Our profession has a proud tradition of bringing ethical, professional management to cities and counties. That said, the general public often has little awareness of the value that council-manager government brings to their communities.

For that reason, ICMA and state associations are often called upon to meet with community groups that are interested in adopting or retaining council-manager government. And when the public understands the difference that professional management brings to their community, more often than not, they choose it.

People voting for council-manager government don’t want cronyism in their local government. They also recognize that if they have a structure that gives the mayor the CEO role, there’s no assurance that every person elected as mayor will possess the essential expertise and skills. They like the council-manager structure because the mayor and elected officials work together to set goals, pass legislation, and hire a well-qualified manager to oversee services and staff. Separating politics from management helps the organization focus on results.

One way that ICMA supports these efforts is to provide financial and staff support to grassroots organizations. The ICMA Future of Professional Management Fund helps pay for mailers, materials, and presentations during form of government campaigns.

In the last five years, this support has led seven communities to adopt the plan, eight communities to retain the plan, and two communities to strengthen management in their charters. Whether the plan is retained in a small city like Maywood, Illinois; or in a large city like Austin, Texas; the key factors are community engagement and the diversity of support.

In this month’s first feature, “Advocating for Council-Manager Government,” author Philip Kiraly emphasizes the importance of helping voters grasp the difference between elected and appointed leadership. ICMA resources give a clear description of the distinct roles and powers of a mayor versus a professional manager. They also provide research on the ways that council-manager governments increase efficiency, control costs, and improve performance compared to other systems.

As Kiraly explains, advocating for the council-manager form of government is a team sport. His article highlights how ICMA and the Illinois City-County Management Association (ILCMA) joined forces to advocate for the plan in nine communities. He adds that too few ICMA members are aware of the association’s advocacy efforts.

“Before joining ILCMA’s board and later becoming president, I had limited understanding of the depth and breadth of ICMA’s advocacy work. What I’ve since seen firsthand is the power of a strong partnership: ILCMA’s dedicated network of senior advisors (seven in all) combined with ICMA’s national platform to create a model for effective local advocacy.”

A top priority for me is to raise awareness of the value of professional local government management. Once people understand the manager’s leadership role in bringing integrity, expertise, and accountability to their communities, the nature of the debate changes.

In an era when loud voices often dominate political debate, it’s more important than ever to have an educated electorate. Working together with our state partners, ICMA ensures that grassroots campaign leaders have the speakers, videos, and materials they need to succeed. With your donations, ICMA’s Future of Professional Management Fund will continue to develop the content and resources that are essential to advocate for professional management.

JULIA D. NOVAK, ICMA-CM, is executive director of ICMA.