Oroville Municipal Code Art. IX The Charter

Sec. 1. Departments.

The City Administrator shall recommend, and the City Council shall by ordinance create, reorganize and abolish departments and divisions thereof as necessary for the effective management of the City's affairs, in addition to the following which are created by Charter.

(Amended by vote of the people, November 12, 1983; amended by vote of the people, November 5, 2024)

Sec. 2. City Administrator/City Clerk.

The City Clerk/City Administrator shall be the clerk of the City Council.

It shall be the duty of the City Clerk/City Administrator, or a deputy designated by him or her, to attend all sessions of the City Council and keep a full and correct record of the proceedings.

The proceedings of the City Council shall be kept in a book. In addition, he or she shall keep a record of all Ordinances.

The proceedings of the City Council shall be kept in a book. In addition, he or she shall keep a record of all Ordinances.

He or she shall conduct promptly, and keep a systematic record of, all correspondence between the City Council and others relating to City business.

He or she shall be the keeper of the corporate seal of the City and shall affix the same to instruments or writings requiring authentication.

He or she shall safely keep all records, documents, ordinances, resolutions, books, and such other papers and matters, as may be regularly delivered into his or her custody or required by law or ordinance to be filed with him or her.

(Amended by vote of the people, April 12, 1983; amended by vote of the people, November 5, 2024)

Sec. 3. City Attorney.

There shall be a City Attorney who shall be appointed by the City Council, to hold office at the pleasure of the City Council. He or she shall be an attorney-at-law, admitted to practice before the supreme court of the State of California, and shall have been in actual practice in the state for at least three years next preceding his or her appointment.

All other things being equal, an attorney who has had special training or experience in municipal corporation law shall be appointed to this office if practicable.

The City Attorney shall be legal advisor of the City Council and all other City officials. He or she shall draft all ordinances, resolutions, contracts or other legal documents, or proceedings required by the City Council, or other officials, except as may be otherwise provided.

He or she shall prosecute personally on behalf of the people violations of municipal code before the Superior Court and shall perform such other legal services as needed.

He or she shall attend all meetings of the City Council unless excused therefrom by the City Council or Mayor.

(Amended by vote of the people, November 5, 2024)

Sec. 4. Director of Finance.

There shall be a Director of Finance who shall be appointed by the City Council. He or she shall receive and keep safely all moneys and securities belonging to the City and coming into the hands and pay out the same only on warrants signed by the proper officials, including the principal and interest due on bonds of the City, including improvement bonds.

(Amended by vote of the people, November 5, 2024)

Sec. 5. Chief of Police.

There shall be a Chief of Police who shall be appointed by the City Council to hold office at the pleasure of the City Council. He or she shall be the head of the police department of the City, shall make rules and regulations for the management of the department, and shall have all the powers that are now or may hereafter be conferred upon other peace officers by the laws of the state. It shall be the duty of the Chief of Police to preserve the public peace, and to suppress riots, tumults and disturbances. The orders of the Chief of Police shall be promptly executed by the police officers of the City for the maintenance of public order or the protection of life and property.

The Chief of Police shall have authority, and it is hereby made the duty of the Chief of Police to arrest persons violating any law of the state or ordinance of the City.

Persons convicted of violating City ordinances and sentenced to jail may be confined in the county jail of Butte County. The Chief of Police shall have such other powers and duties as may be prescribed by the City Council by ordinance.

(Amended by vote of the people, November 8, 1988; amended by vote of the people, November 5, 1996; amended by vote of the people, November 5, 2024)

Sec. 6. Fire Chief.

There shall be a Fire Chief who shall be appointed by the City Council and hold office at the pleasure of the City Council. He or she shall be head of the fire department of the City and shall have charge of and supervision over all matters relating to the prevention and extinction of fires, and of all measures necessary to guard and protect all property impaired thereby. During the time of a fire, he or she shall have supreme authority over the territory involved therein, and all persons in the immediate vicinity of the fire during such time, including police officers, shall be subject to his or her orders.

The Fire Chief shall make rules and regulations for the government of the department, subject to the approval of the City Council, City shall provide fire prevention and protection services.

(Amended by vote of the people, November 5, 2024)

Sec. 7. Treasurer.

There shall be a City Treasurer who shall be elected every four years at the general election. It shall be his or her duty to collect all taxes assessed by the City assessor otherwise.

He or she shall receive and keep safely all moneys and securities belonging to the City and coming into the hands and pay out the same only on warrants signed by the proper officials, including the principal and interest due on bonds of the City, including improvement bonds.

The Treasurer shall deposit within forty-eight hours of its receipt with a responsible banking institution, in the City, all funds coming into his or her possession, and shall obtain from such banking institution bonds or other collateral as security therefore, as provided by law.

(Amended by vote of the people, April 12, 1983; amended by vote of the people, November 5, 2024)

Sec. 8. Public Works Director.

There shall be a Public Works Director who shall be appointed by the Council, to hold office at the pleasure of the Council. He or she shall perform such duties as may be prescribed now or hereafter, by ordinance or the general law of the State.

(Amended by vote of the people, November 5, 2024)

Sec. 9. Additional functions.

In addition, the City shall retain the following two functions:

(Amended by vote of the people, November 5, 2024)

An Expert Accountant to audit annually, in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, the financial statements and accounts of the City.

(Amended by vote of the people, April 12, 1983; amended by vote of the people, November 5, 2024)

A City Engineer who shall hold office at the pleasure of the Council. As City engineer, he or she shall be the custodian of, and responsible for, II maps, plan, profiles, field notes and other records and memoranda belonging to the City, pertaining to his or her office and the work thereof, all of which he or she shall keep in proper order and condition with full indices thereof.

He or she shall have been at the time of his or her appointment a licensed and practicing Civil Engineer.

(Amended by vote of the people, November 5, 2024)