmental, private business, or industrial activities of comparable importance and magnitude. He need not be a resident of the City or State at the time of his appointment, but during his tenure in office, he shall reside in the City of Fresno. No resident of the County of Fresno at the time this Charter becomes fully operative shall be appointed Chief Administrative Officer within twelve months thereafter.

The Chief Administrative Officer shall be appointed by the Mayor. Such appointment must be made within ninety days after the first election held under this Charter and within ninety days after any subsequent vacancy occurs in the office. The Chief Administrative Officer may be removed from office by the Mayor.

(Amendment ratified 1993 General Municipal Election, April 27, 1993.)

Before resigning his position, it shall be the duty of the Chief Administrative Offcier to give the Mayor at least thirty days' notice in writing of his or her intention to resign, stating the reasons therefor.

(Amendment ratified 1993 General Municipal Election, April 27, 1993.)

The Chief Administrative Officer shall be paid a salary commensurate with his or her responsibilities as Chief Administrative Officer of the City which salary shall be established by Council resolution. In the event of his or her removal from office, the Chief Administrative Officer shall be paid his or her salary through thirty days following the date of his or her removal.

(Amendment ratified 1993 General Municipal Election, April 27, 1993.)

The Chief Administrative Officer shall work under the direct supervision of the Mayor. He or she shall be responsible to the Mayor for the administration of all affairs of the City not otherwise assigned in this Charter. He or she shall have the power and be required to:

(a) Exercise control over all departments, offices and agencies under his or her jurisdiction;

(b) Advise the Mayor concerning the creation, organization, conduct, operation, alteration, or abolition of the various departments, offices and agencies of the city government.

(c) Appoint, and he or she may suspend or remove, subject to the Civil Service System provisions of this Charter, all department heads and officers of the City except elective officers and officers the power of whose appointment is vested by this Charter in the Council, provided, however, that the appointment, removal and suspension of the Controller shall be subject to the approval of the Council; approve or disapprove all proposed appointments and removals of deputies, assistants and subordinate employees by department heads or officers except those officers whose appointment is vested by this Charter in the Council or mayor, and such appointments and removals by such department heads or officers shall be subject to his or her approval;

(d) Administer the budget after adoption;

(e) Establish such financial and accounting records and procedures as will reflect the current financial status of all municipal activities;

(f) Establish a central purchasing system of all city offices, departments and agencies;

(g) Keep the Mayor advised of the financial affairs and conditions and future needs of the City and make recommendations to the Mayor concerning the administration of city affairs;

(h) Prepare and submit to the Mayor reports in answer to requests for information made to him or her by the mayor;

(i) Perform such other duties as may be prescribed by this Charter or required of him or her by the Mayor, not inconsistent with this Charter;

(j) Attend all meetings of the Council, unless excused therefrom by the Mayor.

(Amendment ratified 1993 General Municipal Election, April 27, 1993.)

Neither the Mayor nor the Council except by official action taken in policy matters, nor any of its members shall interfere with the execution by the Chief Administrative Officer of his powers and duties, or order, directly or indirectly, the appointment by the Chief Administrative Offcier or by any of the department heads in the administrative service of the city, of any person to an office or employment or his removal therefrom. Except for the purpose of inquiry, the Mayor, the Council and its members shall deal with the administrative service under the Chief Administrative Officer solely through the Chief Administrative Officer and neither the Mayor nor the Council nor any member thereof shall give orders to any subordinates of the Chief Administrative Officer, either publicly or privately.

(Repealed; ratified 1993 General Municipal Election, April 27, 1993.)