ICMA's origins lie in the council-manager form of local government, which combines the strong political leadership of elected officials (in the form of a council, board, or other governing body) with the strong professional experience of an appointed local government manager or administrator.

Under the council-manager form, governing authority is vested in the elected governing body (often a council), which hires a professional administrator to implement its policies. These highly trained, experienced individuals serve at the pleasure of the elected governing body and have responsibility for preparing the budget, directing day-to-day operations, hiring and firing personnel, and serving as the council's chief policy advisor.

ICMA actively promotes the council-manager form as the preferred structure and supports professional management in all forms of local government.

These articles, statistics, and resources have been assembled to assist community residents, elected officials, and business leaders gain a better understanding of the value that professional management brings to our cities, towns, and counties. Use these materials as part of your council-manager form adoption and retention efforts. For more information on professional local government management or the council-manager form, contact rcarty@icma.org.

BACKGROUND

VALUE OF THE PROFESSION

EFFICIENCY/FISCAL/QUALITY-OF-LIFE SUPERIORITY

RESEARCH, DATA, AND STATISTICS

Topics

Community Engagement Form of Government