The City of Rome has a strong-mayoral form of government. Most major American cities use the strong-mayoral form of government, although some use a weak-mayoral form. Under the weak-mayoral form of government, the authority over the day to day operations of government typically rests with a city manager who is not elected but is a full-time, permanent city employee and the elected mayor is largely ceremonial.
The Mayor of the City of Rome has clear administrative authority over municipal government (day-to-day operations). Additionally, under this system, the Mayor prepares and administers the city budget, directs departments and department heads, reviews and appoints personnel, and sets city policy in many regards.
Additionally, the Mayor presides over the city’s Board of Estimate & Contract, which carries out the mayor’s budget and approves or defeats proposed contracts between the city and vendors or outside organizations. In the City of Rome, the mayor’s proposed budget must be approved by the Common Council.
In the City of Rome, the Common Council is our main elected body. There are eight elected members of the Common Council, seven elected from each ward of the city and a Common Council president elected by the entire city.
Regular meetings of the Common Council are held on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the Common Council chambers at City Hall. The council considers legislation, must approve a city budget and makes local laws and rules.