City Government FAQ's
Commission - Manager Form of Government
Q: What is the Commission-Manager form, which is used in so many local
governments?
A: The Commission-Manager form is the system of local
government that combines the strong political leadership of elected officials in
the form of a Commission or other governing body, with the strong Managerial
experience of an appointed local government Manager. The form establishes a
representative system where all power is concentrated in the elected Commission
and where the Commission hires a professionally trained Manager to oversee the
delivery of public services.
Q: Is it a responsive form of government?
A:
In Commission-Manager government, Commission members are the leaders and
policy makers elected to represent the community and to concentrate on policy
issues that are responsive to citizens' needs and wishes. The Manager is
appointed by Commission to carry out policy and ensure that the entire community
is being served. If the Manager is not responsive to the Commission's wishes,
the Commission has authority to terminate the Manager at any time. In that
sense, a Manager's responsiveness is tested daily.
Q: What is the Commission's function?
A:
The Commission is the legislative body; its members are the community's
decision makers. Power is centralized in the elected Commission, which approves
the budget and determines the tax rate, for example. The Commission also focuses
on the community's goals, major projects, and such long-term considerations as
community growth, land use development, capital improvement plans, capital
financing, and strategic planning. The Commission hires a professional Manager
to carry out the administrative responsibilities and supervises the Manager's
performance.
Q: What is the Manager's function?
A:
The Manager is hired to serve the Commission and the community and to
bring to the local government the benefits of training and experience in
administering local government projects and programs on behalf of the governing
body. The Manager prepares a budget for the Commission's consideration;
recruits, hires, and supervises the government's staff; serves as the
Commission's chief adviser; and carries out the Commission's policies.
Commission members and citizens count on the Manager to provide complete and
objective information, pros and cons of alternatives, and long-term
consequences.
Q: Does the Manager participate in policy determination?
A:
The Manager makes policy recommendations to the Commission, but the
Commission may or may not adopt them and may modify the recommendations. The
Manager is bound by whatever action the Commission takes.
Q: Where does the mayor fit in?
A:
Mayors in Commission-Manager communities (or chairpersons in counties) are
key political leaders and policy developers. In the case of the Commission, the
mayor is responsible for soliciting citizen views in forming these policies and
interpreting them to the public. The mayor presides at Commission meetings,
serves as a spokesperson for the community, facilitates communication and
understanding between elected and appointed officials, assists the Commission in
setting goals and advocating policy decisions, and serves as a promoter and
defender of the community. In addition, the mayor serves as a key representative
in intergovernmental relations. The mayor, Commission, and Manager constitute a
policy-development and management team.
Q: Are all Commission-Manager governments structured the same way?
A:
No. One of its most attractive features is that the Commission-Manager
form is adaptable to local conditions and preferences. For example, some
communities have Commissions that are elected at large while other Commissions
are elected by district. Some local governments have mayors who are elected by
the voters at large; others are elected by their colleagues on the Commission.
Q: Is this form of government used only in certain kinds of
cities?
A:
No. In fact, it is not
restricted to cities. It is used by counties too. Currently, 3,625 cities
operate under this form. Additionally, 529 counties indicate that they operate
under the county administrator form. They vary greatly in size and
characteristics, including independent cities, center cities, suburbs, and
counties.
Q: How many Americans live in communities that operate under
Commission-Manager government?
A:
More than 75.5 million.
Q: Is the form popular in large communities?
A: Yes. Out of 199 cities with greater than 100,000
citizens, 112 use this form of government. Some examples are
Phoenix San Diego Dallas Cincinnati San Antonio Kansas City Missouri; and
Mecklenburg County North Carolina
Q: How much citizen participation is possible under
Commission-Manager government?
A: Successful examples of citizen participation in the
local government service delivery decision-making process are widespread among
professionally managed U.S. communities. Because professional local government
management offers government of the people, by the people, and for the people,
it sets the stage for citizen activism by encouraging open communication between
citizens and their government. Examples range from visioning, in which citizens
play a major role in determining the future of their community, to neighborhood
service delivery, which involves residents through the development of
citizen/government partnerships, to community-oriented local government
services. Because political power is concentrated in the entire governing body
rather than one elected official, more citizens have an opportunity to be
elected to a position in which they have significant influence over the future
of their community.
Q: What is the history of the Commission-Manager form?<
A: Born out of the turn-of-the-century progressive reform
movement, the Commission-Manager system of local government is one of the few
original American contributions to political theory. In 1908, Staunton Virginia,
instituted the first position legally defining, by ordinance, the broad
authority and responsibility associated with today's professional local
government Manager.
Sumter South Carolina, was the first city to adopt a charter incorporating the
basic principles of Commission-Manager government in 1912. Westmount Quebec,
introduced the form to Canadian 1913. The first large city to adopt the plan was
Dayton Ohio, in 1914. The first counties to adopt it in the l930s were Arlington
County Virginia Durham County Robeson County North Carolina. Since its
establishment, the Commission-Manager form has become the most popular form of
government in the United States in communities with populations of 5,000 or
greater. The form also is popular in Canada Australia, the Netherlands New
Zealand United Kingdom, and Honduras Chile, and Brazil. For more than 85 years,
Commission-Manager government has responded to the changing needs of citizens
and their communities.
Q: How is the Manager selected?
A: The vacancy usually is announced in the ICMA
Newsletter, and Managers, assistants, and others who are interested apply
directly to the Commission. The Commission conducts a search for candidates,
often by inviting Managers in other communities to apply if they are interested.
ICMA makes no recommendations regarding candidates. Further information is
available in the handbook Recruitment Guidelines for Selecting a Local
Government Administrator, published by ICMA.
Q: Does the Manager have to be a local resident at the time the
appointment is made?
A: No. Local residence should not be required in the
appointment of a Manager. Managers are professionals who might serve several
communities during their careers, bringing extensive experience coordinating
public services and applying management techniques to a community.
Q: What salary does the Manager receive?A:
Earnings of Managers depend on their educational background and experience, the size and
complexity of the local governments employing them, and the economic conditions
of the regions where communities are located. The Commission sets the Manager's
salary. Detailed information on salaries is compiled annually by ICMA and is
available on request.
Q: Can the Manager be fired?
A:
Managers serve at the pleasure of the Commission
or governing body. They can be fired by a majority of the Commission, consistent
with local laws, ordinances, or employment agreements they may have with the
Commission. Control is always in the hands of the elected representatives of the
people.
Q: Do Managers participate in local politics?
A:
All Managers who belong to ICMA
are bound by its Code of Ethics, which states that every member of the
Association shall "refrain from participation in the election of the members of
the employing legislative body, and from all partisan political activities which
would impair performance as a professional administrator."
Q: What else does ICMA's Code of Ethics cover?
A:
The Code specifies 12 ethical principles of personal and
professional conduct, including dedication to the cause of good government. ICMA
members believe in the effectiveness of representative democracy and the value
of government services provided equitably to citizens within a community. ICMA
members also are committed to standards of honesty and integrity more vigorous
than those required by the law. Contact ICMA for a copy of the Code of Ethics.
Q: Is there another organization that supports Commission-Manager government?
A:
Yes, the National Civic League is a nonpartisan citizens organization founded in
1894. Its purpose is to serve as a clearinghouse for information on methods of
improving state and local government; to encourage citizen participation in
state and local government; and to provide guides, model charters, and laws on
specific subjects. The League's Model City Charter, now in its seventh edition,
has endorsed Commission-Manager government since 1915.
Q: What is ICMA?
A:
In 1914, a group of appointed Managers formed a professional association,
eventually known as the International City/County Management Association (ICMA),
to share their expertise and experiences in local government management. Since
that time, ICMA has been the professional organization for appointed chief
management executives in local government. The purposes of ICMA are to enhance
the quality of local government through professional management and to support
and assist professional local government administrators internationally. To that
end, the Association provides technical assistance and publications for local
government professionals to help them improve their skills and increase their
knowledge. ICMA also serves as a clearinghouse for the collection, analysis, and
dissemination of information and data about local government.
For further information on items referenced in this brochure, contact
ICMA's Office of Member Services, 202/962-3680.
Back to top