Mayor-Council Government is Best for Starkville
By Brother Rogers
Starkville needs to adopt the modern mayor-council form of government. Most large cities in Mississippi have already made this move because they outgrew the code-charter form that is best suited for small towns. More sophisticated cities need a more sophisticated form of government.
Why is the mayor-council form better for larger cities? The main reason is that larger enterprises need executive authority invested in one position, in this case the mayor, instead of government administered by committee. Instead of a board of aldermen having primary authority, the mayor-council form puts the mayor on an even footing with the council.
While not exact, the best analogy is to the federal system of government. The president has executive powers, and the Congress has legislative powers. One is not more powerful than the other, and both can check each other. At the federal level, the executive branch is co-equal with the legislative branch. On the local level, the city’s executive branch (mayor) would be co-equal with its legislative branch (city council).
At the federal level, the president selects his cabinet officers, with approval of the Senate, to carry out the day-to-day functions of the government. The president appoints the heads of the Department of Defense, Department of State, Department of Transportation and so forth. The president holds these department heads accountable for their results, and these cabinet members understand that they serve at the pleasure of the president.
Likewise, under the mayor-council form of government, the mayor would select his department heads, subject to the approval of the city council. For example, the mayor would appoint the heads of the police department, fire department, public works and so forth. Those department heads would be part of the mayor’s administrative cabinet tasked with carrying out policies enacted by the city council. All department heads would serve at the pleasure of the mayor.
At the federal level, the legislative branch passes the laws, and the executive branch implements the laws. Similarly, in a mayor-council government, the city council makes the local laws, and the mayor implements the policies.
Legislation authorizing mayor-council government prohibits the council from seeking to dictate or require either the appointment or removal of any employee of the municipality. Except for seeking information or advice, the council must deal with departments and employees through the mayor. Again, the legislative branch is separate from the executive branch.
Under our current code-charter system, which was designed for small towns, the mayor’s job is considered part-time. Under the mayor-council government, the mayor works for the city full-time.
The mayor would not preside over council meetings, but may attend and take part in discussions. The city council would elect its own presiding officer, just like most legislative bodies. In practice, most mayors in Mississippi do not sit at the table with the council members (just like the governor does not sit with the state legislature). The mayor would report to the council and make presentations.
The path to this new form of government begins with a petition signed by 20 percent of the registered voters in Starkville. Then a special election would be held. If the citizens approve a new form of government, the change will not take place until the next municipal election in 2017. No redistricting would need to be done if Starkville keeps all seven wards just as they are now.
Starkville is growing. We are fast becoming one of the leading cities in the state. Nine of our largest cities already use the mayor-council form of government. The time is right. The need is great. Let’s do this!
Brother Rogers is a guest columnist for the Starkville Daily News.
Starkville needs to adopt the modern mayor-council form of government. Most large cities in Mississippi have already made this move because they outgrew the code-charter form that is best suited for small towns. More sophisticated cities need a more sophisticated form of government.
Why is the mayor-council form better for larger cities? The main reason is that larger enterprises need executive authority invested in one position, in this case the mayor, instead of government administered by committee. Instead of a board of aldermen having primary authority, the mayor-council form puts the mayor on an even footing with the council.
While not exact, the best analogy is to the federal system of government. The president has executive powers, and the Congress has legislative powers. One is not more powerful than the other, and both can check each other. At the federal level, the executive branch is co-equal with the legislative branch. On the local level, the city’s executive branch (mayor) would be co-equal with its legislative branch (city council).
At the federal level, the president selects his cabinet officers, with approval of the Senate, to carry out the day-to-day functions of the government. The president appoints the heads of the Department of Defense, Department of State, Department of Transportation and so forth. The president holds these department heads accountable for their results, and these cabinet members understand that they serve at the pleasure of the president.
Likewise, under the mayor-council form of government, the mayor would select his department heads, subject to the approval of the city council. For example, the mayor would appoint the heads of the police department, fire department, public works and so forth. Those department heads would be part of the mayor’s administrative cabinet tasked with carrying out policies enacted by the city council. All department heads would serve at the pleasure of the mayor.
At the federal level, the legislative branch passes the laws, and the executive branch implements the laws. Similarly, in a mayor-council government, the city council makes the local laws, and the mayor implements the policies.
Legislation authorizing mayor-council government prohibits the council from seeking to dictate or require either the appointment or removal of any employee of the municipality. Except for seeking information or advice, the council must deal with departments and employees through the mayor. Again, the legislative branch is separate from the executive branch.
Under our current code-charter system, which was designed for small towns, the mayor’s job is considered part-time. Under the mayor-council government, the mayor works for the city full-time.
The mayor would not preside over council meetings, but may attend and take part in discussions. The city council would elect its own presiding officer, just like most legislative bodies. In practice, most mayors in Mississippi do not sit at the table with the council members (just like the governor does not sit with the state legislature). The mayor would report to the council and make presentations.
The path to this new form of government begins with a petition signed by 20 percent of the registered voters in Starkville. Then a special election would be held. If the citizens approve a new form of government, the change will not take place until the next municipal election in 2017. No redistricting would need to be done if Starkville keeps all seven wards just as they are now.
Starkville is growing. We are fast becoming one of the leading cities in the state. Nine of our largest cities already use the mayor-council form of government. The time is right. The need is great. Let’s do this!
Brother Rogers is a guest columnist for the Starkville Daily News.
