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SECTION 3. ORGANIZATION AND
MANAGEMENT
GOVERNANCE AND ADMINISTRATION
City of Morgan Hill
Morgan Hill is located in the southern portion of Santa Clara County, approximately 12 miles
south of San Jose. Morgan Hill is an affluent bedroom community of San Jose and Silicon Valley.
The city sits in the Santa Clara Valley, which previously supported ranching and agricultural
interests. The corporate limits of the City of Morgan Hill encompass a land area of approximately
12.8 square miles. According to the U.S. Census, the estimated population of the city in 2014 was
42,068. Morgan Hill is a General Law City and operates under a Council/Manager form of
government. This form of government combines the political leadership of elected officials in the
form of the Morgan Hill City Council with the managerial experience of an appointed city
manager. The Morgan Hill City Council is comprised of one mayor and four council members
who are all elected at large. All elected officials serve four-year terms and elections are
nonpartisan. The city charter is the basic law under which the city operates. The Mayor is the
formal representative for the city and presides over its council meetings. The City Council serves
as the legislative body for the city. Its responsibilities include enacting laws that govern the city,
adopting the annual budget, and appropriating funds to provide city services. The City Council
also establishes policies executed through the administration. Most transactions require only a
quorum or simple majority be present.
The City Manager is responsible for the business, financial, and property transactions of the city,
as well as preparation of the annual budget, appointment and supervision of personnel,
enforcement of city ordinances, and the organization and general management of city
departments.
Morgan Hill is typical of many cities and towns across the United States in that it operates its own
public works department, library, parks and recreation, and several internal functions including
finance and human resources. Morgan Hill operates its own police department. In 2013 Morgan
Hill chose to enter into a cooperative agreement with the California Department of Forestry and
Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) to obtain fire protection and EMS services. In a unique cooperative
arrangement with both CAL FIRE, fire and EMS services are provided to both the City of Morgan
Hill and the South Santa Clara County Fire District by CAL FIRE.