How City Managers Are Evaluated: Key Areas of Performance Oversight by City Councils

In the council-manager form of government, the city manager is the chief executive responsible for running the day-to-day operations of the city. While the city council sets the overall vision and policy direction, the city manager turns those goals into action overseeing departments, managing resources, and ensuring effective service delivery. To hold the city manager accountable, councils conduct performance evaluations based on key operational and strategic areas. These evaluations are critical not only for assessing leadership, but also for ensuring that city priorities are being implemented successfully.

Below are the core areas where city managers are commonly evaluated by city councils:

Budget and Financial Management

The city manager plays a central role in crafting and managing the city’s annual operating and capital budgets. Councils assess their ability to maintain fiscal discipline, balance competing priorities, and ensure transparency in financial planning. Performance is often measured by how well the manager aligns spending with council-approved goals, controls costs, maintains reserves, and upholds financial reporting standards. A clean annual audit and long-term financial planning are indicators of effective leadership in this area.

Public Safety

Police, fire, and emergency services fall under the manager’s administrative umbrella. Councils look at how the city manager supports public safety leadership, improves service delivery, and addresses community concerns. This includes evaluating progress on crime reduction, response times, and efforts to modernize or reform police practices in line with community values. Strategic hiring, training investments, and inter-agency collaboration are also key metrics.

Public Works and Infrastructure

From streets and sanitation to water systems and capital projects, the city manager’s oversight of public works is critical to community well-being. Council members examine the condition of infrastructure, the timeliness and quality of maintenance, and the execution of capital improvement plans. Responsiveness to service disruptions and proactive planning for long-term infrastructure needs are also part of this performance category.

Economic Development

The city manager is evaluated on how effectively they promote economic vitality. This includes attracting and retaining businesses, supporting workforce development, fostering redevelopment or revitalization projects, and ensuring equitable growth. Council members often look at new business activity, job creation, development timelines, and public-private partnerships as performance indicators in this area.

Innovation and Technology

In an increasingly digital world, innovation is a growing focus of city manager evaluations. Councils assess how the manager promotes technology upgrades, supports data-driven decision-making, and implements smart city initiatives. Adopting new systems to improve efficiency, enhance service delivery, and increase transparency, such as online permitting or AI-driven customer service can demonstrate forward thinking leadership.

Community Engagement and Transparency

The manager’s ability to connect with the community is vital. Councils evaluate how the city manager fosters public trust, engages diverse voices, and ensures government is accessible and transparent. Effective public communication, responsiveness to residents, and inclusive policy implementation are all part of this performance domain. Managers are also assessed on their collaboration with community groups, neighborhood associations, and advocacy organizations.

Internal Leadership and Organizational Culture

A strong city manager cultivates a positive and productive organizational culture. Councils look at the manager’s success in recruiting and retaining top talent, supporting staff development, promoting diversity and inclusion, and maintaining employee morale. Internal leadership is often reflected in departmental performance, staff turnover rates, and the ability to adapt to change