ABSTRACT
City managers are executives and city administrators are partial executives who bring a wide range of professional considerations to the discussion of city government policies and practices. By raising professional considerations in policy discussions, city managers help to ensure a balanced approach to policy decisions. By acting out of commitment to strategic goal setting, ethical standards, and sound management, city managers also promote proactive policy making, as well as fairness and efficiency in the delivery of services and the use of organizational resources. These contributions can be combined with those of the mayor as elected executive or the mayor as shaper of the context for the appointed administrator to create a blend of political and professional leadership in the executive functions in local government.
