City Manager Posts Hard to Fill
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I took a governmental budgeting class for my Master’s degree with the city manager of my town, so I got to know him a little bit. We live in a suburban area, so I’d imagine it’s an easier spot to fill than the towns in rural Oklahoma profiled in this NY Times piece.
However, the point is still valid that it’s not a fun job. For those that don’t have city managers (I didn’t until I moved here) they’re basically an unelected mayoral position that actually runs the city functions. Basically, they are the CEO of the city. We have a mayor as well, and I’m not sure what his job is besides being head of the City Council (maybe that is his job).
Like CEOs, the city manager is responsible for everything from budgeting to potholes in the road. But he makes a heck of a lot less than the CEO of major corporations. The article says the average salary of a city manager is $97,075, which seems like a great job until you realize it is a 24/7 endeavor. It’s also less than many schools and hospitals pay for similar jobs overseeing their operations.
One city manager interviewed, who complained the job was “too political” (well, what did he think), summed it up pretty well.
“You can’t go to the grocery store, cafe or convenience store without someone telling you they have a leak in the front yard or a pothole in their driveway,”
A lot of you may not know who your city manager is and that is a shame. Unfortunately, it’s the city managers that do their jobs well that run into this problem. The position should seek feedback from the community in the same way as elected positions. However, doing that opens you to the “can you do something about this?” problem. It’s the ones that don’t do their job that have the easiest time (hmm….).
All in all, I’m not surprised that fewer of my generation go to work for government. We grew up in the shadows of Watergate, Iran-Contra, and Monica. Most of my generation would just as soon work at Wal-Mart than take a government position. A lot of the really bright ones that would go to government skip that step and work for not-for-profits if they want to make a difference.
On the other hand, being a city manager can be very rewarding. Watching a city thrive under your leadership is very gratifying to the ego. And while it’s harder to know that than if you ran a business and could measure profits, there is a real tangible benefit for the citizens of the city if a city is well run.