How it works
Same voters. Same elected council. A different executive.
Council-manager government moves administrative authority from a separately elected mayor to a professional manager appointed by the council.
Side-by-side
Current and proposed structures
| Question | Current: Mayor-Council | Proposed: Council-Manager |
|---|---|---|
| Who voters elect | A mayor and seven councilmembers. | Councilmembers. The council chair uses the title “mayor.” |
| Chief executive | The elected mayor. | A professional city manager appointed by the council. |
| Administrative staffing | Cle Elum has used an administrator under the mayor. The mayor announced that the standalone position will end January 31, 2027, with expanded city-administrator duties expected to move to the Public Works manager in February. Neither arrangement changes the mayor’s statutory executive authority. | The statutory manager is the executive and head of administration, responsible to the full council. |
| Policy and budget | The council legislates and adopts the budget; the mayor proposes and administers it under current law. | The council sets policy and adopts the budget; the manager prepares, recommends, and administers it. |
| Executive selection | Citywide election; candidates must meet elective-office requirements. | Professional recruitment and council appointment based on executive and administrative qualifications. |
| Executive accountability | Primarily to voters at elections, with statutory checks by the council. | Directly to the council, which can evaluate and remove the manager under state law. |
| Mayor’s role | Chief executive, council presiding officer, and ceremonial head; generally votes only to break a tie. | Council chair and ceremonial head, with no regular administrative duties. |
Accountability
The council becomes the manager’s employer.
The manager does not replace elected government. The manager implements the policy and budget adopted by elected councilmembers.
State law places general supervision of administration, personnel, financial reporting, and budget preparation with the manager. The council remains the legislative and policy-making body.
The mayor after a change
The title remains; the job changes.
In a council-manager code city, the mayor is a councilmember who chairs council meetings and performs ceremonial functions. The council normally selects its chair under state law. Voters may instead approve designating the person elected to council position one as chair. Under RCW 35A.06.040(2), the council may combine that designation with a council-manager change in a single resolution-based ballot proposition; a separate vote is not always required.
The mayor is no longer the city’s chief executive and has no regular administrative authority over departments or employees.
Transition rule
The incumbent mayor serves out the term on the council.
RCW 35A.06.030 provides that when a mayor-council code city reorganizes as council-manager, existing officers serve the remainder of their terms and the incumbent mayor serves as a councilmember for the remainder of the mayoral term.
Important distinction: the incumbent becomes a councilmember but does not automatically remain council chair or “mayor” under the new structure.
Professional qualifications
Recruit for the city’s actual needs.
State law directs the council to choose a manager based on executive and administrative qualifications. A Cle Elum recruitment should publicly define the experience and competencies needed, such as:
Financial leadership
Budgeting, forecasting, controls, audits, capital planning, and transparent public reporting.
Municipal operations
Utilities, infrastructure, public safety, contracting, planning, and intergovernmental coordination.
People and execution
Personnel leadership, labor relations, performance management, communication, and implementation.
Qualifications are not a guarantee. Recruitment quality, contract terms, public goals, council oversight, and performance evaluation would still determine whether the model succeeds.
Questions the transition plan must answer
- What effective date gives the city enough time for recruitment and a responsible handoff?
- How would the city-administrator responsibilities being consolidated into Public Works change?
- Who serves as interim executive while recruitment is underway?
- What public process will define the manager profile, contract, goals, and evaluations?
- How will the city prevent unnecessary duplication of executive positions?
- What compensation range is competitive and fiscally supportable?