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Presenter: statute vests operational staff under mayor; council may not direct staff
Summary
The webinar reiterated that statutory authority generally places city staff under the mayor's operational direction; council members can make recommendations but should not issue orders to staff, and criminal matters should be handled with law enforcement involvement.
Jared said operational authority over city staff rests by statute with the mayor, who may delegate to a chief administrative officer; council members may offer suggestions but cannot order staff. He recommended that councils avoid using investigatory committees as political tools and, if criminal activity is suspected, involve police investigators.
"The city staff is ultimately under the direction of the mayor," Jared said, adding that councils can form an investigative committee only in limited situations (and should involve law enforcement for criminal concerns). The presenters cautioned that misuse of investigatory processes can inflame conflict and produce legal complications.
