What Type of City Government Hires a City Manager?
In the United States, a council-manager form of government is the type most closely associated with hiring a city manager. In this structure, voters elect a city council to set policy, and the council appoints a professional administrator to manage daily operations. The exact division of authority depends on the city charter and local law, but the central idea is consistent: elected officials provide political direction, while a hired manager oversees municipal administration.
The City Government That Hires A City Manager
A city that uses the council-manager form generally has a city council that appoints a city manager. The council is responsible for major public decisions, such as adopting ordinances, approving the budget, setting local priorities, and representing residents. The manager is responsible for carrying out those decisions and coordinating the city’s departments and services.
This arrangement is sometimes called the council-manager plan or the manager form. It is not the same as a city in which the mayor independently hires a chief administrative officer. In a typical council-manager system, the manager’s authority comes from the council as a governing body, though the charter may assign specific roles to the mayor.
The manager is usually a paid professional employee rather than an elected official. The council typically hires the manager based on qualifications and experience, sets expectations, and evaluates performance. In many cities, the council can remove the manager, subject to the procedures in the charter, employment agreement, or applicable law.
How The Council-Manager Form Works
The system separates two kinds of work that are often combined in other forms of local government. The council makes collective policy decisions; the manager supervises the administration needed to put those decisions into practice. For example, the council may approve a street-improvement program, while the manager and public works staff develop schedules, manage contracts, and report on progress.
Although local charters vary, a council-manager government commonly divides responsibilities this way:
- Residents: Elect council members and, in some cities, a mayor. Residents can also participate in public meetings, elections, advisory boards, and other local processes.
- City council: Adopts local laws, approves the budget and major spending, establishes policy, and appoints or evaluates the manager.
- Mayor: Chairs council meetings or performs ceremonial and civic duties in many cities. The mayor’s formal powers depend on the charter; the title alone does not establish executive authority.
- City manager: Directs day-to-day administration, coordinates departments, implements council policy, and provides professional advice to elected officials.
- Department directors: Manage specific services, such as finance, public works, parks, or planning, generally under the manager’s supervision.
In a common version of this structure, the manager hires and supervises department heads, prepares or coordinates a proposed budget, and gives the council information about operational and financial choices. The council then considers and adopts the budget through the process established by local law. These duties are not universal: a city charter may reserve particular appointments, approvals, or responsibilities to the council or another official.
Why Cities Hire A Professional Manager
The main purpose is to place day-to-day municipal administration in the hands of a professional who is accountable to elected officials. City management can involve complex work, including budgeting, procurement, labor relations, infrastructure planning, emergency coordination, and compliance with state and federal requirements. A trained administrator can bring experience and continuity to that work.
Another commonly cited reason is continuity across election cycles. Council members may change, but a manager can maintain institutional knowledge about ongoing projects, contracts, and service needs. That continuity is not guaranteed—a council can change managers—but the professional role is designed to focus on administration rather than campaigning for office.
The arrangement can also clarify responsibility. Residents elect council members to make policy choices and can hold them politically accountable. The manager is answerable to the council for administrative performance. Clear roles can support more consistent operations, although disagreements over policy, priorities, or the manager’s authority can still occur.
Professional management does not remove politics from local government. Decisions about taxes, land use, public safety, housing, or service levels can reflect competing values and community interests. Those choices generally remain with elected officials. The manager’s role is to explain options, identify operational and financial consequences, and carry out lawful decisions—not to replace the council’s policy-making authority.
How It Differs From Mayor-Council Government
In a mayor-council form, voters elect a mayor and council, and the mayor often has a more direct executive role. In a strong-mayor system, the mayor may direct departments, propose a budget, appoint officials, or veto legislation, depending on the charter. In a weak-mayor system, the mayor’s formal powers may be more limited, and the council may share or control many executive responsibilities.
A council-manager city can also have an elected mayor. That fact alone does not make it a mayor-council government. In many council-manager cities, the mayor is a member of the council, presides over meetings, and serves as a public representative, while the appointed manager leads the city administration. In other cities, the mayor is separately elected but still does not have the same executive authority as a strong mayor. The charter, not the mayor’s title, determines the actual division of power.
| Feature | Council-Manager Form | Mayor-Council Form |
|---|---|---|
| Who sets local policy? | The elected council | The council, with the mayor’s role varying by system |
| Who manages daily operations? | Usually a professional manager appointed by the council | Often the mayor in a strong-mayor system; arrangements vary |
| How is the chief administrator selected? | Typically hired by the council | Often elected as mayor, or appointed under a local arrangement |
| Where are duties defined? | City charter, ordinances, and applicable law | City charter, ordinances, and applicable law |
How It Differs From Other Local Government Forms
The commission form is another structure found in American municipal history. In a traditional commission government, voters elect a small commission, and individual commissioners may oversee particular departments while the commission collectively governs. This differs from the usual council-manager model, where the council makes policy as a body and a separately hired manager directs administration. Local arrangements can vary, so the names of officials are not always enough to identify the form.
Some cities use hybrid structures or locally specific titles. A city may call its chief administrator an administrator, chief administrative officer, or town manager rather than a city manager. Conversely, a city may employ someone with the title “manager” without following every feature of a standard council-manager plan. The charter and local ordinances are the best sources for determining how authority is assigned.
City government should also be distinguished from county government. Counties may have an elected executive, an appointed administrator, or another arrangement. A county administrator is not necessarily a city manager, and a city manager does not ordinarily manage county services. The form depends on the jurisdiction’s own governing documents and state law.
What A City Manager Typically Does
A city manager’s duties commonly include coordinating departments, overseeing the implementation of council decisions, managing staff, and advising the council on administrative and financial matters. The manager may also prepare a proposed budget, monitor spending, negotiate or administer contracts, and report on service performance. The precise scope is determined by the city’s charter, ordinances, employment agreement, and applicable law.
For example, a council may set a goal to improve emergency response times. The manager could work with the fire and police chiefs to review staffing, equipment, scheduling, and costs, then present options to the council. The council decides which policies and spending to authorize, while the manager oversees the approved administrative work.
A manager does not normally have the authority to ignore or overturn council policy. Nor does the position automatically give the manager power over elected officials, independent boards, or offices established by state law. Those boundaries can be important in areas such as elections, public records, law enforcement, and utilities, where authority may be assigned differently from one municipality to another.
How A City Adopts The Council-Manager Form
A city’s form of government is generally established through its charter, state law, or a process authorized by state law. Depending on the state and municipality, a change may require a charter commission, a public vote, council action, or another legally defined procedure. The steps and terminology are not identical nationwide.
When a city adopts a council-manager structure, its governing documents generally define how the council is elected, how the mayor is chosen, what powers the manager holds, and how the manager is appointed or removed. They may also explain budget procedures and the authority of department heads. Residents seeking a definitive answer can consult the city charter, municipal code, official city website, or state municipal league.
Professional organizations can provide useful background, but they do not replace local law. The International City/County Management Association (ICMA) describes the council-manager form as a system in which an elected governing body appoints a manager to administer the organization. ICMA also traces the first American city manager appointment to Staunton, Virginia, in 1908. The National League of Cities provides additional resources on municipal government structures and local governing practices.
Common Questions About City Managers
Is A City Manager Elected?
Usually, no. A city manager is typically appointed by the city council and serves as a professional administrator. Voters elect council members and, in some places, a mayor. A municipality’s charter should be checked for any unusual local arrangement.
Does Every City Have A City Manager?
No. Many municipalities use a mayor-council structure or another form of government. Some cities also use different titles for a chief administrative official. A city’s official website or charter can confirm whether it has a manager and how that person is selected.
Can A City Have Both A Mayor And A City Manager?
Yes. Many council-manager cities have both. The mayor may lead council meetings or represent the city publicly, while the manager oversees administration. Their respective powers depend on the charter and local rules.
Who Does The City Manager Report To?
In the standard council-manager arrangement, the manager reports to the city council as a governing body. The manager is not generally the employee of one council member or the mayor alone, although the charter can specify particular procedures for communication, evaluation, and supervision.
How To Confirm A City’s Government Type
To find out whether a city hires a city manager, start with its official government website and search for “city manager,” “city administrator,” or “form of government.” Then check the municipal charter or code for the appointment process, duties, and reporting relationship. Official council agendas and budgets can provide further evidence of how the system operates in practice.
For general background, ICMA’s resources on the council-manager form and the National League of Cities’ materials on municipal governance explain common structures. Because city charters differ, broad descriptions should be treated as starting points rather than a substitute for the rules governing a particular municipality.