Photo by San Pedro Gazette
Many cities in Pinellas County use a city or town manager form of government. Although it’s common, many residents don’t know what this means.
Megan Zemaitis, the newly elected mayor of Kenneth City, took immediate action by firing the town manager, Lacy LaFave, upon being sworn in. This decision was significant because it stripped the town’s executive power from LaFave, and the Council had to assign someone else to temporarily fill the position. Zemaitis was able to terminate the Kenneth City town manager only with the majority of the town council voting in favor of dismissing LaFave.
How did this happen? It has everything to do with the way Kenneth City’s form of government works.
Context for St. Petersburg Residents
St. Petersburg uses a strong-mayor form of government where the mayor holds executive power and makes decisions based on the proposed budgets.
A government has multiple functions:
- Creating and amending laws
- Executing those laws
- Interpreting the laws
The United States follows the principle of separation of power, which means that the legislative branch (represented by Congress) creates and amends laws; it also approves budgets. The judicial branch (represented by the courts) interprets these laws, and these are executed by the executive power, led by the President and its cabinet.
This system ensures that no one branch of government has too much power and that each branch acts as a check and balance on the others.
In St. Petersburg, the City Council passes laws and approves the budget. The mayor keeps track of laws and goals. The Pinellas County courts interpret laws and oversee their application.
But what Does that Look Like at a Local Level?
St. Pete seems to be an outlier in Pinellas County. You won’t find a strong-mayor form of government in Kenneth City, Clearwater, Gulfport, or most municipalities.
Instead, you will run into a council-manager form of government. Understanding the differences between these forms of government can prove helpful when navigating the intricacies of the political and bureaucratic systems in our corner of Florida.
What is a Council-manager Form of Government?
“In 1995, a grand jury investigated the Kenneth City Police Department after allegations of ticket-fixing and harassment,” an article by Jack Evans in the Tampa Bay Times reads. “Though nobody was charged, it had a forceful recommendation: Hire a town manager.”
Kenneth City has had multiple town managers. LaFave is just one of the multiple managers who have worked in the small town north of Gulfport.
In the council-manager form of government, things are different from the form of government seen in St. Petersburg.
What Does a Manager Do in a Council-manager Form of Government?
According to The International City/County Management Association (ICMA), the Town or City Council chooses a manager. These officials can also be terminated by the council, just like what happened in Kenneth City.
The Town or City managers are responsible for drafting a budget and proposing it to the council for approval. They assign roles to employees. Most importantly, managers are responsible for “implementing and enforcing council policies and legislative initiatives.”
Photo via ICMA
As seen in the chart above, the council-manager form assigns the town or city council as the governing body. They oversee the work of the town manager by approving the proposed budget.
The role of a mayor in the council-manager form of government can differ, depending on the city.
For instance, in Kenneth City, the mayor is a part of the council. Also, the mayor is a public and elected official, just as ICMA describes.
The mayor is typically the chair of the council meetings and oversees the public proceedings, ensuring effective governance and a harmonious relationship between the administration and the council members.
About the San Pedro Gazette
Sebastián González de León y León publishes the San Pedro Gazette, a fact-based news site focusing on St. Petersburg city hall.
To support hyperlocal journalism in a meaningful way, The Gabber Newspaper partners with San Pedro Gazette, whose mission it is to “bring stories of policy, science, and humanities to the residents of Saint Petersburg, Florida, and Pinellas County to educate and empower the public.”
This professional grassroots journalism project puts a laser focus on St. Petersburg politics. Don’t stop at reading some of their work here — check out their website and subscribe to their newsletter. You can reach out to Sebastián via email, too.
