The purpose of this assignment is to become more familiar with local government structure and

its affect in decision making processes particularly as it relates to major issues facing local

municipalities. For this assignment, you will be required to attend (1) incorporated Village Board

meeting (i.e. in Illinois: Addison, Claremont Hills, Matteson, Rosemont) and (1) incorporated

City Council meeting (i.e. in Illinois: Aurora, Peoria, Joliet, Rockford). The Village Board

meeting shall be a place where there is Village manager or administrator, and the City Council

meeting shall be a place where there is a Mayor and possibly, a city manager.

Notes:

1. The municipalities you choose do not need to be located within Illinois.

2. You are to attend a “traditional meeting” where all members are in attendance and not a

committee meeting.

3. Research municipalities in advance so that you have foundational knowledge of the area

to which you can develop a better understanding of issues discussed at municipal

meetings.

4. Many municipalities post meeting agendas on their respective websites. I encourage

you to review agendas in advance so that you choose to attend a meeting that contains an

agenda item tied to a significant issue that the municipality is attempting to address (i.e.

unemployment, pension, etc.).

Section A

During your observations, compare and contrast across the two meetings/municipalities (and

discuss within your paper):

1. The role of the Village Manager or administrator with that of the Mayor.

2. The role of the Village Board Members with that of the City Council Members.

3. The participation of the other people in attendance, other then the elected officials and

Manager, i.e., citizens, other staff, consultants, media.

4. The differences in how the discussion of major issues (including the issue you have

identified as being significant) is facilitated during the meeting.

Section B

Interview either the Village Manager or Mayor of the municipalities that you visited. Obtain

his/her insight on the process/activities/decisions involved in managing the affairs of the

municipalities to which they are responsible. Learn more on the significant issue you have

identified that is facing the elected body and municipality and learn the strategies to address the

issue being considered by the elected body. Take good notes during the interviews so that you

can integrate quotes within your final paper.

Section C

Based on your observations, interviews, research on the municipalities and course readings, write a (9-10) pages paper analyzing your research findings. At a minimum your paper must discuss the

following:

1. How the different government bodies conduct business and make decisions. Pay particular

attention to the role each member of the elected body plays in the discussion/decision making

process. Who holds the decision making power within each municipal structure?

Who appears to be more in control of the agenda? (please see Section A above for

guidance)

2. Considering the major issue you have identified, discuss the strategies being considered by

the municipal leadership. What issues/concerns do you have related to the municipality’s ability

to address the issue within a feasible timeframe (you can contextualize this discussion by

focusing on the effectiveness of the current municipal leadership structure (i.e.

Board/Administrator; Mayor/Council) or by offering examples of best practices that are aligned

with the issue and implemented by other municipalities (at minimum, two best practices must be

discussed [requires external research].

Please see syllabus for general instruction in writing a paper for this course.

Answer rating: 100% (QA)

section 1 1 The role of the Village Manager or administrator with that of the Mayor The Village Manager or administrator is responsible for the day to day operations of the Village while the Mayor is ... View the full answer