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Council clarifies city manager authority; mayor removed from police/fire evaluations
Summary
Ordinance 2026-05 clarifies the city manager's authority over employees and volunteers, explicitly places supervision of the police under the city manager, and removes language that had the mayor evaluating police and fire chiefs. The council approved the change unanimously.
The City Council approved Ordinance 2026-05, amending Chapter 2.08 to define and consolidate the city manager's supervisory authority over city employees and volunteers. City Attorney Amy Hugie described the changes as "cleaning up the language in the city manager section," clarifying that "the city manager supervises the police," removing provisions that allowed the mayor to perform evaluations of the police chief and fire chief, and adding the mayor to a restriction preventing council members from being appointed as city manager while in office and for one year thereafter.
During public comment Sharon Newlin asked where residents should direct issues when contractors or utility companies need to work on private property; staff clarified that problems with city infrastructure should be directed to the city manager, while issues related to utilities on private easements remain between the property owner and the utility. After closing the hearing, Councilmember Mike Braegger moved to approve Ordinance 2026-05, Councilmember Jacob Bodily seconded, and the ordinance passed unanimously on a roll call vote.
The change centralizes supervisory responsibility in the city manager position and removes the mayor from direct evaluative authority over department chiefs, aligning administrative duties under the manager's office.
