How can council-manager government benefit my community?

A city, town, or county benefits from the council-manager form of government in a number of important ways:

  • Political power is concentrated in the entire governing body. The mayor and council share legislative functions
  • Policy making resides with elected officials, while oversight of the day-to-day operations of the community resides with the manager. In this way, the elected officials are free to devote time to policy planning and development
  • The manager carries out the policies established by the elected governing body with an emphasis on effective, efficient, and equitable service delivery
  • Because decisions on policy and the future of the community are made by the entire governing body rather than a single individual, council-manager governments more often engage and involve their residents in decision making. Residents guide their community by serving on boards and commissions, participating in visioning and strategic planning, and designing community-oriented local government services
  • The form is flexible enough to adapt to local needs and demands. For example, some communities elect their councils at large, while others elect them by district or by a combination of an at-large-and-by-district system. Also, the mayor can be directly elected by voters or selected by and from among the council.

Show All Answers

1. What form of government does the City of Piqua use?
2. What is the council-manager form of government, which is used today by so many cities, towns, and counties?
3. How does council-manager government work?
4. How can council-manager government benefit my community?
5. What is the role of the manager under council-manager government?
6. What is the role of the commission?
7. What is the role of the mayor or chairperson?