WATCH: Mayor vs municipal manager: what’s the difference?
Know the difference between a mayor and a municipal manager before casting your vote
With local elections just around the corner, you should know the difference roles of a municipal manager and mayor before casting your vote.
What’s the mayor’s role?
The mayor is democratically elected with all parties electing their candidate before councillors vote.
The candidate with the most votes is sworn in as mayor and serves for a four-year term after the elections.
A mayor’s basic responsibility is to carry out the council’s directives and to implement the policies adopted by the council.
Commissioners serve both legislative and executive roles.
The relationship of the executive to the legislative body varies by form of local government: mayor-council, council-mayor, or commission.
What’s the municipal manager’s role?
Municipal managers are not supposed to be politicians, but managers.
They get appointed by council on a contract basis, meaning that the position is not permanent.
The municipal manager is the link between the council and the administration, of which she or he is the head.
The manager accounts for the municipality’s income and expenditure, assets and other obligations such as proper adherence to all legislation applicable to municipalities. Subject to the municipal council’s policy directions, the manager ensures:
– That an economically viable, effective, efficient and accountable administration is established and developed;
– That the Integrated? Development Plan comes to fruition;
– That municipal services are delivered in a sustainable and balanced fashion;
– That a personnel corps is appointed, managed, developed and disciplined; and
– That sound labour relations are maintained.
To find out more about the different roles, watch the video below.
