Butler City Council learned earlier this week about the role a city manager would play in the operations of the city from Michael Foreman, a local government policy specialist for the state Department of Community and Economic Development.

Mayor Ben Smith said the city doesn’t have immediate plans to hire a manager, but he invited Foreman to discuss the position to follow through on the support he expressed for a city manager during his election campaign.

Pennsylvania has more than 50 third-class cities and most have managers or city clerks with more administrative authority than city clerks typically have, Foreman said.

“Most cities have managers,” he said.

Foreman said the Third Class City Code explains the position, which can be called city manager or city administrator.

Employment contracts with managers can have a term of no longer than two years, he said, and managers are at-will employees that answer to council. It is up to council to decide if the manager has to live in the city after being hired, Foreman said.

He said managers should have experience working with all aspects of city government.

A manager supervises administrative employees, but council can decide if he or she will oversee employee department heads or continue to have council members oversee departments, Foreman said.

Managers make recommendations to council for hiring or appointing department heads and can appoint a deputy manager.

Employee investigations also fall under a manager’s purview, he said.

Negotiating contracts and making sure contract terms are followed are among a manager’s duties, Foreman said.

Other duties include preparing and submitting budgets to council and monitoring expenditures and revenues.