Executive Leadership in Local Government

Abstract

Executive leadership is a complex topic in local government because of uncertainty about the scope of this type of leadership and variation in the officials to which it is assigned. This is especially true in the United States, where different forms of government are used in local governments. In simplest form, the topic encompasses the leadership provided by persons in the highest positions in the governmental structure who have responsibility for discerning the preferences of citizens and mobilizing popular support for policies, for developing proposals for what government will do, and for directing the work of the government. The citizen dimension might be considered beyond the scope of a type of leadership that is associated with activity within the governmental and organizational structure. Connection with the citizenry is, however, essential to democratic governance and creates the foundation for the internal executive functions. Handling some or all the executive responsibilities falls to mayors (and their equivalents in counties) in all governments and in many governments to appointed chief administrators as well. Although it is natural to associate executive leadership with one person who has responsibilities that range from the electoral to the managerial aspects of leadership, in local government, executive leadership broadly defined is commonly shared more or less widely. In view of this division of leadership functions, the discussion is presented in three sections that deal with mayors who are elected executives, nonexecutive mayors, and appointed executives. For simplicity, and in recognition that the preponderance of the literature on leadership in local government has focused on cities, terms from city as opposed to county or other types of government are used to refer to the officials. The division of responsibility depends largely on the form of government and, within mayor–council cities, on whether there is a chief administrator present in the governmental structure. Connecting with citizens and mobilizing popular support for proposals is the responsibility of the mayor in all forms of government. Policy leadership (i.e., determining the purpose and policies of the government) is the responsibility of the mayor with approval of council in mayor–council cities, the mayor with advice of chief administrative officer (CAO) and approval of council in mayor– council–CAO cities, and the mayor, council, and city manager in council–manager cities. Finally, administrative leadership or directing the administrative apparatus and work of the staff is handled by the mayor, mayor and CAO, or the city manager, depending on the form of government. Most cities have one executive and one mayor, but the two offices are not necessarily combined. Cities that use the mayor–council form of government vest all or some executive powers in the elected mayor, who is the political head of city government, the driving force in setting policy, and in charge of the administrative organization. The executive mayor with full powers ultimately has authority of hiring and supervising staff, formulating and (after approval by the council) expending the budget, and directing the organization, subject to the limitations set by the city charter. If the city has a chief administrator, some administrative functions are delegated to this official. In council–manager cities, the city manager—an executive appointed by the city council—makes a major contribution to policy making and exercises administrative powers. Managers have extensive contact with citizens, are somewhat attentive to popular preferences, and have subtle influence on public opinion. Still, city managers do not get directly involved in mobilizing public opinion or shaping public support, unless instructed by the council to do so (e.g., seeking to secure votes in a bond referendum approved by the council). Council–manager cities also have a mayor who is the political head of the government and presides over the city council, but usually has no powers other than those available to other members of the council.