County and Municipal Government in North Carolina, Second Edition, 2014 (eBook)
County and City Managers
County and Municipal Government in North Carolina
Council–Manager Form of Government
under North Carolina Law / 54
The County Manager / 54
Hiring, Firing, and Disciplinary Powers / 54
Administrative Authority / 54
Duties Related to Governing Body Meetings / 55
Oversight Regarding Proper Execution of
Orders, Ordinances, etc. / 55
Financial Duties / 55
Reports and Miscellaneous Duties / 55
The City Manager / 56
Hiring and Firing Powers / 56
Administrative Authority / 56
Miscellaneous Duties / 57
Origins and Reasons for the Growth of the
Council–Manager Form / 57
History—North Carolina / 57
History—Generally / 58
ICMA Recognition / 59
Roles and Responsibilities of the Manager / 59
Basics of the Council–Manager Plan / 59
Realities of the Council–Manager Plan’s Implementation / 59
Concept of Governance / 61
ICMA Code of Ethics / 62
Roles and Relationships in Policy and Administration / 63
Dichotomy Theory / 63
Dichotomy-Duality Model / 63
Common Expectations among the Governing Body,
the Chair or Mayor, and the Manager / 65
Expectation 1: The Manager Is an
Organization Capacity-Builder / 66
Expectation 2: The Manager Is a Valued
Advisor to the Governing Body / 66
Expectation 3: The Governing Body and the Manager
Jointly Strive for Good Service to Citizens / 67
Expectation 4: Elected Officials’ Relationships with
Employees Are Carefully Managed / 67
Expectation 5: The Governing Body Acts as a
Body and Is Dealt with as a Body / 68
Expectation 6: The Manager and Members of the Governing
Body Give One Another a Chance to Prove Themselves / 69
Expectation 7: The Manager and the Governing
Body Freely Give and Seek Feedback / 69
Expectation 8: The Manager and the Governing Body Work
Together to Develop a Highly Effective Governing Body / 70
Tips for Ensuring Peak Performance of Governing Bodies / 70
Searching for an Effective Manager / 71
Evaluating the Manager—And the Governing Body / 73
Generally / 73
Clearly Set Expectations / 73
Evaluation Process for Managers / 74
Evaluating the Governing Body / 75
Conclusion / 75
Additional Resources / 75
Publications / 75
Organizations / 75
About the Author / 76