What does the Mayor do?

[Willy]

X posted a photo of the beloved mayor's campaign promises in the photo section. I thought the subject of the photo would make a good topic. What exactly is the mayors duties and responsibilities? How do they compare with other cities. According to the photo X posted, all of the current mayor's promises have not been fulfilled. Does the office of the Mayor even have the power to deliver on such promises? If not then why have a mayor at all since Ludington has a Manager who seems to be in charge and in my opinion out of control.

 

http://ludingtoncitizen.ning.com/photo/2001-henderson-campaign-ad?c...

[XLFD]

I've pretty much voiced my own concerns about that on this previous thread Of Democracy and City Managers wherein I lay the case out that City Managers are little more than one of those holdovers from the original "Progressive Era", circa 1910, where someone had the idea that unelected managers with special training could better run cities than those that would win elections. 

While that may sometimes be the case, do we really want to entrust them with almost all the executive power a city ruler has, much like the president and governor have of the federal and state governments respectively, that one would expect to be wielded by an elected official (mayor) with popular mandate?

 

Sec. 3.2 of the Ludington City Charter spells out the Mayor's actual powers:  "...The Mayor shall be recognized as head of the city government for all ceremonial purposes and by the Governor for purposes of military law, but shall have no administrative duties except to make specific appointments... The Mayor shall preside at meetings of the Council, represent the City in intergovernmental relationships, appoint members of citizen advisory boards and commissions with the advice and consent of the Council, present an annual State of the City message, and perform other duties specified by the Council."

Whereas, the powers of the Ludington City Manager are broad and encompass the general meaning of being in the executive branch of government, here are those powers Lud. City Manager powers.

 

Under the current system, you might as well do what some cities do and abolish the mayor position, and have the city council elect a leader among themselves to have certain duties that our mayor currently holds.  Either way, when you have a City Manager, you go to a system that runs counter to democratic principles.  

[Willy]

According to the city ordinance he is nothing more than a figure head. Somewhat like a greeter at miejer or Walmart. I would consider his position to be a waste of money and office space. Money that could be utilized more efficiently by legally authorized, oath taking officials. Ludington is wasting money on this empty shell of an office call the Mayor.

[XLFD]

But perhaps the way we should look at this, Willie, is that we should have more power in this position that is elected by the entirety of the City's registered voters.  Eliminating the City Manager position would be the way to do so, and put the power at least back into the hands of a democratically elected official. 

[Willy]

Agreed

[Marty Redman]

That is so obvious that I don't see why cities with city managers keep that system going.  In thinking of why, I am prone to think that it protects the elected people from being accountible for doing unpopular things.

[Willy]

Marty

You hit the nail on the head. That's exactly why Ludington has a City Manager. If anything goes wrong the Council and Mayor can point the finger at their hired hand and say "It was him not us".