What is the difference between a city manager and a mayor?

#Two common forms of city government

Ballotpedia lists five major types of US municipal government. The two most common are council-manager and mayor-council. Citing the International City/County Management Association, it reports that as of 2011, about 59 percent of US cities used the council-manager form and 33 percent used mayor-council, down from 53 percent in 1981. Those are the most recent national figures we could verify. Which form a city uses depends on state law and the local charter.

#How the council-manager form works

The elected council acts as the legislature and hires a manager, who serves at the council’s pleasure. A state statute can spell out the job. It can require the council to choose based on executive and administrative qualifications, and it can have the manager hire and remove most city employees, supervise departments and attend council meetings. The manager generally prepares the budget. Ballotpedia says the mayor in this form generally votes on the council, represents the city and has no veto.

#How the mayor-council form works

• Strong mayor: the mayor is the chief executive and is not a council member. The mayor appoints and removes department heads, proposes the budget, oversees daily operations and can veto legislation.
• Weak mayor: the council appoints and approves department heads and drafts the budget, usually in consultation with the mayor or an appointed administrator. The mayor has limited or no veto power and may sit on or preside over the council.

#How the two jobs differ

• How they get the job: a manager is appointed by a vote of the council. A mayor is generally elected, often for a term of two or four years.
• How long they stay: a manager serves at the council’s pleasure, so the council can dismiss the manager at any time it has the votes. A mayor holds an elected term.
• Who they answer to: a manager answers to the council. A strong mayor is elected by voters and is not a member of the council.