While not a panacea, thoughtful council member orientation programs are powerful. They are your opportunity to set expectations, clarify roles, be the source of important information about your community, and establish your and your staff’s credibility. In many respects, it’s your opportunity to be in the driver’s seat as you inform and educate council members, some of whom will know very little about how local government works.

A sampling of challenges voiced by ICMA members when it comes to council-manager relationships more than justifies the time and energy an orientation program requires. Members say that

• It’s difficult maintaining continuity when assimilating new council members with existing ones or transitioning to a new council that consists of a majority of new members.
• Council in-fighting can get in the way of business and create a dysfunctional team.
• Newly elected officials often have inaccurate perceptions of local government, particularly of the role of the manager.

Offered here is an article, "Topics to Cover During a New Coucil Member Orientation," excerpted and adapted from “New Council Member Orientation: Developing a Positive Relationship,” by Kevin Duggan and Nadine Levin. "Topics to Cover" describes seven important topic areas to cover during orientation. The full InFocus report also includes reasons for conducting new council member orientation, the structure and components of an effective orientation program, examples of programs, how to plan a program that meets your needs, and leading practices in this area.