City Staff v. City Council...who does what?

Sometimes we think of the city government as a very large, complex behemoth that cannot be challenged and is disconnected from the “real world.” So let’s take a look at how the City is organized and how the average citizen fits in.

We’ll start with City Council. The citizens of Elizabethton directly elect the Elizabethton City Council. When you go to the ballot box on Election Day the local person you are voting for is a City Councilperson and are called elected officials. Our City Council is what is called a representative legislative body. The seven people you elect represent the citizen’s wills and desires they want to see for Elizabethton. The City Council creates new city laws and regulations, creates policies to determine how to treat certain issues or situations, and approves the annual budget and large contractual agreements. The elected City Council also has the authority to hire and fire only the City Manager and no one else who works at the city.

City staff members are the people who work for the city and are not elected. These people are often called appointed officials, because they are to be hired based on their qualifications to hold the position that they do similar to the private sector. The City Manager is appointed by the City Council and the City Manager has the sole authority to hire and fire their city staff as they see necessary. This makes the City Manager a Chief Administrative Officer. It is the job of the City Manager and their city staff to carry out the policies and laws created by City Council. The City Manager and their city staff also serve as advisors to the City Council. As the Planning and Economic Development Director for the city, I am an appointed official and only have the authority to enforce regulations and laws, which City Council and the City Manager say I can enforce. I do not have the authority to create new regulations or laws.

Another area of the city is other City Boards. These may be the Library Board, Planning Commission, or Parks & Recreation Board. These Boards serve as a way to help City Council make better decisions, can serve as accountability for city departments, and they are made up of people appointed by City Council. Sometimes they have specific authority given to them by City Council to make very specific decisions, while other times they serve as an advisor to the City Council. They are often made up of multiple people with a specialized skill or interest relevant to the board they serve on. Rarely, do they have the ability to make new city laws without City Council approving these laws.

As you can see, the City is made up of many components and it’s important to know who they are, how you as a citizen fit in, and who you need to consult with a concern. After reading this, in what ways can you be involved in your local government. Let’s talk about it!

The Basic Organizational Chart of the City Government.