The Council shall appoint a city manager, who shall be the chief administrative officer of the city. The manager shall be chosen by the Council solely on the basis of his executive and administrative qualifications and need not, when appointed, be a resident of the city or Commonwealth. The appointment of the city manager shall be for a term as may be fixed by the Council. Before the city manager may be removed, he shall, if he so demands, be given a written statement of the reasons alleged for his removal and the right to be heard publicly thereon at a meeting of the Council prior to the final vote on the question of his removal, but pending and during such hearing the Council may suspend him from office. The action of the Council in suspending or removing the manager shall be final, it being the intention of this charter to vest all authority and fix all responsibility for such suspension or removal in the Council. In case of the absence or disability of the manager, the Council may designate some qualified person to perform the duties of the office during such absence or disability.
A. 
The city manager shall be responsible to the Council for the proper administration of all affairs of the city placed in his charge, and to that end, except as otherwise provided herein, he shall have the power to appoint all officers and employees in the administrative services of the city; but the manager may authorize the head of a department or officer responsible to him to appoint and remove subordinates in such department or office. Appointments made by, or under the authority of, the city manager shall be on the basis of executive and administrative ability, and of training and experience of such appointees in the work which they are to perform. All such appointments shall be without definite term, unless for temporary service not to exceed six months.
B. 
At least sixty days before the end of each fiscal year, the city manager shall prepare and submit to the Council an annual budget for the ensuing fiscal year, based upon detailed estimates, according to classification as nearly uniform as possible. Before the end of each fiscal year, or as soon thereafter as may be practicable, the Council shall pass an annual appropriation ordinance, which shall be based on the budget submitted by the city manager, and shall levy such tax for the ensuing fiscal year as in its judgment shall be sufficient to meet all just demands against the city on any account. The Council may determine when the fiscal year of the city shall begin and end, and may change the same from time to time. The Council may also determine when city licenses and taxes shall be payable.
Officers and employees appointed by the city manager or under his authorization may be removed by him or by the officer by whom appointed, at any time. The decision of the manager or other officer, in any case, shall be final and there shall be no appeal therefrom to any other officer, body or court whatsoever.
It shall be the duty of the city manager to protect property; to supervise the administration of the affairs of the city; to make such recommendations to the Council concerning the affairs of the city as may seem to him desirable; to keep the Council advised of the financial condition and future needs of the city; to prepare and submit to the Council such reports as may be required by that body; to make and execute all contracts on behalf of the city, except as may be otherwise provided by this charter, or by ordinance passed in pursuance hereof; and to perform all such other duties as may be prescribed by this charter or required of him by the Council.
The city manager shall be entitled to a seat in the Council, but shall have no vote therein. The manager shall have the right to take part in the discussion in all matters which come before the Council.