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Surviving the Politics of Public Administration: A Toolkit for Assistants

by Troy Brown

Download: Surviving the Politics of Public Administration: A Toolkit for Assistants
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The council-manager form of government is a widely practiced form. With it, a local government manager or administrator is appointed by an elected body to study issues, make recommendations, and implement policies set by an elected board while being responsible for the day-to-day administration of the organization. In most cases, an assistant or deputy not only serves as an aide to the manager but also assumes some of the responsibility for implementing administrative functions. This article describes the differences between policy and administration--a line that often is blurred--and offers strategies to help assistants cope in the midst of deteriorating council-manager relations.