City Administrator
APPOINTMENT AND TERM. The City Administrator shall be appointed by the majority vote of all members of the Council, shall hold office at the discretion of the Council, and shall be subject to removal and termination by majority vote of all members of the Council, subject to the provisions and protections of Section 372.15 of the Code of Iowa.
COMPENSATION. The City Administrator shall receive such annual salary and benefits as the Council shall from time to time determine, and payment shall be made from the treasury of the City in the manner provided for the payment of compensation and allocation of benefits to other officers and employees of the City.
QUALIFICATIONS. The City Administrator shall be a person competent by education and/or experience to perform the duties imposed upon such person by this chapter. The City Administrator:
1. Shall possess a college degree in public administration or a related field and have three (3) years of experience in city administration or shall have a minimum of eight (8) years of practical experience in city administration.
2. Following appointment, shall reside within the school district of Perry Community Schools.
3. Shall devote full time to the diligent and faithful performance of duties hereunder and shall not, during the term as Administrator, engage in any other employment or self-employment activities or endeavors or hold any other office or position, except with the approval of the Council, by motion.
4. Shall not, during the term as City Administrator, hold any position as officer or director of any “for-profit” organization which does business or carries on any activities in the City, or own more than five percent (5%) of the outstanding stock of any corporation which does business or carries on activities within the City.
DUTIES. The duties of the City Administrator are as follows:
1. To supervise and direct the duties of the City Clerk and City Treasurer.
2. To supervise enforcement and execution of the City ordinances and resolutions and applicable State and Federal laws and regulations within the City.
3. To attend all meetings of the Council unless excused by the Mayor or majority of the Council members.
4. To recommend to the Council such measure as may be necessary or expedient for the good government and welfare of the City.
5. To have the general supervision and direction of the administration of the City government.
6. To supervise and conduct the business affairs of the City and cause accurate records to be kept by modern and efficient accounting methods.
7. To supervise the performance of all contracts for work to be done for the City, supervise all purchases of material, supplies and equipment and insure that such material, supplies and equipment are received and are of the quality and character called for by the contract.
8. To supervise the construction, improvements, repair, maintenance and management of all City property, capital improvements and undertakings of the City, including the making and preservation of all surveys, maps, plans, drawings, specifications and estimates for capital improvements.
9. To be directly responsible to the Council for the administration of the City as directed by the Council.
10. To supervise and direct through established procedures, all officers, departments and employees of the City, specifically including but not limited to police, fire, streets, sewers, waste disposal and central administration. To effectuate this responsibility, the City Administrator shall have the power and authority to recommend employment of such assistants and other employees of the City for which the Council has approved.
11. To represent the City as directed by the Council, in all negotiations and relations with employees, contractors, consultants, other governmental units and civic organizations in which the City may have an interest.
12. To cooperate with, assist and advise all administrative agencies, City boards and commissions and act as the Council’s liaison and representative to such entities.
13. To investigate the performance and conduct of any department agency, officer or employee of the City, as deemed appropriate.
14. To keep the Council fully advised of the financial and other conditions of the City and of its future needs.
15. To supervise and assist City boards, commissions and all City departments in the preparation, administration and operation of the City’s annual budget.
16. To make to the Council periodic reports of the general condition of the City in writing at such intervals as the Council directs.
17. To advise, assist and consult with the City Attorney on all City legal matters.
18. To formulate and recommend employment and personnel policies, compensation schedules and benefits; to prepare and maintain job descriptions for all City employees, all with the approval of the Council; to supervise and direct negotiations in all matters relating to collective bargaining.
19. To compile and maintain current and up-to-date information regarding all funding sources of the City, including State and Federal grant and loan programs; to plan, develop, prepare and submit, with the approval and at the direction of the Council, applications for grants, loans and other sources of funding and to administer all such funding.
20. To make recommendations to the Council and to participate in projects and endeavors to support and promote economic growth and development in the City.
21. To faithfully represent the Council and the City in intergovernmental relations.
22. To have the power to employ, reclassify, discipline or suspend any employee under the Administrator’s direct control. The City Administrator shall also have the power to employ, reclassify, discipline, suspend or discharge any employee under the supervision and control of any department head, but only with the concurrence of the department head. The City Administrator shall not have the authority to employ or appoint, reclassify, discipline, suspend or discharge the Police Chief, Fire Chief, the Compliance Officer, the Public Works Director, the City Clerk or the City Attorney. However, the City Administrator shall, when appropriate, recommend to the Council action regarding such appointed officers or employees of the City and shall also recommend to and seek direction from the Council when the Administrator and a department head are not in agreement in regard to the employment, reclassification, suspension, discipline or discharge of a City employee.
23. To perform such other duties as the Mayor or Council may direct.
21.05 COUNCIL RELATIONS. The City Administrator shall not participate in campaign activities in any City election, except by casting his or her vote, and shall not appoint an elected City official to any City office or employment position.
City Finance Officer
APPOINTMENT. The Finance Officer is the Treasurer and performs all functions required of the position of Treasurer.
COMPENSATION. The Finance Officer receives no additional compensation for performing the duties of the Treasurer.
DUTIES OF FINANCE OFFICER (TREASURER). The duties of the Treasurer are as follows:
1. Custody of Funds. Be responsible for the safe custody of all funds of the City in the manner provided by law, and Council direction.
2. Record of Fund. Keep the record of each fund separate.
3. Record Receipts. Keep an accurate record of all money or securities received by the Treasurer on behalf of the City and specify the date, from whom, and for what purpose received.
4. Record Disbursements. Keep an accurate account of all disbursements, money or property, specifying date, to whom, and from what fund paid.
5. Special Assessments. Keep a separate account of all money received by the Treasurer from special assessments.
6. Deposit Funds. Upon receipt of moneys to be held in the Treasurer’s custody and belonging to the City, deposit the same in depositories selected by the Council.
7. Reconciliation. Reconcile depository statements with the Treasurer’s books and certify monthly to the Council the balance of cash and investments of each fund and amounts received and disbursed.
8. Debt Service. Keep a register of all bonds outstanding and record all payments of interest and principal.
9. Other Duties. Perform such other duties as specified by the Council by resolution or ordinance.
City Clerk
APPOINTMENT AND COMPENSATION. The Council shall appoint by majority vote a City Clerk to serve at the discretion of the Council. The Clerk shall receive such compensation as established by resolution of the Council.
POWERS AND DUTIES: GENERAL. The Clerk, or in the Clerk’s absence or inability to act, the Deputy Clerk, has the powers and duties as provided in this chapter, this Code of Ordinances and the law.
PUBLICATION OF MINUTES. The Clerk shall attend all regular and special Council meetings and within fifteen (15) days following a regular or special meeting shall cause the minutes of the proceedings thereof to be published. Such publication shall include a list of all claims allowed and a summary of all receipts and shall show the gross amount of the claim.
RECORDING MEASURES. The Clerk shall promptly record each measure considered by the Council and record a statement with the measure, where applicable, indicating whether the Mayor signed, vetoed or took no action on the measure, and whether the measure was repassed after the Mayor’s veto.
PUBLICATION. The Clerk shall cause to be published all ordinances, enactments, proceedings and official notices requiring publication as follows:
1. Time. If notice of an election, hearing, or other official action is required by this Code of Ordinances or law, the notice must be published at least once, not less than four (4) nor more than twenty (20) days before the date of the election, hearing or other action, unless otherwise provided by law.
2. Manner of Publication. A publication required by this Code of Ordinances or law must be in a newspaper published at least once weekly and having general circulation in the City.
AUTHENTICATION. The Clerk shall authenticate all measures except motions with the Clerk’s signature, certifying the time and manner of publication when required.
CERTIFY MEASURES. The Clerk shall certify all measures establishing any zoning district, building lines, or fire limits and a plat showing the district, lines, or limits to the recorder of the County containing the affected parts of the City.
RECORDS. The Clerk shall maintain the specified City records in the following manner:
1. Ordinances and Codes. Maintain copies of all effective City ordinances and codes for public use.
2. Custody. Have custody and be responsible for the safekeeping of all writings or documents in which the City is a party in interest unless otherwise specifically directed by law or ordinance.
3. Maintenance. Maintain all City records and documents, or accurate reproductions, for at least five (5) years except that ordinances, resolutions, Council proceedings, records and documents, or accurate reproductions, relating to the issuance, cancellation, transfer, redemption or replacement of public bonds or obligations shall be kept for at least eleven (11) years following the final maturity of the bonds or obligations. Ordinances, resolutions, Council proceedings, records and documents, or accurate reproductions, relating to real property transactions shall be maintained permanently.
4. Provide Copy. Furnish upon request to any municipal officer a copy of any record, paper or public document under the Clerk’s control when it may be necessary to such officer in the discharge of such officer’s duty; furnish a copy to any citizen when requested upon payment of the fee set by Council resolution; under the direction of the Mayor or other authorized officer, affix the seal of the City to those public documents or instruments which by ordinance and Code of Ordinances are required to be attested by the affixing of the seal.
5. Filing of Communications. Keep and file all communications and petitions directed to the Council or to the City generally. The Clerk shall endorse thereon the action of the Council taken upon matters considered in such communications and petitions.
ATTENDANCE AT MEETINGS. At the direction of the Council, the Clerk shall attend meetings of committees, boards and commissions. The Clerk shall record and preserve a correct record of the proceedings of such meetings.
ISSUE LICENSES AND PERMITS. The Clerk shall issue or revoke licenses and permits when authorized by this Code of Ordinances, and keep a record of licenses and permits issued which shall show date of issuance, license or permit number, official receipt number, name of person to whom issued, term of license or permit and purpose for which issued.
NOTIFY APPOINTEES. The Clerk shall inform all persons appointed by the Mayor or Council to offices in the City government of their position and the time at which they shall assume the duties of their office.
ELECTIONS. The Clerk shall perform the following duties relating to elections and nominations:
1. In the event of a change in the method of nomination process used by the City, certify to the Commissioner of Elections the type of nomination process to be used by the City no later than seventy-seven (77) days before the date of the regular City election.
2. Accept the nomination petition of a candidate for a City office for filing if on its face it appears to have the requisite number of signatures and is timely filed.
3. Designate other employees or officials of the City who are ordinarily available to accept nomination papers if the Clerk is not readily available during normal working hours.
4. Note upon each petition and affidavit accepted for filing the date and time that the petition was filed.
5. Deliver all nomination petitions, together with the text of any public measure being submitted by the Council to the electorate, to the County Commissioner of Elections not later than five o’clock (5:00) p.m. on the day following the last day on which nomination petitions can be filed.
CITY SEAL. The City seal is in the custody of the Clerk and shall be attached by the Clerk to all transcripts, orders and certificates which it may be necessary or proper to authenticate. The City seal is circular in form, in the center of which are the words “PERRY, IOWA” and around the margin of which are the words “CITY OF” and “SEAL.”
