Q & A

The mayor is the presiding member of the city council, represents the city in inter-governmental relationships, makes appointments to various city boards and committees with council approval, and is the face of the city

There is a stark contrast in eligibility requirements. For mayors, the only prerequisites are a desire to run for office, gathering enough signatures, and receiving one more vote than an opponent. In short, there are no formal qualifications required to be mayor.

Professional city managers, however, must have a degree in public administration, business administration, political science, or a related field. They also need five years of on-the-job experience as an assistant manager, leadership and goal-setting, program evaluation, and negotiation skills. Additionally, they require financial management experience and knowledge of accounting, urban planning, and public health. In short, they are PROFESSIONALS.

There is a universal method for managing complex situations. Consider that the council/manager system is a near facsimile of the following fields: school districts, businesses, and construction.

A school board is elected and mandated by Iowa law to hire a school superintendent who is educated, trained, and experienced in management. This is also how businesses operate: the board of directors hires a CEO with the credentials to manage the enterprise. Similarly, the construction industry employs a project manager, an educated, trained, and experienced professional, to oversee building projects.

Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Sioux City, Ankeny, Iowa City, West Des Moines, and Ames are some of the larger cities using the council/manager system. Many smaller cities and towns, such as Dubuque, Fort Dodge, and Manchester, also follow this system.

Interestingly, Waterloo and Council Bluffs, which round out the top ten largest cities in Iowa at numbers nine and ten, are the only mayor/council systems in the top ten. They also have the highest property tax rates of any Iowa city, with Waterloo ranking first.

Studies show that professional city managers provide complete and objective information on city operations, discuss the pros and cons of alternatives, and assess the long-term consequences of the council’s decisions. Additionally, studies indicate an extra benefit: a more harmonious council.

The manager creates the budget and presents it to the council, which can reject, approve, or alter it. The elected council has the final say on how your money is spent.

Your responsibility is to educate yourself on the advantages of the city’s professional council/manager system. Once you are convinced of the system’s value, spread the word to others to visit this site, lobby the city council to educate our citizens on the system’s benefits, and call for a referendum. Believe in your ability to make a difference in the success of this venture—because you can.

There are two ways to call a referendum:

Council-Scheduled Referendum: This is the more straightforward method. The city council can schedule a referendum. For example, this method was used in Ithaca, NY, in 2023. After an educational period, the citizens adopted the measure with a 73% approval rate.

Citizen-Initiated Referendum: This method is more challenging. A citizen group, such as Advance Waterloo, must collect signatures equal to 25% of votes cast in the latest election. Once the signatures are validated, the city clerk presents the results to the city council, which must then schedule an election.