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The Seal Beach City Council meet at 5:30 p.m., Monday, Aug. 26, in the City Hall conference room. The discussion will be closed to the public, except for the public comment part of the meeting.
The only item on the agenda: The appointment of an interim city manager and the next city manager.
As previously reported, the council accepted City Manager Jill Ingram’s resignation on Monday, Aug. 12. The resignation is effective Oct. 31. (See “Ingram resigns” at sunnews.org.) The Sun has requested a copy of the separation agreement.
The City Council will select the interim city manager and Ingram’s permanent replacement.
Background
There is no education requirement for the city manager’s job in the City Charter.
However, in 2011, a Seal Beach brochure produced by Alliance Resource Consulting LLC, was specific. (Former council member Gary Miller of College Park East provided the Sun with a copy.)
The Charter doesn’t mention experience, either.
“Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university with a major in Public Administration, Public Policy, Finance, or a related field is required. A Master’s degree in Public Administration, Finance, or a related field is highly desirable,” according to the 2011 Alliance Resource brochure.
“Ten years of City management, supervisory, and administrative experience, involving responsibility for the planning, organization, leadership, and implementation of varied interdepartmental programs and services, is required. Candidates should also have direct experience supervising department managers,” according to the 2011 brochure.
“Because Seal Beach is a small community, the City Council feels that this person should connect with, and feel comfortable being visible in the community, however, the priority of the City Manager should be to manage the business of the City,” according to the 2011 brochure.
The city hasn’t issued a new city manager search brochure yet, so it is not known if what the City Council required in 2011 will be what the council requires in 2024.
Seal Beach voters do not get a say in choosing the next city manager. Section 600 of the City Charter says: “In the selection of a City Manager, the City Council shall screen qualified applicants and other qualified persons known by the Council to be available.”
The selection will require a majority vote of the five-member council, according to the City Charter.
In 2011, aspiring city managers were evaluated based on their application.
“Final interviews will be conducted by the Mayor and City Council,” according to the 2011 city manager search brochure.
“The City Manager shall serve at the pleasure of the City Council,” according to the Charter.
The residence section of the Charter was repealed in 2002.
• Section 602: “No person shall be eligible to receive appointment as City Manager while serving as a member neither of the City Council nor within one (1) year after the member has ceased to be a City Councilmember.”
“The City Manager shall furnish a corporate surety bond conditioned upon the faithful performance of his/her duties in such form and in such amount as may be determined by the City Council,” according to the charter.
• Section 604 spells out the city manager’s duties, which include: making sure franchises, permits, and privileges granted by the city are observed; controlling all city departments and employees; appointing and removing all employees except the city attorney; attend all council meetings unless excused; recommending ordinances to the council; present an annual or bi-annual budget to the council; investigate all complaints about the administration of the city government; and representing Seal Beach in discussions between Seal Beach and county, state, or federal agencies.
Section 606: “The City Manager shall be accorded a seat at the City Council table and at all meetings of boards and commissions and shall be entitled to participate in their deliberations, but shall not have a vote.”
Section 609: “The City Manager shall appoint, subject to the approval of the City Council, one of the other officers or department heads of the City to serve as Manager Pro Tempore during any temporary absence or disability of the City Manager. If the Manager fails to make such appointment, the City Council may appoint an officer or department head to serve as such Manager Pro Tempore.”
