Spokane Municipal Code

Title 03 Administration and Personnel

Chapter 03.01A Executive and Administrative Organization

Article I. Mayor

Section 03.01A.100 Mayor

1. As provided in the City Charter, the mayor is the chief executive and administrative officer of the City with final authority over the employment, termination and assignment of all employees of the City, not including the elected officers, except that:

   1. the appointment of the city attorney, the city clerk and the administrative heads and acting or interim head of each department requires approval of the city council; provided:

      1. any person appointed for the position of department head on a permanent basis shall be placed on the city council agenda by the mayor within 30 days of the appointment and considered for approval pursuant to section 24 of the city charter;

      2. persons appointed for the job positions of interim or acting department head shall serve as such for up to 180 days, which period can be extended for up to an additional 180 days by city council resolution;

   2. the appointment of the head of the department of parks and recreation requires the concurrence of the park board;

   3. the appointment of the head and assistant head of the retirement department requires the concurrence of the retirement board;

   4. the appointment of persons to positions within the classified service, and their discharge, must follow the procedures of the civil service system;

   5. the number of positions in the City government is determined in the annual budget;

   6. some individuals, such as the director of Spokane area workforce development council administration, the library director, chief examiner, and the clerk of the municipal court, are appointed or directed by a board or agency by charter, statute or intergovernmental contract;

   7. state law may impose a requirement, such as a license, for the performance of a particular function.

2. The mayor may appoint such assistants, who are variously referred to as city administrator, division director, department director, or assistant director, as deemed necessary for the efficient operation of City government, subject always to city council approval of positions and salaries through the budget process.

3. Subject to the provisions of the City Charter and the ordinances by which administrative departments are established and discontinued, the mayor determines the allocation of functions and duties among the several departments and positions and establishes the organizational structure and reporting relationships of the executive branch of the City government.

4. As provided in SMC 1.02.130, the mayor may delegate to assistants specific functions, authority and responsibility, including the signing of documents.

5. As provided in SMC 1.02.130, the mayor may delegate specific functions, authority and responsibility, including the signing of documents.

6. The mayor exercises direct supervision of the departments of communications and marketing, retirement, and equal employment opportunity and contract compliance.

7. The mayor is chair of the Sister Cities Association of Spokane, the nonprofit corporation that oversees the Sister Cities program by contract with the City.

Date Passed: Monday, September 12, 2016

Effective Date: Saturday, October 29, 2016

ORD C35428 Section 2