Belgrade council adopts resolution clarifying city manager authority, grants settlement power

The Belgrade City Council voted unanimously to adopt Resolution 2025-8, amending Title 1 of the city code to clarify that the city manager is the chief administrative officer and to establish authority for civil litigation and settlement.

City Manager Neil Cardwell told the council the change is intended to clean up language left over from the 1986 charter and to make explicit that the city manager is the administrative lead. "The main purpose being to clarify in the City Code that city manager is the chief administrative officer," Cardwell said, and he offered to answer any council questions.

The council opened a public hearing on the resolution, called three times for public comment and received none. After closing the hearing, a motion to finally adopt the resolution was moved and seconded and carried unanimously. The ordinance language also explicitly establishes the city manager s having civil litigation and settlement authority for the city, language presented to the council as part of the ordinance package.

Why it matters: The adopted changes concentrate day-to-day administrative authority and certain settlement powers in the city manager's office; council members had been offered prior opportunities at a workshop and at a prior meeting to review the proposed text. Supporters said the amendment updates outdated charter-era language and consolidates administrative clarity.

What happened next: The measure passed with unanimous support at the meeting and is recorded as adopted. Council did not receive public comment during the hearing and offered no substantive amendments at the meeting.

Provenance: Topic introduced at SEG 068 and final action at SEG 137.