Question

Please can someone describe and explain the two models for city government--the Council/Manager Model and the Council/Mayor Model. What are the differences between the two? Only focused and based on California Cities. And please give me some examples so I can better undertand this topic.

PS. I've searched all over the internet and still don't have a solid explanation that I can clearly understand, so please don't just copy and paste from google. I truly need help underatding this. Thank you!

Answer 1

council manager model is similar to the administration of a publically traded company, where there is board of directors and a CEO is selected among them by the board. similarly in this model a elected governing body, usually called a council, and the members of the council are responsible for legislative functions such as making policies, passing local ordinances and developing an overall vision for the goverment toward which all the work should be directed, similar to a corporate board of directors. this legislative body i.e. the council would appoint a manager to oversee all the legislative functions of the council, similar to that of a CEO.

in case of council mayor model a mayor is elected by the voters unlike in the council manager model where the member of the council selects a manager. so in this model the general public has more confidence since an elected member is overseeing the legislative functions. in the council mayor model there are 2 forms a weak mayor model, where the mayor has no formal authority outside the council, and cannot overturn council members decisions or appoint or remover officials. and another strong mayor form, the mayor elected by the voters has clear adminstrative authority and political independence.