The council-manager form of local government combines the strong political leadership of elected officials with the strong professional experience of an appointed local government manager. Under this form, power is concentrated in the elected council, which hires a professional administrator to implement its policies. These highly trained, experienced individuals serve at the pleasure of the elected governing body and have responsibility for preparing the budget, directing day-to-day operations, hiring and firing personnel, and serving as the council’s chief policy advisor.
The Council-Manager form of local government (cities, towns and counties) creates a bright line between the adoption of municipal policy and the administrative or operational functions of town staff. Under the council-manager form, elected officials on the council are ultimately responsible for making the policy decisions about town functions, budgets, tax rates, planning and zoning, general plans, long- and short-range city goals, contract approvals, etc. They receive information and recommendations from the town manager and generally oversee the performance of town government. They also are the link between citizens in the community and their local
government.
All governmental authority resides with the council as a body of elected officials.
The council works with a professionally-trained manager to develop policy positions, and then delegates to the manager the responsibility to carry out their decisions. The manager does not set or make policy decisions, but is the person primarily responsible for making policy recommendations and for carrying out the decisions of the council.
The manager and his or her management team have responsibility for hiring and firing personnel, for managing town operations within the council-approved budget and for implementing the various day-to-day services of the town.
The manager and his or her staff do the background research on various topics in order to present the council with objective pros and cons on policy alternatives. He or she serves at the pleasure of the council and can be dismissed at any time with the vote of a majority of its members.
For more information, please see this resource from the Arizona League of Cities and Towns.