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What is the Commission-Administrator form of government?
The Commission-Administrator form is the system of
local government that combines the strong political leadership of elected
officials in the form of a commission or other governing body, with the strong
managerial experience of an appointed local government administrator or manager. The form
establishes a representative system where all power is concentrated in the
elected commission and where the commission hires a professionally trained administrator to
oversee the delivery of public services. In Longwood, a five-member commission is
elected at-large in non-partisan elections. Their terms are for two years.
Is it a responsive
form of government?
In Commission-Administrator government, commission
members are the leaders and policy makers elected to represent various segments
of the community and to concentrate on policy issues that are responsive to
citizens' needs and wishes. The Administrator is appointed by the Mayor and Commission
to carry out policy and ensure that the entire community is being served.
What is the Mayor
and Commission's function?
The Mayor and Commission are the
legislative body; its members are the community's decision makers. Power is
centralized in the elected Mayor and Commission, which approves the budget and
determines the tax rate, for example. The Mayor and Commission also focus on
the community's goals, major projects, and such long-term considerations as
community growth, land use development, capital improvement plans, capital
financing, and strategic planning. The Mayor and Commission hire a professional administrator to carry out the administrative responsibilities and supervise the administrator's performance.
What is the City Administrators's function?
The City Administrator
is hired to serve the Mayor and Commission and the community and to bring to
the local government the benefits of training and experience in administering
local government projects and programs on behalf of the governing body. The Administrator
prepares a budget for the Mayor and Commission's consideration;
recruits, hires, and supervises the government's staff; serves as the Mayor and
Commission's chief adviser; and carries out the Mayor and Commission's
policies. The Mayor and Commission and citizens count on the Administrator
to provide
complete and objective information, pros and cons of alternatives, and
long-term consequences.
Does the City Administrator
participate in policy determination?
The City Administrator makes policy
recommendations to the Mayor and Commission, but the Mayor and Commission may
or may not adopt them and may modify the recommendations. The City Administrator is
bound by whatever action the Mayor and Commission takes.
Are all Commission-Administrator
governments structured the same way?
While the Longwood
Commission is elected at large, other municipalities elect their councils by
district. Some local governments have mayors who are elected by the voters at
large; while Longwood’s is elected by the Commission itself.
How much citizen
participation is possible under Commission-Administrator government?
The City of Longwood welcomes citizen
participation in the decision-making process. Because professional local
government management offers government of the people, by the people, and for
the people, it sets the stage for citizen activism by encouraging open
communication between citizens and their government. Citizens have the
opportunity to present issues to the Mayor and Commission at General Meetings. In
addition, citizens are encouraged to become members of boards and committees.
Source for above: ICMA.org
Below is the City's organizational chart. It displays how all the city departments are related to the Administrator and the Commission.
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