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- 4 - <br /> <br />• Understand and respect the city council/city manager plan of governance: <br /> <br />It is critical for you to understand why your city is organized under this plan of <br />governance and how it should operate. It is important to understand and <br />appreciate- ate the distinction between policymaking and implementation and the <br />different roles played by individual councilmembers, the city council as a whole, <br />the city manager and the city staff. <br /> <br />• Allow time for you and the city manager to get to know each other and develop <br />a working relationship: <br /> <br />Try not to overly rely on what you have heard from others regarding what it will <br />be like to work with the manager—others' views may or may not be accurate. <br />Most city managers understand the need to work very hard to adjust to the issues, <br />concerns and priorities of the new city council. Try to be open-minded to your <br />ability to establish a productive and effective working relationship with the <br />manager. <br /> <br />• City managers will do their best to carry out the policy direction of the city <br />council (even when there is a major change in policy direction): <br /> <br />Professional city managers are committed to carry out the policy direction of the <br />city council regardless if they personally agree or disagree with the policy as long <br />as what they are asked to implement is: <br /> <br />— Legal. <br /> <br />— Ethical. <br /> <br />— Within their/the city's authority. <br /> <br />It is often misunderstood that when a city manager effectively implements a city <br />council's policy, the manager personally agrees with the policy or can only <br />implement city services consistent with that policy. City managers can change the <br />organization's approach to an issue as may be directed by a new city council. <br />Avoid overly associating the city manager with the policies that the city has <br />previously implemented at the direction of the previous council. <br /> <br />• Take your role seriously, but not yourself: <br /> <br />This common advice is particularly important for mayors and councilmembers. <br />While you are doing important and serious work on behalf of the community, you <br />will do it better and more effectively if you keep the normal "ups and downs" and <br />"wins and losses" in perspective. You were elected to make tough decisions on <br />4.A. - Page 12 of 21 <br />14