Question: How does the City Manager address the question as to whether the annexation is in the city’s best interest given the City Council’s decision that the Manager needed to be neutral in his report?

Answer #2 is recommended. A Manager has a responsibility to provide facts and advice on matters of policy to assist policy makers with decisions.  Generally, local government managers are expected to make recommendations on budgets, land use changes, large expenditures and legislative matters where the governing body can benefit from the Manager’s expertise. When considering a complicated issue covered within an ICMA tenet, it is important for the Manager to examine more than one ICMA tenet.  While the general debate on annexation is not about the service, legal, and financial facts (rather about political power), the Manager needs to be careful not to appear to be counting votes or appearing political in this issue.  In this example, the City Manager’s responsibility is limited to providing the facts and advising Council if annexation is feasible.

Correct! A Manager has a responsibility to provide facts and advice on matters of policy to assist policy makers with decisions.  Generally, local government managers are expected to make recommendations on budgets, land use changes, large expenditures and legislative matters where the governing body can benefit from the Manager’s expertise. When considering a complicated issue covered within an ICMA tenet, it is important for the Manager to examine more than one ICMA tenet.  While the general debate on annexation is not about the service, legal, and financial facts (rather about political power), the Manager needs to be careful not to appear to be counting votes or appearing political in this issue.  In this example, the City Manager’s responsibility is limited to providing the facts and advising Council if annexation is feasible.

Answer #2 is recommended. A Manager has a responsibility to provide facts and advice on matters of policy to assist policy makers with decisions.  Generally, local government managers are expected to make recommendations on budgets, land use changes, large expenditures and legislative matters where the governing body can benefit from the Manager’s expertise. When considering a complicated issue covered within an ICMA tenet, it is important for the Manager to examine more than one ICMA tenet.  While the general debate on annexation is not about the service, legal, and financial facts (rather about political power), the Manager needs to be careful not to appear to be counting votes or appearing political in this issue.  In this example, the City Manager’s responsibility is limited to providing the facts and advising Council if annexation is feasible.