Reference no: EM132709686

1. The mayor-council form of city government is a structure of municipal government in which the voters elect a mayor as the chief executive officer of the city and a council that serves as a legislative body. In the mayor-council form of city government, the mayor and council together make policy for the city.

2. In a council-manager form of city government the city council/mayor appoint a professional administrator, called a city manager, to act as the chief executive officer of the municipality. The city manager system is designed to ensure the efficient implementation of policy. In this form of city government, the power of the mayor is limited to performing ceremonial duties and presiding at council meetings.

3. Critics of the council-manager form of city government argue that it may work fine for mid-size, uncomplicated cities, but not for larger cities. They believe that big cities with diverse populations need the policy leadership of a strong mayor.

4. In both systems, the mayor and council make basic policy decisions but, in the council-manager form, policy implementation is the responsibility of a professional administrator hired by the city council.

a. What form of city government do you have where you live? .... what form of city government do you favor? ...... why?

b. Do you believe a professional city manager can provide more efficient policy administration than a mayor that may have little or no administrative experience?....... can the council-manager form keep politics out of administration and administrators out of politics?...... how? ..... how well?