City Bus Manager Tips

[Autumn Pitz]

Learnthe steps to take in hiring a city manager or administrator, including how to manage interim time, whether or not to use a search consultant, setting position qualifications and creating a position profile, attracting, interviewing and offering positions to candidates.

A successful council meeting depends upon the staff, city manager, city council, and mayor all fulfilling their key responsibilities. No matter what role you play in your city, an understanding of each of these roles can lead to more successful council meetings. Here are some of the best practices you should consider for a smoother council meeting.

Good meetings start with clear, thorough staff reports. These reports should include recommendations that ensure council members have sufficient information to make an informed decision. Remember: Not everyone is a subject matter expert like yourself. Include an executive summary with clear points. Many people will only read the first page, so ensure it contains the most important information. Use bolding and bullets to highlight key points.

Timeliness is also key. For complex items, give the council more than the usual three to five days to review the report. They need time to read, digest the information, and ask questions about the complexities before the meeting. Likewise, ensure that you leave enough time for the city manager to review and provide input on big, complex, or sensitive reports as needed.

As a council member, your most important responsibility is to read the reports before the council meeting. A great deal of time and effort goes into getting to the report stage, normally by multiple people and departments with decades of experience. Read each report, ask questions in advance, and be prepared to act on it at the meeting.

If you have concerns about an item, express them in advance. Depending on the situation, the city manager may decide to delay the item. Sometimes this approach can lead to a better-supported outcome and a smoother meeting.

Likewise, if you are concerned about a particular issue that is not addressed in a staff report, discuss it with the city manager and explain what information you would like and why. If it can be provided easily enough, then the information should be distributed to all council members before the meeting so as not to delay the item. You may discover the information is not needed for a decision and can be provided later. In any event, discuss it with the city manager to reach a reasonable solution.

You should also consult with your city attorney in advance of council meetings on questions that could have legal implications for the city. Some questions should not be asked in public, such as the legal risks of taking a particular course of action.

As the mayor, you have a few more extra duties than your fellow elected officials: You need to guide deliberations. Expect council members to speak through the mayor as chair and not to the audience.

The impacts of the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer and the injustices his death exemplifies are being felt on our streets, in our businesses, and in every city and town in California, across the country, and throughout the world.

In an area that lacked basic infrastructure, two mixed-use affordable housing developments brought improvements including new streets, drainage, and lighting. A complex mix of federal, state, and city funding, matched with private-sector loans, covered the costs.

On Friday, a letter from former Clayton City Manager Bret Prebula offered words of advice to a dysfunctional city council which has seen many employees leave the city over the past year.

Also confirmed on Friday, the HR director and assistant to the city manager have also quit from the city while two other employees also resigned from the city of Clayton. Since it is an HR matter, no other information was released.

The two would go on to achieve a rarity in the realm of local government. When Denise was city manager of Temple City, California and Bud was city manager of Burbank, they were the only husband and wife city managers in the nation.

While you may know most of the great things our community has to offer, you might be interested in how our local government (the city) operates. The City of Hudsonville operates within the council-manager form of government. This form of government combines the political leadership of elected officials on the City Commission with the training and experience of an appointed City Manager and dedicated staff. The role of City Manager was established in the United States to help municipalities address challenges and opportunities. Local government is increasingly complex with the onset of new technology, development, growth, and adaptation to our ever-changing world. The role provides for a professional executive who is appointed and held accountable by a popularly elected City Commission. This is often regarded as an integral position within local government and I am humbled to serve the community of Hudsonville.

A city manager works in collaboration with elected officials and other city workers to make sure the day-to-day responsibilities of the various departments are executed properly. A city manager is hired and directed by the elected city council. Although the city manager is not an elected official, they still serve the public. This position focuses on public service and leadership, as a city manager is essentially the chief executive officer (CEO) of the city.

If a city can be compared to a company, then a city manager is like the CEO. The city manager is charged with overseeing the daily affairs of the municipality. They implement the policies of the council effectively and efficiently. These professionals have a broad range of responsibilities, including the following:

Learning how to become a city manager is beneficial if you are interested in a career in local government. While there is no universal education pathway, here are steps you can take to get started in this career:

If you are still in high school and considering a career in city management, you can benefit from taking classes that emphasize communication skills and critical thinking. Courses in humanities, economics, accounting, law and governance are all good options. Joining the debate club is also worth considering, as is pursuing internship positions in public organizations, including nonprofit groups.

Graduate certificates can help advance your knowledge in specific areas that are relevant to your career. For city managers, earning a certificate in project management or leadership can provide you with the opportunity to develop key skills in managing people and projects, such as city programs.

In addition to earning your degree, you should plan to gain hands-on experience through internships or apprenticeships. While in college, look for opportunities to work on projects and develop your skills in areas such as leadership, management and problem-solving. Your college professors and career services representatives are great resources for finding internship opportunities.

Aspiring city managers can get started on their higher education journey with a focus in public administration. This area of focus gives you the opportunity to gain a firm understanding of the inner workings of state and local governments and how they affect populations. A public administration degree can also teach you how to think critically, apply analytical reasoning skills, make ethical decisions and communicate effectively with people from a range of backgrounds.

If you are interested in becoming a city manager, we invite you to explore these relevant degree programs at GCU. If you have specific questions regarding eligibility or requirements, please complete the form on this page to connect with a university counselor.

City managers use a variety of hard and soft skills to ensure they maintain their commitment to building public trust and confidence, achieving social justice and improving the quality of life for their community members. Essential skills for city managers include:2

The BLS projects positive job growth for all top executives over the next decade. According to the BLS, job growth for top executives, including city managers, is expected to increase by about 3% from 2022 to 2032, about as fast as average, accounting for an estimated increase of 124,200 jobs.5

While a city manager is considered a high-level position, those with the necessary experience may choose to pursue further career advancement. The most common career progression for a city manager is to advance to a general manager or operations manager role.7

5 COVID-19 has adversely affected the global economy and data from 2020 to 2022 may be atypical compared to prior years. Accordingly, data shown is effective September 2023, which can be found here: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Top Executives, retrieved on Jan. 26, 2024.

The city manager is responsible for executing the policies established by the city council and for providing support and advice to the council. In addition, the city manager provides the leadership and advice as well as support to the department heads and fosters inter-agency cooperation and collaboration. The city manager is responsible for the efficient and effective operation of the city's program and services. The city manager is also the essential connection between the policy planning process and the execution of that policy to bring it to reality.

Another key element of the city manager position is to connect with the citizens and businesses of the community, to be a liaison to develop a culture of openness with city government, and to provide information on the city and its services.

The city manager will serve in a leadership capacity, providing guidance and recommendations on policy and finance to the city council to provide service to the citizens of Clearlake and serve as a liaison to other governing bodies to assure that resources are maximized.

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