Office of the Executive Mayor

The roles and functions of the Mayor

The Municipal Structures Act requires the mayor to preside at meetings of the executive committee, performs the duties including any ceremonial functions, and exercises the powers delegated to him or her by the Municipal Council or the Executive Committee.

While mayors and city managers often develop and propose policies, their basic responsibility is to carry out the council’s directives and to implement the policies adopted by the council. Commissioners serve both legislative and executive roles. The relationship of the executive to the legislative body varies by form of local government: mayor-council, council-mayor, or commission.

Mayors, county executives, city managers, and staff do not make policy decisions. However, they have strong influence on the policymaking process and its resultant decisions. For example, they propose budgets, oversee staff-led studies and analyses related to proposed policies, and make policy recommendations to councils. Through their ongoing contacts with key interest groups, elected and appointed chief administrative officers and department heads influence (and are influenced by) other participants in the policy development process.