[Added 5-8-2006 by HR 2006-05, amended 3-5-2012 by HR 2012-01, 12-2-2016 by HR 2016-01]
The City Council shall appoint a City Administrator who shall report directly to the Mayor and to the City Council. The City Administrator shall hire Department Directors pursuant to the City budget appropriations enacted by the City Council. The City Administrator may also hire such other official employees as the City Administrator deems appropriate and as authorized by the City budget appropriations. All Department Directors and other Officials if so directed, shall report to the City Administrator who shall be their immediate supervisor. However, one (1) individual may also serve as Directror of more than one (1) department if the City Administrator shall so organize and direct. Only the City Administrator, the Mayor and the appointed Department Directors and those officials or designees or employees in the chain of command may give direct orders to City employees. The City Council shall have the power to organize, reorganize, dissolve, merge or create departments and systems of developing services to enter into contracts for services with independent contractors or employees, as the City deems necessary, to execute the powers and duties provided by this Charter or other state law and to operate the City Government.
[Added 8-6-1979 by HR No. 7-79, amended 5-8-2006 by HR 2006-05, 3-5-2012 by HR 2012-01, 1-27-2014 by HR 2014-01, 12-2-2016 by HR 2016-01]
A. 
General powers. The City Council shall appoint a City Administrator, who shall serve at the pleasure of the City Council, unless other written terms are agreed to by the City, and who shall be responsible for the proper administration of all day-to-day affairs of the City. The City Administrator shall be vested with the powers and authority necessary to perform such duties, except where they may be inconsistent with other provisions of this Charter. The City Administrator shall have general administrative supervision of the departments of the City and the authority, through the Department Directors to direct the proper execution of this Charter, the City Code and such resolutions, regulations and policies as the Council shall adopt. In addition, the City Administrator shall perform such other duties as the Council may lawfully require.
B. 
Specific duties and responsibilities. The duties and responsibilities of the City Administrator include the following under the supervision of the Mayor and City Council. The City Administrator, unless otherwise directed, shall:
(1) 
Organize, direct and supervise the administration of all departments, offices and agencies of the City.
(2) 
Hire, direct, advise, discipline and terminate the Department Directors, as well as hire and when in the best interest of the City, discipline, demote, dismiss, suspend or remove any City employee pursuant to this Charter, the Code and/or the Personnel Regulations of the City. The City Administrator may authorize any Department Director to exercise these powers with respect to subordinates in their department as provided for in the personnel rules of the City. The City Administrator shall regularly and promptly inform the City Council of the hiring, discipline or termination of any Department Director.
[Amended 12-19-1983 by HR No. 31-83]
(3) 
See that all laws, provisions of the City Charter and acts of the City Council are faithfully executed.
(4) 
Prepare and submit to the City Council, ordinarily by the first meeting in April of each year and no later than sixty (60) days before the beginning of the fiscal year, a proposed budget for the City, the same to include both revenue and expenditure estimates for the coming fiscal year.
(5) 
Attend all public meetings of the City Council and shall have the right to participate in discussion at such meetings.
(6) 
Arrange for the taking of minutes of all City Council meetings and keep a full and accurate account of the proceedings of the City Council.
(7) 
Undertake such research and make reports and recommendations as the City Council may direct or which the City Administrator may deem desirable and in the best interests of the City of Hyattsville.
(8) 
Keep the City Council fully informed as to the financial condition and future needs of the City and submit to the City Council an annual report on the finances and administrative activities of the City at the end of each fiscal year.
(9) 
Purchase materials, equipment, supplies and services when not in excess of the dollar amount prescribed by the City Council.
(10) 
Ascertain that all taxable property within the City is assessed for taxation.
(11) 
Collect all taxes, special assessments, license fees, liens and all other revenues, including utility revenues, of the City and all other revenues for whose collection the City is responsible and receive any funds receivable by the City.
(12) 
Have custody of all public moneys belonging to or under the control of the City, except as to funds in the control of any set of trustees and have custody of all bonds and notes of the City.
(13) 
Do such other things in relation to the fiscal or financial affairs of the City as the City Council directs.
[Amended 5-5-1980 by HR No. 3-80, 5-8-2006 by HR 2006-05, 12-2-2016 by HR 2016-01]
The Clerk shall serve as Clerk to the Council and shall be hired by the City Administrator and shall be a Department Director. The Clerk shall attend all meetings of the Council and keep a full and accurate account of the proceedings of the Council. The Clerk shall keep such other records and perform such other duties as may be required by this Charter, the Mayor, Council and the City Administrator, including maintaining an updated Charter, Personnel Manual, City Code and maintaining City public documents.
[Amended 5-8-2006 by HR 2006-05, 12-2-2016 by HR 2016-01]
Within sixty (60) days after the Mayor and Council just elected are sworn in the City Attorney's position shall be subject to review by the City Council for appointment or reappointment. [Amended 3-17-2003 by HR 2003-09]
The Mayor, with the approval of the Council, may appoint a City Attorney who shall serve at the pleasure of the Mayor and the City Council. The City Attorney shall be a member of the bar of the Maryland Court of Appeals. The City Attorney shall be the legal adviser of the City and shall perform such duties in this connection as may be required by the Council or the Mayor. The City Attorney's compensation shall be determined by the Council. The City shall have the power to employ such legal consultants as it deems necessary from time to time.
[Amended 1-21-1992 by HR No. 3-91, 5-8-2006 by HR 2006-05, 12-2-2016 by HR 2016-01]
The civil service of the City shall be divided into the unclassified and classified service.
A. 
Unclassified service. Employees in the unclassified service shall serve at the pleasure of the City Council or their designee and shall comprise the following offices and positions:
(1) 
The Mayor, the Council members and persons appointed to fill vacancies in these positions.
(2) 
Members of all Boards, Commissions and Committees created and appointed by the City Council to advise the City Council or staff and/or to perform a specific function.
(3) 
The City Attorney, Auditor and Engineer and such other independent contractors that provide ongoing services to the City pursuant to a contract with, or appointment by, the City.
(4) 
The City Administrator, the City Clerk, the Treasurer and the heads of all departments including the Chief of Police, the Director of Public Works, the Director of Code Enforcement and the Director of Recreation and the Arts.
(5) 
Board of Election Supervisors.
(6) 
Other positions as designated by the City Council.
B. 
Classified service. The classified service shall comprise all those permanent employment positions designated by the City Council as classified including the Department Directors. After the probationary period employees included in the classified service shall ordinarily be dismissed only for cause or for general governmental reasons, including but not limited to budget enactments or the organization or reorganization of City services, as determined in the discretion of the City Council.
[Amended 5-8-2006 by HR 2006-05]
A. 
The City Council shall have power and authority to establish and approve a personnel manual setting forth the terms and policies regarding the employment of any or all municipal employees. The City Administrator or his/her designee shall, unless otherwise directed by the City Council, serve as the Personnel Officer for the City.
B. 
The Personnel Officer shall make such rules and regulations as are necessary to carry out the provisions of this section, preparing examinations and qualifications for employment or appointment and what may constitute cause for removal, but no removal shall be allowed because of age, race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, disability, marital status, sex, sexual orientation or identity, physical characteristic or the religious or political opinions or affiliations of any employee. Such rules and regulations, when approved by the City Council, shall have the force and effect of law; provided, however, that such rules and regulations so made and approved shall not be inconsistent with any ordinance in such connection passed by the City Council. The Personnel Officer shall thereafter have the authority to interpret and clarify the Rules and Regulations approved by the City Council.
The City Council shall have the power to do all things necessary to include its officers and employees or any of them within any retirement system or pension system under the terms of which they are admissible and to pay the employer's share of the cost of any such retirement or pension system out of the general funds of the City.
[Amended 1-21-1992 by HR No. 4-91]
The compensation of all officers and employees of the City shall be set, from time to time, by an ordinance passed by the Council.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See §§ C2-5 and C2-6 of the Charter, respectively.
The City Council is authorized and empowered, by ordinance, to provide for or participate in hospitalization or other forms of benefit or welfare programs for its officers and employees and to expend public moneys of the City for such programs.
[1]
Editor's Note: See §§ C2-5 and C2-6 of the Charter, respectively.