Overview

The City Manager's position is created by the City's Home Rule Charter (PDF) and serves as the chief administrative and executive officer of the City.

The City Manager works closely with the Mayor and City Council to implement the long-range vision of the community and to effectively manage the day to day business of the City.

Contacting the City Manager's Office

All of the City's departments strive to provide excellent customer service to the citizens of Pearsall and our visitors.

Any citizen who has a question about city cervices or wishes to discuss City operations can contact the City Manager's Office for assistance in identifying the correct department to address their needs. 

Any person who is not satisfied with the services they are receiving from the City is strongly encouraged to email the City Manager's Office and report any concerns they may have.

Council-Manager Government

In order to promote efficient and fair government, the City of Pearsall operates under a "council-manager" form of government.

Under this arrangement, the power to make legislative and policy decisions is vested in the City Council, while decision making authority on City personnel, City operations, and routine City business is vested in an impartial professional manager. The City Manager is hired by and is responsible to the City Council.

Manager Responsibilities

The City Manager shall be responsible to the City Council for the proper execution and administration of all City affairs and shall to that end appoint, employ and remove all directors of departments and other employees not otherwise provided for in the City Charter, or by Ordinance.

Appointments

Appointments by the City Manager shall be made on the basis of the appointee's executive and administrative experience, ability, training, qualifications and efficiency to perform the work, which the appointee is to administer. All directors of departments shall be responsible to the City Manager and may be removed by the City Manager at any time.

Appointment & Qualifications

Appointment

Under the City Charter, the City Manager is chosen by the City Council solely on the basis of the City Manager's executive and administrative training, experience, and ability.

Qualifications

Traditionally, candidates for the position of City Manager will have a bachelors degree in a government related discipline and many years of executive level managerial experience in another City with a population similar to or larger than the City of Pearsall.

Term & Compensation

Term of Service

The City Manager may be appointed without a fixed term for service, or the City Council may choose to enter into a contract with the City Manager for a period not to exceed 2 years.

Removal From Service

Whether appointed or engaged by contract, the City Manager shall be removable at the will and discretion of the Council by a majority vote of the entire Council.

Compensation

The City Manager shall receive such compensation as may be fixed and periodically amended by the City Council. The City Manager serves at the pleasure of the City Council and may be removed at the discretion of the City Council by a majority vote of the total membership of the Council.

Powers & Duties

As defined by the City Charter, the specific powers and duties of the City Manager are as follows:

• To make certain that all laws and ordinances are enforced.
• To appoint, promote and remove all directors of City departments and all subordinate officers and employees of the City except as otherwise provided in the Charter; all appointments, promotions and removals to be based upon merit, performance and qualifications, or lack thereof, alone. All appointments are to be subject to other applicable provisions of the Charter and to the rules concerning prohibition of nepotism set out in Texas Local Government Code Ann. Chapter 171 and Texas Government Code Ann. Chapter 573, and as they may be from time to time amended.
• The City Manager shall appoint a City Clerk who shall keep the records of the Council and of the City, and who shall perform such other duties as may be required by the Charter, a City ordinance or the City Manager.
• To exercise administrative supervision and control over all departments and subdivisions thereof created by the Charter, or that may hereafter be created by the Council.
• To assure that all terms and conditions imposed in favor of the City or its inhabitants in any public utility franchise contract are faithfully upheld and performed, and upon knowledge of any violation thereof, to call the same to the attention of the City Attorney, whose duty it shall be to pursue proper remedies as may be necessary to enforce the same.
• To attend all meetings of the City Council, with the right to take part in the discussion, but having no vote. The City Manager shall be entitled to notice of all regular, special and emergency meetings.
• To recommend to the City Council and Mayor for adoption such measures as the City Manager may deem necessary or expedient.
• To keep the City Council and Mayor at all times fully advised as to the financial condition and needs of the City.
• To prepare, or cause to be prepared by other professionals, and submit to the City Council and Mayor the annual budget in the form and by the procedure prescribed by law, and to act as the chief budget officer.
• To make certain that the City operates within its annual budget.
• To require any municipal officer or board to furnish information necessary to prepare the budget.
• To execute deeds and to make and execute all contracts or other legal documents on behalf of the City when authorized by ordinance, resolution, or motion of the city council.
• To file a proposed budget with the City Clerk before the 30th day before the date Council makes its tax levy for the fiscal year.
• Recommend to the City Council and Mayor the contractual engagement or termination of architectural, engineering, medical, legal and other consultants needed to carry out the powers, duties, and functions of the City and/or protect the City.
• To provide the City Council and Mayor with all information deemed necessary (and permitted by state law to be disseminated) to allow the Mayor and the members of the City Council to carry out their duties and obligations as Mayor and City Council members.
• To perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Charter or by ordinance or resolution of the City Council, or any State law. Failure by the City Manager to perform all duties as may be prescribed by the Charter, or by ordinance or resolution of the City Council, or any state law, may be considered by the City Council as grounds for removal as provided herein.