Building communities.…It’s no small chore.

Managing today’s complex local government operations and providing residents with the services they need is no small chore. Most of us take for granted the public services our communities provide—from law enforcement and recycling, to emergency response and public transportation. While we often see the people deliver these services—police officers, sanitation workers, paramedics, bus drivers—we may forget that there are others behind the scenes who help ensure that our public services operate smoothly and efficiently each and every day, 24 hours a day.

Professional city, town, and county managers are just such people. You may now them by various titles: city manager, county administrator, town manager, chief administrative officer. Their primary responsibility is to keep your community running smoothly. These highly trained, experienced men and women are committed to meeting the challenges described above every day. To do so, they work with a range of individuals involved in public safety, public works, community and economic development, and many other service areas. You can count on this team to make your community a great place to live!

Under a system of local government called the councilmanager form, the elected officials are the community leaders and policy makers who establish a vision for their city, town, or county and who hire the manager to carry out policy and ensure that all residents are being equitably served. The manager coordinates the work of department heads and other employees, who help ensure the smooth and efficient delivery of services. By building public/private partnerships, managers target all of a community’s resources to solve current problems.

While the council-manager form is the structure of government that is most supportive of successful professional management, city, town and county managers work effectively in all types of communities.

What skills do professional managers bring to their communities?
As the needs of our communities have become more complex, so has the job of city, town, and county managers. In the early years, many professional managers were recruited from the ranks of civil engineers, who were trained to build and maintain the community’s infrastructure, such as bridges, roads, and water systems.

Today’s managers must also possess the management “know-how” to build strong communities, if not from the ground up, then by ensuring the continuous improvement of community services. Many of today’s city, town, and county managers hold bachelor’s degrees in public administration, political science, or business. Increasingly, these individuals enter the profession with a master’s degree, often in public administration.

City, town, and county managers draw on a wealth of experience and a multitude of skills to get the job done. The job includes:

Administration of personnel—providing direction and leadership to department heads and those who provide direct services to the community

Management of public funds—ensuring the cost-effectiveness of programs, balancing budgets, and securing the financial health of the community

Implementation of programs and policies—working with elected officials and community leader to achieve common goals and objectives for the community

Coordination of service delivery—anticipating future needs, organizing work operations, and establishing timetables to meet community needs.

Above all else, today’s professional city, town, and county managers bring to the communities they serve a commitment to maintain the public trust and confidence in local government, achieving equity and social justice, affirming human dignity, and improving the quality of life for all residents.

What professional managers do
Work with elected officials as they develop policies. The manager may discuss problems and recommendations, propose new plans, or discuss issues that affect the community and its residents.

Ensure that laws and policies approved by elected officials are equitably enforced throughout the city.

Seek feedback from residents and members of the business community to address and solve problems.

Prepare the annual budget, submit it to elected officials for approval, and implement it once approved.

Supervise department heads, administrative personnel, and other employees, and supervise top appointees.

Solicit bids from contractors and select or recommend the appropriate individuals(s) or organization(s) to perform the work.

Investigate citizen complaints and problems within the administrative organization and recommend changes to elected officials.

Manage the day-to-day operations of the city, town, or county.

From vacant lots to parks for tots…
From flu shots to three-point shots…
From 24/7 to 9-1-1…
From conservation to preservation…
From balanced budgets to high-tech solutions…
From emergency readiness to response and recovery…
From light poles to evening strolls…
From sandbags to sandboxes…
From suburban sprawl to downtown malls…
From cool retreats to snowplowed streets…