Overview
For nearly 50 years, ICMA, the International City/County Management Association, has recognized those communities that have established a position of professional management (e.g., a city, town, township, borough, village, or /county manager administrator position) and meet a set of specific criteria regarding that position’s qualifications and appointment; policy formation, budget preparation, appointing authority; and organizational relationships. To date, nearly 5,000 local governments have been recognized through this program.
Based on two sets of criteria (which are explained below), the chief administrative officer position may be recognized as either General Management (GM) or Council-Manager (CM). The criteria for General Management recognition are somewhat more flexible in several areas than those used to for Council-Manager recognition.
Criteria for Recognition of a Council-Manager Position
1. Appointment
The manager can be appointed by the majority vote of the council for a definite or indefinite term and must be subject to termination by a majority vote of the council at any time.
Guideline
It is recognized that the process for appointing the manager may include participation by others, in nominating or recommending candidates to be considered. However, the final responsibility or authority of appointment as well as dismissal of the manager must lie with a majority of the council.
2. Policy Formulation
The position should have direct responsibility for policy formulation on overall problems.
Guideline
Final authority for policy formulation rests with the council, but the manager should play an integral role in developing and analyzing alternatives for the council’s consideration and be responsible for implementation of council-approved policy.
3. Budget
The manager should be designated by legislation as having responsibility for preparation of the budget, presentation to the council, and direct responsibility for the administration of the council-approved budget.
Guideline
While the manager should have responsibility for preparing and presenting the budget to the council, it is recognized that many parties often participate in the budget process and may contribute to the development of the manager’s recommended budget. Once approved by council, the manager is responsible for implementing and administering the budget.
4. Appointing Authority
Legislation should delegate full authority to the manager for the appointment and removal of at least most of the heads of the principal departments and functions of the local government.
Guideline
The manager’s ability to independently select the most qualified personnel for key department head positions and remove them when necessary is essential to his or her administrative effectiveness. Within this context, it is recognized that a manager may choose to consult with and seek consensus from council on the appointment and dismissal of key department heads.
Though the preferred arrangement is for the manager to have independent authority to appoint and remove key department heads, recognition in the C-M category will also be extended to those communities in which council is given the authority by legislation to confirm, validate, or ratify such personnel actions, as long as responsibility for recommending them remains with the manager.
5. Organizational Relationships
The department heads the manager appoints should be designated by legislation as administratively responsible to the manager.
6. Qualifications
Qualifications for the position should be based on the educational and administrative background of the candidates.
Guideline
Appointment to the manager’s position should be based on professional experience, administrative qualifications, and education to ensure that the community is served by a competent, well-trained professional. Political affiliations should not in any way influence appointment.
- Recognition of a General Management Position
1. Appointment
The position should be filled by appointment made by an elected representative or representatives and shall be responsible to an elected representative and/or representatives.
Guideline
Overall management is the link between the political leadership and program execution. It is essential that the person filling the position of overall management be appointed by and responsible for the legislative body or the chief elected official of the local government.
2. Policy Formulation
(Same as for council-manager position.)
Guideline
The position of overall management is responsible for creative initiative in the development of public policy alternatives and recommendations for consideration by elected officials throughout the spectrum of the local government’s functions. Responsibility for policy formulation means that the person in the position has access to the council and works with its members even though s/he may report directly to the mayor. In the case of a council-appointed administrator, his/her access should be direct.
3. Budget
The position should have major responsibility for the preparation and administration of the operating and capital improvements budget.
Guideline
Both elements should be present because it is through the administration of the operating budget that basic management control is exercised, and it is the budget preparation process that concerns itself with resource use. The term “major responsibility” refers to appointed positions and not elected positions. This may become critical in evaluating the work of a mayor-appointed administrator.
4. Appointing Authority
The position should exercise significant influence in the appointment of key administrative personnel.
Guideline
The direct or legal appointive power will vary considerably. The fact that the position may have authority only to recommend the appointment of department heads should not in and of itself exclude the local government from recognition. Neither is there any fixed formula as to which or how appointments may be influenced.It will be necessary to view this in the context of the position’s total responsibility, particularly for the budget process. It is important that the position should have authority to appoint a sufficient share of the management staff to control budget preparation and administration.
5. Organizational Relationships
The position should have a continuing direct relationship with the operating department heads on the implementation and administration of the programs.
Guideline
It is important that the position be recognized within the local government organization as the principal general management professional. The relationship is most clear if the position has direct supervision of department heads. The real issue, however, is the day-in and day-out influence the position has over department heads. At a minimum, it should be expected that overall management responsibility includes the status of first peer among administrative peers in a horizontal organization.
6. Qualifications
(Same as for council-manager position.)
Guideline
This criterion simply means that the person should be chosen on merit and that s/he should have significant administrative experience and educational background. It excludes the strictly “political” appointment. It does not mean, however, that the person must have local government experience per se.
Getting Started
To apply for ICMA Recognition, complete the brief Recognition application and submit it to ICMA along with copies of the following three documents:
1. The ordinance, resolution, or other enabling legislation that created the chief administrative officer’s position;
2. The position job description;
3. The community’s organizational chart.
The Recognition Process
After reviewing the submitted documents and comparing the duties and responsibilities of the position to the criteria listed above, ICMA staff makes an initial recommendation for recognition either as a GM or CM position. That recommendation and all supporting materials are then sent to the state association president for his/her review and recommendation. Upon receiving a recommendation back from the state association president, application packets for CM recognition are reviewed by and, if appropriate, can be unilaterally approved by ICMA’s Executive Director. Applications for General Management recognition that have been approved by the state association are automatically sent to the full ICMA Executive Board for approval. Both CM and GM recognitions are presented to the ICMA Executive Board as a consent agenda item.
Once a local government Recognition application has been approved, ICMA will send a certificate to the chief administrative officer and the community is listed in ICMA’s online Directory of ICMA-Recognized Local Governments. Unless serious changes are made to the position’s duties and responsibilities, or the position is eliminated, ICMA Recognition lasts forever. To upgrade the Recognition status of a CAO position from GM to CM, local governments follow the same process as if they were applying for first-time recognition.
Timetable
How quickly an application for ICMA Recognition can be processed depends on when the ICMA Executive Board is meeting and the amount of time required for ICMA and the state association to review the submitted materials. The ICMA Executive Board meets four times a year, usually in February, during the summer; in conjunction with the ICMA Annual Conference, and in November or December.
Florida Communities Currently Recognized by ICMA
Along with 232 municipalities and organizations, these Florida counties currently hold ICMA Recognition:
Alachua (GM)
Bay (CM)
Brevard (GM)
Broward (GM)
Charlotte (CM)
Citrus (CM)
Collier (GM)
De Soto (CM)
Escambia (CM)
Flagler (GM)
Hardee (CM)
Hernando (GM)
Hillsborough (CM)
Indian River (CM)
Jackson (CM)
Lake (CM)
Lee (CM)
Leon (CM)
Manatee (CM)
Marion (CM)
Martin (GM)
Monroe (GM)
Okaloosa (CM)
Okeechobee (CM)
Orange (GM)
Osceola (CM)
Palm Beach (CM)
Pasco (CM)
Pinellas (CM)
Polk (CM)
Santa Rosa (CM)
Sarasota (GM)
Seminole (CM)
St. Johns (CM)
St. Lucie (GM)
Volusia (CM)
Wakulla (CM)
Washington (CM)
For more information on the ICMA Recognition Program, contact Jared Dailey, Program Manager, at (202) 962-3557 or jdailey@icma.org.
