Agenda - Council Work Session - 03/09/2010

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see HK Refer~.nce Manua. The appointment and removal process varies depending on the type of city. Other factors, such as personnel policies, employment contracts, and Minn. scat. ~ ~97.d6, ordinances or charter provisions, are also relevant. Although department heads are generally exempt from the veterans' preference removal requirements, whether or not they apply depends upon the specifics of the situation and the type of responsibilities assigned to the administrator. A city council seeking to remove its city administrator should consult its city attorney before beginning the removal process. Home rule charter cities should consult their city charters, as well as the counsel of their city attorneys, for appointment and removal procedures. V. City manager Mi",'. star. ~ ~lz.sa~. The city manager position is found in all Plan B statutory cities as well as in several home rule charter cities. Cities with a city manager have what is called acouncil-manager form of government. In the council-manager form, the council exercises the legislative power of the city and determines all matters of policy, similar to a boazd of directors in a private sector company. The city manager formulates policy recommendations to the city council, exercises the administrative power of the city, and is ultimately responsible to the council for the proper administration of all city affairs, much as a CEO does in a private sector company. . The council-manager plan was first created in the early 1900s as a means through which government could be "professionalized." It reflects both the parliamentary approach to government and the corporate business model in its structure and ideals. Early proponents of the council-manager form of government believed it accomplished the following worthy goals: • It replaced the divisiveness of some other forms of government with a more unified model of government in which the council had both legislative and administrative authority. • It placed responsibility for day-today administration of city business in the hands of a professional manager rather than elected officials.. Minn. Stat. ~ ~i~s~l, Sung. 2. Only statutory cities with a population over 1,000 aze eligible to operate under the Optional Plan B, council-manager form of government. This does not apply to home rule charter cities. A. Form of government Under the council-manager form, the council retains policymaking and legislative authority and delegates the administration to a manager. The manager is responsible directly to the council and subject to council removal. 16 LEAGUE OF MINNESOTA CTTIES