Introduction
There are no direct provisions in the US Constitution that determine that the regulation of local government organization is within the states’ competence. As you know, the US Constitution establishes only the exclusive powers of the central authorities and recognizes that all other issues are within the states’ competence. Within the council-mayor governance model, modifications make it possible to speak of a relatively strong or weak mayor that is comparable with a city manager-type executive.
Description and Main Properties of Municipal Executives
The type of municipal government in which the Council legally dominates the executive power of the municipality is the oldest type of council-mayor system with the so-called weak mayor that prevailed in the United States until the beginning of the 20th century. The concentration in the jurisdiction of the municipal Council of powers in the field of regulation and general management characterizes this model. This type provides direct jurisdiction from the municipal Council, but at the same time, it decreases the role of a mayor in city management.
Another version of the Council-Mayor model, which is more common today, is in which the mayor legally heads the executive branch of the municipality with a strong mayor. A strong mayor appoints and dismisses the heads of sectoral and functional divisions of the municipal administrative apparatus without needing the Council’s approval; any severe conflict between the mayor and the head of a division of the administrative apparatus usually entails the dismissal of the latter. This property is a benefit and a cost because it is dangerous to concentrate such power on one person.
Significantly more popular than the commission model is the system of local government, in which the municipal Council of the Manager. The council-manager model takes precedence mainly in municipalities where wealthy people live who are willing to pay well a competent professional manager. With such a management system, the manager heads the municipal apparatus and largely determines the personnel policy in the departments and services of the executive body of the municipal government.
Conclusion
Comparing all three types of municipal bodies, one can conclude that they are all effective in certain cases. A weak mayor is effective in managing a small city; a strong mayor is in managing a larger city. The city manager is elected by the residents of the most affluent cities. Thus, their independence in decision-making on the management of the city is highlighted in ascending order.