Criteria for Evaluating the Effectiveness of City Government

We thank Dick Drogosz for this one. Dick was instrumental in the formation of Vision 2020. Since his retirement from Honeywell, Dick has given his time and energy to the future of Freeport. Our city shall long remember his accomplishments.

Here are Dick's criteria with responses showing the benefits of a Managerial Form of Municipal Government.

a. Frees up Mayor and Council to focus on future planning vs. managing day-to-day activities.

All daily administration of the city government is the responsibility of the City Manager. The Mayor and City Council are responsible for policy & legislation, future planning, and directing the City Manager’s performance.

b. Provides the capability for an accountable, cost-effective and efficient government.

The professional experienced City Manager runs the government like a business. The Manager is accountable to the Mayor and City Council for accomplishing established goals and objectives for city operations.

c. Helps Freeport become more responsive and easy to do business with.

A professional experienced city manager knows where the resources are and is better equipped to respond to opportunities from a business perspective without respect to his/her public image.

d. Allows time for Mayor to play a stronger role in Economic Development towards retaining existing and attracting new business.

Because the Mayor is free from the daily administration of city government, he/she has more time available to sit down with present and future employers. The Mayor and City Manager then act as a team to help current and future businesses grow and prosper.

e. Provides for continuity of leadership over time.

Every four to eight years, Freeport moves through a learning curve while each new Mayor and Councilperson tries to figure out how to operate the government. A qualified experienced professional City Manager is business focused rather than politically driven and bridges gaps from election to election.