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- 1 - <br /> <br />A Key Ingredient for Success: An Effective City Council/City Manager Relationship <br /> <br />Kevin C. Duggan <br /> ICMA West Coast Regional Director <br />International City/County Management Association <br /> <br />Introduction <br /> <br />Mayors and councilmembers need to have effective working relationships with a <br />number of key audiences in order to successfully undertake their responsibilities. These <br />audiences include citizens/voters, community groups, the press, other governmental <br />agencies, other elected officials, nonprofit organizations and many more. However, <br />critical to a successful and satisfying career on the city council in a city council/city <br />manager form of government is a successful and effective working relationship with the <br />city manager. This article suggests the necessary ingredients for a mutually successful <br />council/manager working relationship. <br /> <br />The City Council/City Manager Form of Local Government: <br /> <br />The "Council/Manager Form of Government" is designed for the elected city council to <br />set policy direction as the direct representatives of the community with the city <br />manager providing the professional expertise to manage the organization and carry out <br />the council's direction. Policy direction is provided in a variety of ways, including <br />through local laws/ordinances, planning policies (general plan and zoning), financial <br />policies, the annual budget and capital improvement plan, the adoption of city council <br />policies and through numerous other program directives. <br /> <br />The city manager is responsible for carrying out the council's policy direction through <br />the day-to-day management of city functions, including the oversight of city operating <br />departments. Key tasks associated with this role include the hiring and supervision of <br />department heads, the recommendation and implementation of the annual budget and <br />the assurance of quality service delivery. This form of government is predicated on <br />the philosophy that elected representatives are better able to make community value <br />judgments on behalf of residents and translate these values into policy direction—the <br />"what" in city government. It is also based on the belief that professional staff are best <br />able to determine the "how" of implementing policies and delivering day-to-day <br />services due to their experience and training. Since both roles are closely related, it is <br />the city manager's responsibility to coordinate between both realms to assure the <br />effective delivery of services consistent with city council direction. <br /> <br />This is often referred to as the policy/administration dichotomy (the separation of these <br />responsibilities)—which, oftentimes, has a good deal of "gray" on the boundaries. <br />When it works most effectively, the elected officials focus on big picture of policy <br />4.A. - Page 9 of 21 <br />11