§ 5.01. Establishment of position of city manager; to be chief administrative officer; provision for assistant city manager or assistant city managers; appointment, term and qualifications; residence requirements.

There shall be a city manager who shall be the chief administrative officer of the city and shall be responsible to the council for the proper administration of the city government. He shall be appointed by the council for an indefinite term. He shall be appointed solely on the basis of his executive and administrative qualifications, with special reference to his actual experience in or knowledge of accepted practice in respect to the duties of his office.

There may be one or more assistant city managers as authorized by the council. Such assistant city manager, or assistant city managers, shall be appointed by and responsible to the city manager.

At the time of appointment, the city manager or his assistant or assistants, if any, need not be a resident or residents of the city or the Commonwealth, but during the tenure of their respective offices they shall reside within the city.