Local Government Essay Example

Local Government Essay Name: Tutor: Course: Date: We will write a custom essay sample on Local Government specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Local Government specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Local Government specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Local Government Definition I. City managers are appointed officials working as urban administrators II. City council refers to a board of elected efficacies representing the state government at the lower tiers. a) City council is the least level of government followed by federal and/ or state government Centers of authority in local government I. City managers are employees of the city council and receive orders from the council a) This position occupied by city managers exposes them to constant frustration from the city council II. City council responsible for appointment of competent city managers a) City council use the tenure of managers as a negotiation point to coerce city managers into making political considerations in their decisions III. Potential conflict arises due to poor separation of power and overlapping of duties a) Interference by the city council in city managers affairs creates conflicts, unnecessary bureaucracy and wastage of resources Roles of the city manager I. Planning the city activities, events and projects II. Drawing up and presenting city budget estimates III. Making appointments to departmental heads and other officials IV. Coordination of city council and other departments I. Skewed relationship characterized by overlapping of power Relationship between city council and city manager a) Political interests take center stage as elected council members impose their idiosyncratic interests on city managers II. City council introduces elements of political interests that interfere with city manager duties III. City council members influence city managers’ effectiveness by controlling their tenure I. City council members lack the expertise, experience and managerial skills necessary to run the city effectively II. City council members limit the authority and ability of city managers to exercise their expertise, experience and managerial skills I. Most city managers compromise their expertise and experience in favor of maintaining good relations with the city council. Efficiency of policy formulation by city council Conclusion City Managers By definition, the position of a city manager refers to that of an administrator selected as the administrative director in charge of a city. Domestic officials working in this office are occasionally mentioned as the chief executive officer in several municipalities. Nevertheless, in a practical sense, the position ‘city manager’ involves more prudence and autonomous authority that is prescribed in a body of codified law or a charter, as opposed to responsibilities being allocated on a changing basis by one administrator such as a mayor. Some of the earliest city managers started working in South Carolina and Ohio and after several decades, over forty-five states in America had adopted the city manager style of administration. The position of a city manager is highly influential as it is accompanied by different political and administrative roles within it. Analyzing these roles and their relationship with other offices will provide an in depth clarification of the envi ronment in which a city manager operates. Relationship with the City Council The relationship between the city manager, city council, and the mayor are very vital ones. While it may seem direct, there are several disparities in the operation of these complicated relationships. Svara (2008) depicts the effect of remarkably competent mayors as facilitative principals (Svara 67). Svara exhibited how competent mayors cooperated closely with capable city managers and produced exceptional results and achievements for their cities. Among the city managers who have served for many terms, all of them acknowledge that consistency in the mayoral office, its effects on the organization in different levels and a fine-tuned working relationship between the city manager and the mayor were key factors in creating long tenure of city managers. The city council is the official the governing body that influences the actions of the city manager through changing their perception of how well they do their job. Most managers stated that developing a certain amount of trust was necessary in working with elected council officials. Most of these long-serving city managers mentioned how decisive the first years were in determining the proper fundamentals for mutually corroborative and advantageous relationships with the council officials. Once these relationships were created, the city managers assumed they were given the judgment necessary to succeed in their duties. For most city managers, earning trust and confidence was a significant part of realizing their job satisfaction. For a small part of the managers, their passionate dedication to the society and their careers overshadowed the negative elements of coping with obstinate elected officials. The city manager has several responsibilities that are both administrative and political in nature. The city manager is in charge of directing and coordinating the administration of county government or cities in conformity with policies established by city council and other sanctioned elected officials. This involves leading the administration team that is in charge of formulating and implementing policies that affect their jurisdiction, typically a city. The next significant duty for nearly all city managers is to perform public appointments. These appointments include the staff and departmental heads in line with the state laws. These appointments are strictly administrative but normally take on political approaches when city council officials interfere with the appointments. City managers normally have to contend with several policies that demand gender equality and political considerations before they make these appointments. City managers are also in charge of overseeing all the activities that take place in the departments including the city revenue collections, payment of taxes, enforcing laws, administering public health and procurement of supplies. These common activities form part of the job description for the city manager. Several activities that take place within a city and the work of the city manager are to coordinate and facilitate the smooth running of these activities. With the proper management of these activities, the cities’ vital sectors such as health, transport and security can continue running. Concerning financial matters, the city manager is responsible for drawing up and approving the annual budget for the city and presents these estimates to the city council officials for verification. Every city is responsible for presenting a budget for the year that entails each element of expenditure planned by the city council officials. This budget is also influenced by political heads considering the allocation of money is a negotiable element that affects how different aspects of the city develop. Financial budgeting forms a major part of the city manager’s duties as any misallocation will lead to skewed development of the city. The budgeting responsibilities are closely related with the planning duties that are overseen by the same city manager. Planning is another essential part of the city manager’s job description. City planning involves coordinating with different stakeholders within the city such as the government, developers, ministries, SMEs and other players to deliberate the way forward concerning the construction of infrastructure, distribution of amenities and other plans that involve the city such as recreational facilities. Whichever the planning project, the city manager is responsible for ensuring that they are implemented correctly. Normally, this involves setting policy guidelines concerning the procurement and establishment as well as constant supervision to ensure that the implementation is done completely. Other planning responsibilities carried out by city managers include developing project papers that outline the vision of the city concerning development and other areas. Effectiveness of City Council in Setting Policies One of the major responsibilities of the city council is to formulate policies and provide recommendations on the best way to implement them. This responsibility is carried out in conjunction with the cit manager and other minor stakeholders. The effectiveness of the city council in implementing most city policies successfully has been called into question on several instances based on their dismal performance in most governments. A direct evaluation of the effectiveness of the city council policies is seen in the level of success in the city and the extent of development being witnessed. Theoretically, city councils have been provided with the necessary devices and state support top ensure that they are effective in developing city policy. However, in reality, most of these policies fail to take off or under perform prompting an in-depth analysis of the structures, procedures and individuals involved in the city policy formulation. Most executive arms of government provide the city council with the authority to act n their behalf by formulating and implementing policies at the lower levels of government. By delegating this authority, Congress (parliament) effectively reduces their workload. This statement serves to legitimize the city council as a body mandated by the government to undertake several essential responsibilities such as provision of education, health and sanitation and security services to the public. However, the relationship between the city manager and the city council is highly hierarchical and more personal when compared to other relationships such as the legislature-executive type of link. The city manager’s position is created and controlled by the city council. Therefore, the city managers’ tenure is continued or concluded by a unanimous decision from the city council. Therefore, in the development of policy, the city manager may be the overall authority but he may still need legislative approval before making the final decision. This creates a difficult situation for the city manager because on one hand, they are responsible for putting together and finalizing the policy drafts and depending on the city council and the legislative arm for approval on the other hand. This inability to act without having to engage in bureaucratic consultation and coordination is a major aspect that limits the authority of a city manager. It also makes it very difficult for a manager to implement several policies since the policy drafts are reviewed by the legislature and other parties before being approved. This disadvantaged position for most city managers also forces them to engage in political activities and include political stakeholders in the urban policy development process. Since approval has to originate from legislative quarters, city managers working closely with political figures especially congressional representatives have a higher chance of realizing their city policies than city managers who work independently. This is because congressional representatives create a mutual relationship with the city council that allows for the swift passage of bills and the consideration of interests respectively. This is one of the grey area were political events find themselves intertwined with city council matters. The reverse is true for the city council decisions. The city council is made up of part-time politicians that are inexperienced and will constantly require the support of the city manager when making city decisions. This sharing of policy power with the city manager is a controversial topic considering the different roles played by each party. However, even though they share this policy power, city managers have a substantially higher authority considering they have significant policy knowledge. Conversely, city council officials are influenced by political factors. Therefore, they cannot offer proper leadership on matters concerning urban policy formulation. Apart form this factor, other issues also influence the effectiveness of a city manager. The political aspect in the relationship between the manager and the city council is the main reason for the council’s preference for awarding policymaking authority to city managers who share and support their political viewpoints. A part from political orientation, the level of city managers’ administrative influence is also determined by their code of ethics, professionalism, manager’s relations with the council and other variables. The professionalism of the city manager greatly influences the level of effectiveness in his office. The city council officials assess the quality of a city manager based on their experience, skills and participation. Experienced city managers are good at reflecting the priorities of the city councils and offer greater thought on the best way to run the cities’ activities. Such managers are preferred by councils, as they are easy to work with when compared to amateur managers who are more inflexible. Such rigid city managers end up clashing with the city council over different policies and end realizing very little outcomes. Over the long term, this can result in slow growth within the city as well as divisions within departments in the city governance system. In conclusion, it is imperative to note that despite the theoretical knowledge that the city council and the city manager should collaborate in ensuring that the city is operating efficiently, the practical situation lea ves the city manager at a disadvantaged position. This is because any disagreements between the mayor (city council) and the city manager usually lead to the termination of the tenure of the manager. Therefore, most city managers compromise their expertise and experience in favor of maintaining good relations with the city council. Work Cited Svara, James H. Strengthening Local Government Leadership and Performance: Reexamining and Updating the Winter Commission Goals. Public Administration Review. 68 (2008). Print.