What is the Commission / City Manager form of government?

A Commission / City Manager government combines the strong political leadership of elected officials with the strong managerial experience of an appointed Manager or administrator. Authority to set policy rests with an elected governing body, which includes a Mayor or chairperson and Members of the, Commission, or Board. The governing body in turn hires a nonpartisan Manager who has very broad authority to run the organization.

Born out of the U.S. progressive reform movement at the turn of the 20th century, the Commission / City Manager system was designed to combat corruption and unethical activity in local government by promoting effective management within a transparent, responsive, and accountable structure.

Since its establishment, the Commission / City Manager form has become the most popular structure of local government in the United States. The form is also widely used throughout the world in countries such as Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.

How does Commission / City Manager government work?

The elected Commission or board represent their community and develop a long-range vision for its future. They establish policies that affect the overall operation of the community and are responsive to residents’ needs and wishes. To ensure that these policies are carried out and that the entire community is equitably served, the governing body appoints a highly trained professional Manager on the basis of his/her education, experience, skills, and abilities. If the Manager is not responsive to the governing body, it has the authority to terminate the Manager at any time.

How can Commission / City Manager government benefit my community?

A city, town, or county benefits from the Commission / City Manager form of government in a number of important ways:

1. Political power is concentrated in the entire governing body. The Mayor and Commission share legislative functions.

2. Policy making resides with elected officials, while oversight of the day-to-day operations of the community resides with the City Manager. In this way, the elected officials are free to devote time to policy planning and development.

3. The City Manager carries out the policies established by the elected governing body with an emphasis on effective, efficient, and equitable service delivery.

4. Residents guide their community by serving on boards and commissions, participating in visioning and strategic planning, and designing community-oriented local government services.

How do professional City Managers contribute value to a community?

• Work in partnership with elected officials to develop sound approaches to community challenges by bringing together resources to make the right things happen and produce results that matter.

• Bring a community-wide perspective to policy discussions and strive to connect the past and future while focusing on the present. They help the governing body develop the long-term vision for the community that provides a framework for policy development and goal setting.

• Promote ethical government through commitment to a set of ethical standards that goes beyond those required by law. Managers who are members of ICMA subscribe to the organization’s Code of Ethics.

• Encourage inclusion and build consensus among diverse interests (including those of elected officials, the business community, and citizens) by focusing on the entire community rather than the centralized interests of one or two individuals.

• Promote equity and fairness by ensuring that services are fairly distributed and that administrative decisions (such as hiring and contracting) are based on merit.

• Develop and sustain organizational excellence and promote innovation.

Professional Managers also focus on efficient and equitable service delivery, policy implementation, and evaluation. They align the local government’s administrative systems with the values, mission, and policy goals defined by the community and elected officials.