The city manager shall not be removed from office within a period of sixty days next succeeding any municipal election held in the town at which election a member of the city council is elected; nor shall the city manager be removed from office within a period of sixty days after appointment of a new city council member appointed to take the place of a previously elected city council member.

Should the city council desire to remove the city manager, it shall express its intent and reasons in writing to the city manager. The city manager may, within seven days of receipt of the written notice of intent to remove him or her, by written request to the city clerk, request a public hearing before the city council. The city council shall fix a time for the public hearing, which shall be held at its usual meeting place at least ten days after, but not later than thirty days after, the date of publication of the notice.

The city manager may appear and be heard at the public hearing. After the public hearing, the city council may remove the city manager by resolution with or without cause stated, or may suspend him or her from duty. In either event, manager’s salary and benefits shall continue until terminated.

The city council shall have the absolute right and authority to remove the city manager, and its action shall be final, and shall not depend on any particular showing or degree of proof at the public hearing, the sole purpose of which is to allow the city manager publicly to present his or her grounds for opposition to removal prior to the city council taking final action for removal. (Ord. 596 (part), 2012)