Top Ten Primer: Council-Manager Roles & Relationships in Local Government

This class will be held online via Zoom from 10:00am to 11:15am. Please register to receive the Zoom link.

Co-taught by two faculty members, this course introduces local elected officials to the legal and practical foundations of the council-manager form of government. It examines the distinct roles, responsibilities, and relationships that support effective local governance. Participants will learn how elected officials set policy and strategic direction while the professional manager oversees administration and implementation. The course also explores how boards and managers can build productive working relationships grounded in respect, transparency, clear communication, and routine feedback.


Members of Civic Federal Credit Union (Civic) are eligible to apply for a scholarship towards registration fees for programs offered by the School of Government. There are four deadlines to submit applications:

  • March 1: for programs starting between April 1 and June 30
  • June 1: for programs starting between July 1 and September 30
  • September 1: for programs starting between October 1 and December 31
  • December 1: for programs starting between January 1 and March 31

The North Carolina Association of County Commissioners provides cost offsets for county elected officials to attend LELA courses. For information on this discount please click the link below.

There currently are no scheduled offerings of this course.
There are no materials avaliable for this course at this time.
For all registration questions, resetting passwords, or login issues please contact:

Dale Zuckert

Assistant Registrar
919.966.4414
For questions regarding course details, including location, schedule, materials, and continuing education credits, please contact:

Sofia Lawrence

Program Associate, Management, Administration, and Leadership Group
Assistant Professor of Public Law and Government
Assistant Professor of Public Administration and Government