South Pasadena Municipal Code § 2.18 Office created

The office of the city manager of the city is hereby created and established. 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. (Ord. No. 1580, § 1.)

Residence in the city at the time of appointment of a city manager shall not be required as a condition of the appointment. (Ord. No. 1580, § 1; Ord. No. 2392, § 1, 2025.)

No member of the city council shall be eligible for appointment as city manager until one year has elapsed after such council member has ceased to be a member of the city council. (Ord. No. 1580, § 1.)

The city manager and acting 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 shall be conditioned upon the faithful performance of the duties imposed upon the city manager and acting city manager as herein prescribed. Any premium for such bond shall be a proper charge against the city. (Ord. No. 1580, § 1.)

The assistant city manager shall serve as manager pro tempore during any temporary absence or disability of the city manager. In the event there is no assistant city manager, the city manager, by filing a written notice with the city clerk, shall designate a qualified city employee to exercise the powers and perform the duties of city manager during the city manager’s temporary absence or disability. In the event the city manager’s absence or disability extends over a two-week period, the city council may, after such two-week period, appoint an acting city manager. (Ord. No. 1580, § 1; Ord. No. 2392, § 2, 2025.)

The city manager shall receive such compensation as the city council shall from time to time determine. (Ord. No. 1580, § 1: Ord. No. 1703, § 1; Ord. No. 2148 § 1; Ord. No. 2392, § 3, 2025.)

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 article. He shall be responsible for 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, it shall be his duty and he shall have the powers set forth in the following subsections:

(a) LAW ENFORCEMENT. 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 and privileges granted by the city council are faithfully observed.

(b) AUTHORITY OVER EMPLOYEES. It shall be the duty of the city manager, and he 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 jurisdiction through their department heads.

(c) POWER OF APPOINTMENT AND REMOVAL. It shall be the duty of the city manager to, and he shall appoint, remove, promote and demote any and all officers and employees of the city except the city clerk, city treasurer or city attorney, subject to all applicable personnel ordinances, rules and regulations.

(d) ADMINISTRATIVE REORGANIZATION OF OFFICES. It shall be the duty and responsibility of the city manager to conduct studies and effect such administrative reorganization of offices, positions or units under his direction as may be indicated in the interest of efficient, effective and economical conduct of the city’s business.

(e) ORDINANCES. It shall be the duty of the city manager and he shall recommend to the city council for adoption such measures and ordinances as he deems necessary.

(f) ATTENDANCE AT COUNCIL MEETINGS. It shall be the duty of the city manager to attend all meetings of the city council unless at his request he is excused therefrom by the mayor individually or the city council, except when his removal is under consideration.

(g) FINANCIAL REPORTS. It shall be the duty of the city manager to keep the city council at all times fully advised as to the financial condition and needs of the city.

(h) BUDGET. It shall be the duty of the city manager to prepare and submit the proposed annual budget and the proposed annual salary plan to the city council for its approval.

(i) EXPENDITURE CONTROL AND PURCHASING. It shall be the duty of the city manager to see that no expenditures shall be submitted or recommended to the city council except on approval of the city manager or his authorized representative. The city manager, or his authorized representative, shall be responsible for the purchase of all supplies for all the departments or divisions of the city.

(j) INVESTIGATIONS AND COMPLAINTS. It shall be the duty of the city manager to make investigations into the affairs of the city and any department or division thereof, and any contract or the proper performance of any obligations of the city. Further, 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.

(k) PUBLIC BUILDINGS. It shall be the duty of the city manager and he shall exercise general supervision over all public buildings, public parks, and all other public property which are under the control and jurisdiction of the city council.

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

(m) EXECUTION OF CONTRACTS AND OTHER LEGAL INSTRUMENTS. The city manager is authorized to execute all contracts and conveyances and any other legal instruments whether requiring the city seal or not, including but not limited to real estate instruments and legal settlement agreements, on behalf of the city whenever such contract or conveyance or other legal instrument has been authorized or approved by the city council by ordinance, resolution, motion, minute order, contract, or other appropriate city council action. (Ord. No. 1580, § 1; Ord. No. 2377, §§ 2, 3, 2023.)

• As to duties of city manager relative to air pollution, see §§ 4.8 and 4.9 of this Code. As to duties of city manager relative to charitable solicitations, see §§ 10.1 to 10.10. As to designation of city manager as director of civil defense and disaster, see § 11.8. As to duty of city manager to direct and control health officer, see § 17.1. As to authority of city manager to install traffic control devices, see § 19.34. As to authority of city manager to suspend, etc., private patrol licenses, see § 25.45.

(a) COUNCIL-MANAGER RELATIONS. 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 member thereof shall give orders or instructions to any subordinates of the city manager. The city manager shall take his orders and instructions from the city council only when sitting in a duly convened meeting of the city council and no individual councilman shall give any orders or instructions to the city manager.

(b) DEPARTMENTAL COOPERATION. It shall be the duty of all subordinate officers to assist the city manager in administering the affairs of the city efficiently, economically and harmoniously.

(c) ATTENDANCE AT COMMISSION MEETINGS. The city manager may attend any and all meetings of the planning commission, recreation and park commission, and any other commission, board or committee created by the city council, upon his own volition or upon direction of the city council. At such meetings which the city manager attends, he shall be heard by such commissions, boards or committees as to all matters upon which he wishes to address the members thereof, and he shall inform the members as to the status of any matter being considered by the city council, and he shall cooperate to the fullest extent with the members of all commissions, boards or committees appointed by the city council. (Ord. No. 1580, § 1.)

The removal of the city manager shall only be by a majority vote of the whole council as then constituted. The city manager shall not be removed from office, other than for misconduct in office, during or within a period of ninety days succeeding any general or special municipal election at which a member of the city council is elected or when a new city council member is appointed. The purpose of this section is to allow any newly elected or appointed 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 the office. (Ord. No. 1580, § 1; Ord. No. 2392, § 4, 2025.)

Nothing in this article shall be construed as a limitation on the power or authority of the city council to enter into any supplemental agreement with the city manager delineating additional terms and conditions of employment not inconsistent with any provisions of this article. (Ord. No. 1580, § 1.)

Pursuant to Government Code Sections 36510 and 34856, the city council vests the city manager with its power to appoint or remove the city clerk. (Ord. No. 2390 § 3, 2024.)