64.11 Powers of city manager, appointments.

(1) The city manager shall be the chief executive officer of the city and head of the city administration and shall possess and exercise all the executive and general administrative powers imposed and conferred by general law or special charter upon the mayor and common council and upon the various boards, commissions and officers and in force in such city at the time of its reorganization under ss. 64.01 to 64.15, and such additional powers as are herein imposed and conferred.

(2) The city manager shall have the power to create minor administrative offices and positions and to discontinue such offices and positions according to the city manager's judgment of the needs of the city.

(3) The city manager shall have the power to appoint all heads of departments, all subordinate city officials and all city employees and to remove such appointees at any time their services or the conduct of their offices becomes unsatisfactory to the city manager. This subsection shall not be construed as depriving the board of fire and police commissioners or the chiefs of fire or police departments of any city of all the powers conferred by s. 62.13.

(4) No head of a department, city official, or city employee shall be appointed for a fixed term, but during good behavior and satisfactory service.

(5) All appointments shall be purely on merit and with a view to securing the best available appointee for the place. Due consideration shall be given to training, experience, ability, and general qualifications and fitness for performing the duties of the office and no weight or consideration shall be given to residence, nationality, or to political or religious affiliations.

(6) Residence in the city or state shall not be a qualification for any such appointment.

(7) Except as provided in s. 19.36 (7), the applications, records, recommendations and qualifications of all applicants shall be immediately placed and thereafter kept on file and shall be matters of public record subject to the examination and inspection of the public at all reasonable times.

(8) In the event that such a city has established under the provisions of s. 66.0509 a civil service system, then the powers and duties of the city manager as provided in this section shall be limited and governed by such rules and regulations as may be promulgated under such civil service system.

History: 1991 a. 269, 316; 1999 a. 150 s. 672.