Since January 1, most newly elected local government officials have begun serving in their authorized positions. If in a job where you can do so, have you begun helping them become acclimated and ready to do the best job possible? ICMA can help with the highs and lows of what both a weather forecaster and a manager might predict as a stormy season.

PM magazine’s website, under the section PMplus, includes the article “Commentary: Congratulations on Your Election to Local Office: Now, On Being Effective,” by Deputy County Administrator Vince Long, ICMA-CM, Leon County, Florida. Long’s final words add the simple but true finesse on the council-manager relationship: it’s critical to effective governing. He says to effectively navigate the unique and inherent complexities of the business of local government requires a team approach, with an understanding and an appreciation of each and a commitment to work the relationship.

Here is a list of other resources that might be useful:

Council Relations. In this bimonthly PM magazine column, former manager Mike Conduff focuses exclusively on the manager and the elected officials working relationship. The January/February 2011 column on the council job description features eight behaviors of best-practice councils that are a good basis for council governing manuals. One behavior is to set targets. By articulating outcomes and not methodologies, the elected officials can say what they want, when they want it, and how much money they are willing to spend to get it, which gives the manager a clear target. 

Fine Tuning Council-Manager Relationships. This December 2010 PM article written by John Nalbandian, a former elected official himself, has tips like these on maintaining a resilient relationship with elected officials: show the governing body that its decisions make a difference, resist allowing one councilmember to dictate your view of the council as a whole, and don’t respond to the impulse to do the council’s work. 

Leading Your Community, A Guide for Local Elected Leaders. This ICMA handbook published with the National League of Cities in 2008, which is designed to be a quick but well-rounded orientation for elected officials, includes information on, among other subjects, policy making and strategic planning; ethical leadership; and communicating with the public. 

Build Great Council Member Relationships. In their ICMA University webconference held July 22, 2010, former managers Kathie Novak and Marty Vanacour also agree that appointed and elected officials must be able to work together to build the community they envision. The presenters’ recommendations on how to help elected officials be more valuable include these seven points:

• Clarify roles
• Clarify expectations
• Develop and hold to protocols
• Communicate
• Work on establishing and maintaining trust
• Help build capacity
• Act as a facilitative leader.

Effective Council Meetings. If managers want help maintaining orderly and efficient council meetings, ICMA's "Effective Council Meetings" InFocus Report  has details on standards of behavior, rules of order, and a value framework for decision making. InFocus Report archives has information on these reports. 

Working Together: A Guide for Elected and Appointed Officials Workbook. This training workbook can be a manager’s personal self-study tool or a group training program with local officials. With questions to consider, self-assessments, checklists, and activities, current C-M relationships can be assessed or improved. 

ICMA Press Bookstore. A search using the term “elected officials” will provide relevant downloadable pdfs and training materials for managers and officials. 

More PM magazine columns and articles on council-manager relationships are scheduled in the coming months.