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Council – Manager Form of Government
Of the more than 300 home rule cities in the state, nearly 87 percent operate under the Council-Manager form of government. The basic structure of the Council-Manager form of government is similar to that of a private corporation where the stockholders elect a board of directors, which then hires a president to run the company. Under the Council-Manager plan, the voters elect a City Council that, in turn, hires a City Manager to administer the city's day-to-day affairs.
In a Council-Manager city, as in any other, the Council serves as the legislative body. The Council sets policy. It approves the budget and sets the tax rate. It determines the size of the payroll and the extent and cost of municipal services. In short, the Council is the final scope and functions of the city government
Under the Council-Manager plan, the Mayor and Council members have no administrative duties. These are vested in the City Manager, who is responsible for directing the workforce and programs of the city in accordance with ordinances, rules, and regulations adopted by the Council. The typical City Manager in Texas is appointed for an indefinite term and is subject to dismissal by the Council at any time. He or she is designated, either by charter or ordinance, as the chief executive and administrative officer of the city and is accountable to the Council for the proper conduct of all municipal operations. The Manager has the unilateral authority to hire, discipline, and fire the department heads, In some cases, however, certain employees, such as the City attorney or municipal judge, are directly hired and/or supervised by the Council rather than the Manager.
Although the Manager's role varies from one city to another, the Manager's primary function is to implement the policies established by the Council and ensure that the city is operated in an economical and responsible manner. Specific duties of the manager may include the following:
- Enforcing all city ordinances, rules, and regulations.
- Supervising all municipal employees and programs.
- Preparing and executing the city's annual budget pursuant to the revenue and expenditure plans adopted by the Council.
- Managing the city's funds and preparing periodic reports that advise the Council and the general public of the city's financial condition.
- Providing information to the Council to facilitate its ability to make informed decisions in the best interests of the community.
- Preparing Council meeting agendas and attending all such meetings to serve as a resource to the Council and the public.
- Drawing the Council's attention to community needs and recommending alternatives by which the Council can respond to those needs.
In larger cities, City Managers spend comparatively little time on citizen contacts, personnel problems, and other routine matters. Managers in these cities usually have a sizable staff capable of handling day-to-day problems, thus allowing the Manager to concentrate on communicating with the Council, policy issues, planning activities, and work sessions with department heads,
On the other hand, the Managers of medium-sized and smaller cities frequently operate with limited resources and small staff. The Manager must, by necessity, be personally involved in the details of providing police, fire, solid waste, and other services.