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I. Introduction <br />Whether organized under state statutes ors home rule charter, the city <br />council has to make important decisions regarding how it distributes <br />responsibilities to a variety of offices. The challenge in structuring any <br />govemment is achieving the appropriate balance between the elected <br />leadership, who represent the voter;, and professions! management. <br />This memo discusses the similarities end differences between the city <br />clerk, city administrator. and city manager positions. In addition, it outlines <br />the duties and responsibilities ofeach position and describes the different <br />forms of government under which these positions exist. <br />Types of cities <br />Mtan snn. en ats. Minnesota has two basic types of cities: statutory cities, which operate <br />Mfap, rut. cn. tto primarily under Chapter 412 of the Mimlesota Statutes; and home rule <br />chatter cities, which operate under a local charter. Statutory cities may <br />choose from throe forms of govetmnetlt organisation: Standard Plan <br />statutory cities, Plan A statrtory cities, and Plan B statutory cities. <br />u''"dn01s` rtgP'a;• ~ Statutory cities have weak tnayoo-councils. This meads the mayor has atl <br />the rights, powers, and duties of a councilmember in addition to those <br />specific to a mayor. The council az a whole retains ultimate administrative <br />aad legislative responsibility and authority, except where an independem <br />board, such az a utilities commission, has one or more specific functions. <br />FlandtaoY. Clwpler Y, jn hp~. [Ule charter Clhea, the city charter defines the powers of elected <br />officials and appointed staff. Home rule charter cities should consult their <br />charters to determine the specific powers a particular city official <br />. possesses. <br />A. Standard Plan cities <br />MINL 5W. ~ it2o?, wbd. <br />=: <br />Minn. Seal.; 412191, The SAM Plan city has a city council consisting of the elected mayor, <br />~ an elected city clerk, and three or five elected council members <br />Th <br /> <br />sa Ftanabootc. cluptar3, . <br />e <br />Standard Plan city operates with a weak mayor-comtcil. The treasurer is an <br />seem ~ ~~~ <br />PrOL elected position, burt sot a member of the council. The clerk and treasurer <br /> Positions tnay be combined into one elected position. There are 102 <br /> Standard Plan cities in Mimesota. <br />nr+nn. sm. g autsr <br />wnd. t. Tn 1967, aU Standard Plan cities were <br />required to assume the Plan A form <br /> by Jan. I, 1970, milers the city voters rejected the t'~ptional Plan A between <br /> May 4, 1967, and Jas 1, 1970. <br />Mtno. smc ¢ st..srt. <br />soma ~. s Cities ~~ udder Plan A or Plan B may choose to revert to the <br /> Standard Plan if the voters <br />approve it at a special electioa <br />I,6ACUa e! nIMtB1tYG Cmtt <br />-38- <br />