the municipal secretary desktop reference manual - Southwestern ...

privately, or interfere with operational duties of such persons. The governing body
should designate how concerns, complaints, and suggestions bearing on day-to-day
municipal operations are to be handled.
Commentary
Once a governing body has delegated responsibility to a manager for the day-to-day operations of the
local government, (consistent with Standard 1 under "Providing for Competent Municipal
Management") elected officials should work through the manager when they have concerns, want
things done, or wish to participate in or observe some aspect of municipal operations. Elected
officials should avoid interfering with operational activities, especially giving orders to employees,
influencing their work, or permitting staff to come to them with grievances or suggestions.
Otherwise, the manager can not be held fully accountable for what occurs and employees may find
themselves trying to satisfy more than one "boss." It can damage the trust that is essential for a good
relationship. As stipulated in this standard, the governing body and the manager should develop a
mutually acceptable policy to guide interactions and communications, which avoids absolute rigidity
but meets the spirit behind the standard.
3. Members of the governing body do not put the manager, administrator or secretary in
an Aimpossible position@ by giving conflicting orders and directions, and/or by involving
him/ her in partisan political disputes or personality clashes.
Commentary
Competent municipal managers, administrators and secretaries will find it difficult to effectively
function in a charged political environment. He/she is obligated to provide information based on
facts and professional judgment, and to suggest alternatives for resolving problems on the issues and
problems facing a municipality. However, when complexity and frustrations cloud the issues and the
decision-making environment for elected officials, they should at best look to the manager,
administrator or secretary to broker and negotiate among them -- not to side with one faction or the
other.
4. The governing body, at least yearly, formally, in writing, provides the manager,
administrator or secretary with an evaluation of his/her performance. This evaluation
is based upon predetermined, measurable goals, objectives and expectations to which
both parties agree.
Commentary
When the governing body is obligated, yearly, to evaluate the performance of the manager,
administrator or secretary on the basis of objective, criteria, and he/she is aware of those areas
against which he/she will be judged, the evaluation can have a stabilizing effect on the relationship
between the parties involved. Although the manager, administrator or secretary serves at the
pleasure of the governing body, and can be summarily dismissed without cause, fairness and respect
for individual rights, dictate that dismissal be based on inadequate performance or failure to meet the
expectations of the majority of the elected officials. This employee should never have to walk into a
public meeting and find, unexpectedly, a resolution for his/her dismissal. If the
manager/administrator/secretary governing body relationship is working well, he/she will keep
elected officials fully apprised, throughout the year, of successes and problems in meeting the
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