Local Government 101: Understanding How Decisions Are Made in Your City

The Process: From Idea to Action

Every policy, ordinance, or budget decision follows a process — but it’s not always a straight line. It usually starts with an issue or idea: maybe a neighborhood wants safer crosswalks or a new park. Staff might research the idea, boards and commissions may study it and offer recommendations, and elected officials debate, amend, and vote. Once a decision is made, city staff carry it out.

In many communities, proposals also go through public meetings or hearings before a vote. And local governments must follow state and federal laws, which can shape what they’re allowed to do.

But here’s the key: community voices run through every step. Elected officials are part of that community and often bring forward resident concerns. Boards and commissions are made up of residents themselves, adding lived experience and subject-matter expertise. Staff also engage with the public, whether through surveys, meetings, or direct service.

Rather than a one-way path, it’s best to think of local government as a cycle of communication and action:
Community ↔ Elected Officials ↔ Staff ↔ Boards/Commissions ↔ Implementation ↔ Back to Community.

The Org Chart: Who’s Who

Local governments can look like a jumble of titles, but each role fits into a bigger picture. Here’s a simple way to think about it:

• Residents – This is you! Everything starts with the people who live in the community. Residents raise issues, vote for officials, and provide input.
  
  
• Elected Officials (Mayor, City Council, Aldermen, Commissioners, etc.) – These are your representatives. They set the community’s direction by passing ordinances (local laws), approving budgets, and setting priorities.
  
  
• Boards and Commissions – Appointed residents who study issues in detail and make recommendations to elected officials. They act as a bridge between the public and government staff.
  
  
• City Manager or Administrator – Think of this role as the city’s “chief executive.” They don’t make laws but instead carry out the policies that the council approves. They oversee staff, manage the budget, and ensure services get delivered.
  
  
• Departments – The workforce of local government. Each department is organized a lot like a mini-organization, with its own leadership and staff:
  
  
  • Director or Department Head – Oversees the whole department, sets goals, and manages the budget.
    
    
  • Division Managers or Supervisors – Handle specific areas (for example, one manager might oversee road maintenance while another focuses on water systems).
    
    
  • Staff Specialists – Planners, engineers, librarians, social workers, police officers, and others who carry out day-to-day work.
    
    
  • Frontline Workers – The people you often see in action: sanitation workers collecting trash, firefighters responding to calls, or recreation staff running programs at a community center.

Departments: The Building Blocks

Departments are where ideas and decisions turn into action. They’re the hands-on part of local government, taking the priorities set by elected officials and turning them into real-world services. Every city organizes departments a little differently, but most communities include some version of these:

• Public Works – Roads, water systems, trash collection, snow removal, and maintenance of public spaces. If you drive, walk, or bike in your city, you benefit from this department.
  
  
• Planning & Development (or Community Development) – Handles zoning, building permits, housing, land use, and long-term growth strategies. They shape what your city will look like in five, ten, or twenty years.
  
  
• Parks & Recreation – Manages parks, athletic fields, trails, community centers, and often cultural or recreation programs. They’re the department behind your summer concerts, sports leagues, and playgrounds.
  
  
• Public Safety – Usually includes police, fire, and emergency management. Their mission is to keep residents safe and respond when emergencies happen.
  
  
• Health and Human Services – Provides or coordinates social services like public health clinics, senior programs, childcare assistance, or housing support. This department often works closely with nonprofits and schools.
  
  
• Libraries & Cultural Services – Oversees public libraries, museums, arts programming, and historical preservation. They help keep communities informed and connected.
  
  
• Finance (Treasurer’s or Budget Office) – Manages the city’s money: property taxes, payroll, annual budgets, and long-term financial planning.
  
  
• Economic Development – Attracts businesses, supports local entrepreneurs, and plans for job growth. They balance the city’s need for a strong tax base with opportunities for residents.

In many places, these departments are funded primarily by local property taxes, service fees, and sometimes state or federal grants — which means budgets play a major role in what services can be delivered.

Some larger cities add specialized departments — like Transportation, Environmental Sustainability, or Technology & Innovation — while smaller towns might combine several functions into a single office. In some cases, special districts (like water authorities or school districts) also provide services separate from city departments. No matter the size, departments are where residents most often interact with their government, whether it’s getting a library card, reporting a pothole, or signing up for a recreation program.

Political Structure: Who Leads What

Local governments don’t all look the same. The political structure of a city or county often depends on its size, history, and state laws. Knowing which model your community uses helps you understand who actually makes the decisions and where to direct your voice.

• Mayor–Council System – In this model, the mayor is the chief executive (like a president at the city level), while the council acts as the legislative body. Some mayors are considered “strong mayors”, with day-to-day authority over departments and budgets, while others are “weak mayors”, serving mostly ceremonial or limited roles. The council, meanwhile, passes ordinances (local laws), approves budgets, and sets priorities.
  
  
• Council–Manager System – Here, the city council sets policy but hires a professional city manager to run daily operations. Think of it like a board of directors bringing in a CEO to handle the details. This is especially common in mid-sized and larger cities.
  
  
• Commission System – Less common today but still present in some places, this system puts both legislative and executive powers in the hands of a small group of commissioners. Each commissioner oversees a specific department (like finance or public safety), while also working together as the legislative body.
  
  
• County Commission / Board of Supervisors – In many counties, especially outside of big cities, decision-making authority rests with an elected board of commissioners or supervisors. They set policy, manage budgets, and oversee county departments (such as roads, health, and sheriffs’ offices). Some counties also have an elected executive or administrator who manages operations.
  
  
• Town Meeting / Direct Democracy – Common in smaller towns in New England and elsewhere, residents gather in person at annual or special meetings to vote directly on budgets, ordinances, and other decisions. It’s the closest form of “pure democracy” at the local level.

Why This Matters for You

Local government might feel distant, but it’s actually the level of government that most directly affects your daily life. From the streets you drive on, to the parks you visit, to how development shapes your neighborhood, decisions made by mayors, councils, managers, or commissioners touch every corner of your community.

When you understand the structure where you live, you gain clarity on where your voice matters most — whether that’s emailing a council member, attending a county commission meeting, or voting at a town meeting. It also helps you understand bigger policy choices, like how your city plans for housing, climate, public safety, and infrastructure. Confidence starts with knowing the basics, and once you do, participating becomes much less intimidating.