Ross Municipal Code § 2.05

2.05.010 Office of Town Manager. The Office of the Town Manager shall be filled by appointment of the Town Council and shall be held by appointment and at the pleasure of the Town Council. As such the Town Manager is an at-will employee and is excluded from any contrary human resource rule, policy or practice regarding appointment, classification, discipline or termination. (Ord. 637 (part), 2012; Ord. 598, 2007).

2.05.015 Compensation. The Town Manager shall receive such compensation as the town Council shall determine. (Ord. 637 (part), 2012).

2.05.020 Designation of the Acting Town Manager. The Town Manager shall appoint an acting Town Manager during any temporary absence or disability of the Town Manager by designating a qualified town employee to exercise the powers and perform the duties of the Town Manager during a temporary absence or disability. If the Town Manager fails to designate an acting Town Manager, the Town Council, in case of a temporary absence of disability, may designate a qualified town employee to be acting Town Manager. If the absence is longer than thirty (30) days, the Town Council may act to replace the Town Manager with a qualified individual. (Ord. 728(part), 2025; Ord. 637 (part), 2012).

2.04.025 Responsibilities of Town Manager. The Town Manager shall be the chief executive officer of the management of the Town under the policy direction of the Town Council. The Town Manager may head one or more departments, act as the Director/department head in the event of a vacancy, and shall be responsible to the Town Council for the proper administration of all affairs of the town. The Town Manager shall have the responsibility to:

a. Appoint, remove, promote and demote staff. The Town Manager shall have the authority to appoint, promote, discipline and layoff town employees in accordance with Town Human Resource Rules and any relevant Memorandum of Understanding entered into by the Town Council. The Town Manager shall have no authority over the appointment and removal of the Town Attorney and Town Treasurer;

b. Establish administrative policies. As the chief executive officer of the town, the Town Manager shall have the authority to establish administrative policies and to authorize department heads to adopt procedures for efficient and effective conduct of town business;

c. Management of officers, employees and the organization. The Town Manager shall manage and give direction to all department heads and to subordinate employees of the town through their department heads. The Town Manager shall conduct studies and effect administrative reorganizations of departments and operational units as are in the interest of efficient, effective and economical conduct of town business;

d. Oversight and Management of Consultants. The Town Manager or designee shall manage and supervise all outside consultants and the conduct of their work for the town, including compliance with the town’s Conflict of Interest Code;

e. Department cooperation. It shall be the duty of all employees to assist the Town Manager in administering the affairs of the town efficiently, effectively and economically, consistent with their duties as prescribed by the laws of the town;

f. Enforce laws. The Town Manager shall ensure all laws of the town are duly enforced and all franchises, contracts, permits, and privileges granted by the town are faithfully observed;

g. Represent the town. The Town Manager shall represent the town in its negotiations and working relationships with the state, the county, and other governmental jurisdictions;

h. Perform financial duties. The Town Manager shall serve as the town finance director and manage town finances. The Town Manager shall prepare and submit to the council the proposed annual budget and keep the council aware of financial conditions and needs of the town. The Town Manager shall oversee preparation of the monthly financials and ensure that the demands are reviewed and met, oversee the investment of town reserves consistent with the town’s adopted investment policy, and have a properly qualified certified public accountant perform all necessary financial overview required by law for the town audit. The Town Manager shall serve as the Risk Manager and ensure the town’s liability and financial exposure is minimized through proper insurance coverage and risk management practices;

i. Attend Council meetings. The Town Manager shall attend all meetings of the Council unless excused by the Council;

j. Make Council recommendations. The Town Manager shall recommend to the Council the adoption of such measures, including ordinances and resolutions, as the Town Manager may deem necessary or expedient for the health, safety, and welfare of the town or for the improvement of administrative services;

k. Prepare Council agendas. The Town Manager in consultation with the Mayor, shall prepare, or direct the preparation of Council agendas. The Town Manager shall ensure all matters for Council considerations, including staff reports are researched and documented, the financial implications are considered when relevant, direct and indirect consequences are considered and alternatives provided;

l. Prepare ordinances and resolutions, agreements, leases, franchises, and similar documents. The Town Manager shall, in consultation with the Town Attorney as necessary, prepare or have prepared, ordinances and resolutions, and draft contracts, leases, franchises and all similar documents using professional assistance as may be necessary, assuring such instruments is set forth in plain language. The Town Manager may enter into and execute such contracts as may be authorized by the Town Council by resolution or other order:

m. Purchase supplies. To direct and oversee the purchase and acquisition of all property, equipment, services, materials and supplies for the town and for all departments and divisions thereof, provided the purchase or acquisition has been approved by the Council or in

included in a budget which has been approved and adopted by the Council. No expenditure shall be submitted or recommended to the Council except on approval of the Town Manager;

n. Investigate town affairs and complaints. The Town Manager shall investigate the affairs of the town and of any department. The Town Manager shall investigate all complaints in regard to matters concerning the administration of the government of the town and in regard to service maintained by the public utilities in the town to see all franchises, permits, and privileges granted by the town are faithfully observed;

o. Supervise public property. The Town Manager shall manage, supervise and oversee all public buildings, public parks, and all public property under the control and jurisdiction of the town, and shall make recommendations to the Council as to ongoing maintenance needs; p. Hours of employment. The Town Manager shall devote their entire working time to the performance of the office and shall be granted compensation and benefits as described in an employment contract approved by the Council; the Council may authorize teaching or consulting activities in accordance with the approved employment agreement;

q. Labor relations. The Town Manager shall serve as the Human Resource Director, Affirmative Action Officer and Labor Relations Director, including negotiating collective bargaining agreements, subject to Council ratification and shall recommend salary and benefits for non represented employees;

r. Performance of delegated duties. The Town Manager shall perform such other duties and exercise such other powers as may be delegated to the Town Manager from time to time by ordinance, resolution, motion, or other action by the Council. (Ord. 728 (part), 2025; Ord. 637 (part), 2012; Ord. 598, 2007).

Chapter 2.08

TOWN TREASURER¹

Sections: