Laserfiche WebLink
33 <br /> <br />your colleagues on the Council--or their cooperation in selecting <br />programs and services? What details do you provide to staff, and <br />what do you leave to their discretion? <br />4. Evaluate program results. How well is the program being <br />implemented? Did you get what you expected? Is the program <br />accomplishing what you intended? <br /> <br />In addition to learning how various policies are influencing the mission of your <br />local government, you will want to review the roles of other elected officials, of <br />the staff, of interest groups, and of individuals from other local governments <br />and other levels of government in making policy. (Chapter 1, Book 1, ICMA <br />Elected Officials Handbook) <br /> <br />STAFF ROLE <br />A full-time staff, hired for its expertise, also has a responsibility to help the Council <br />formulate policy. The City Manager and the staff often make recommendations <br />based on what has worked in other communities as well as organizational and <br />financial feasibility, and present alternative strategies for the review and decision of <br />elected officials. <br /> <br />Realistically, the policy-making process and the influence of the City Manager and the <br />organization’s staff in shaping policies - both as they are being developed and as they <br />are implemented - do not constitute a fixed equation. As you look at various issues, <br />you and your colleagues will find that at times the decision is based solely on your <br />ideas, while at other times you accept staff recommendations with little discussion. But <br />many decisions reflect a blending of Council and staff perspectives within parameters <br />you set. <br /> <br />Policy and administration are inextricably intertwined, and it is the responsibility of both <br />the elected officials and the City Manager to work continually to clarify what they are <br />looking at and to define their roles in discussions and actions. Often you must rely on <br />your best judgment and common sense to determine what policy is. It is not the day- <br />to-day operations of departments - that’s administration. Yes, you are ultimately <br />responsible for the way community services are provided and how things are run, but if <br />you hire a City Manager, you will work through him or her to make sure things are <br />handled. (Chapter 1, Book 1, ICMA Elected Officials Handbook) <br /> <br />ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT <br />Once you have established policy, it is the job of your City Manager to administer or <br />execute that policy. When a constituent complains of a missed garbage pick-up, <br />potholes, or an overzealous police officer, working through your City Manager will help <br />you serve that constituent most effectively. It is the City Manager’s job to know the <br />most effective way to get action. The City Manager should also give you the staff <br />support you need so that citizens recognize you as concerned and responsive. Also, <br />your City Manager can tell you if a policy decision is needed from Council to deal with <br />Exhibit A <br />Resolution No. 2026-021 Page 79