Opinion ID: 591862
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Termination Authority

Text: 34 The City of Reno appeals the district court's finding that the City Manager lacked the authority to discharge the Fire Chief. The court found that, as an appointed department head, Turner could only be discharged by the City Council. 35 We agree. Section 3.010(5) provides, in part: 36 The city manager shall appoint all officers and employees of the city and may remove for cause any officer or employee of the city except as may otherwise by provided for in this charter. The city manager may authorize the head of a department or office to appoint or remove his subordinates. The appointment of a head of a department or office by the city manager does not take effect until it has been confirmed by a majority vote of the members of the city council; and if a person so nominated is not confirmed, the city manager shall continue to submit nominations until a nominee is confirmed. The city council, may, by a majority vote of all members elected, remove for cause any head of a department or office. 37 (emphasis added). The City Charter is clear. The City Manager may remove officers and employees, while the City Council may remove for cause any head of a department or office. The Fire Chief is the head of the Fire Department, and as such only may be removed by the City Council. Nothing in this section or in the rest of the Charter suggests that the removal of heads of departments or offices is concurrently shared by the City Council and City Manager. 38 The case law cited by the City does not involve charters similar to Reno's. In any event, we do not need to resort to outside sources to determine the intent of the Reno Charter; the Charter is clear. Roberts v. State of Nevada, 752 P.2d 221 (Nev.1988) (when a statute is clear and unambiguous on its face, a court may not go beyond the language of the statute in determining legislative intent).