▁to ▁admin ister ▁the ▁day - to - day ▁operations ▁of ▁the ▁city ▁and ▁to ▁make ▁recommend ations ▁to ▁the ▁city ▁commission . ▁Battle ▁Creek ▁also ▁appoint s ▁a ▁City ▁Att orney , ▁who ▁provides ▁legal ▁coun sel ▁to ▁the ▁city ▁manager ▁and ▁City ▁Commission . ▁ ▁The ▁City ▁Commission ▁makes ▁all ▁policy ▁dec isions , ▁including ▁review , ▁revision ▁and ▁final ▁appro val ▁of ▁the ▁annual ▁budget , ▁which ▁is ▁proposed ▁ann ually ▁by ▁the ▁City ▁Manager . ▁The ▁City ▁Manager ▁serves ▁as ▁an ▁" at - will " ▁employee ▁and ▁he ▁works ▁under ▁an ▁employ ment ▁contract ▁with ▁the ▁commission . ▁All ▁other ▁city ▁employees , ▁with ▁the ▁exception ▁of ▁the ▁City ▁Att orney ' s ▁staff , ▁are ▁under ▁the ▁super vision ▁of ▁the ▁City ▁Manager . ▁ ▁There ▁are ▁five ▁w ard ▁commission ers . ▁Res idents ▁cast ▁votes ▁for ▁a ▁w ard ▁representative , ▁who ▁must ▁live ▁within ▁the ▁area ▁they ▁are ▁representing , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁for ▁four ▁at - large ▁commission ers . ▁These ▁candidates ▁may ▁live ▁anywhere ▁in ▁the ▁city . ▁All ▁commission ers ▁serve ▁two - year ▁terms ▁and ▁all ▁terms ▁begin ▁and ▁end ▁at ▁the ▁same ▁election . ▁The ▁last ▁commission ▁election ▁was ▁in ▁fall ▁ 2 0 1 5 . ▁ ▁Each ▁November , ▁the ▁commission ▁holds ▁a ▁special ▁meeting ▁to ▁decide ▁which ▁commission ers ▁serve ▁as ▁mayor ▁and ▁vice ▁mayor ▁for ▁the ▁next ▁year . ▁The ▁mayor ▁pres ides ▁over ▁the ▁commission ▁meet ings ▁and ▁appoint s ▁commission ers ▁and ▁residents