The board may employ a general manager to serve a term of not more than five years and until his or her successor is employed, and his or her compensation shall be fixed by resolution of the board. Such general manager shall devote all or the required portion of his or her time to the affairs of the district and may employ, discharge and fix the compensation of all employees of the district, except as in this article otherwise provided, and he or she shall perform and exercise such other powers and duties as may be conferred upon him or her by the board.

Such general manager shall be chosen without regard to his or her political affiliations and upon the sole basis of his or her administrative and technical qualifications to manage public service properties and affairs of the district and he or she may be discharged only upon the affirmative vote of two thirds of the board. Such general manager need not be a resident of the district at the time he or she is chosen. Such general manager may not be a member of the board but shall be an employee of the board.

The board of any public service district which purchases water, sewer or stormwater service from a municipal water, sewer or stormwater system or another public service district may, as an alternative to hiring its own general manager, elect to permit the general manager of the municipal water, sewer or stormwater system or public service district from which such water, sewer or stormwater service is purchased provide professional management to the district, if the appropriate municipality or public service board agrees to provide such assistance. The general manager shall receive reasonable compensation for such service.