Facts About The City of Manassas

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CITY OVERVIEW DESCRIPTION

     The City of Manassas operates the Council-Manager form of government by authority of a Charter granted by the General Assembly of Virginia. The City Council is composed of a Mayor and six (6) Councilmen whos members served four (4) staggered year terms. Members are elected at large in elections helf in May of even numbered years. The City Council is the policy making body of our local government. The Councilmen enact the laws, established the policies and mold the government programs for the City.

     The City Manager is appointed by the Council to administer the laws and oversee the day-to-day operations of Manassas.

     You elect a Commissioner of the Revenue and a Treasurer for four years.

     The Sheriff and Commonwelth's Attorney are elected jointly by the voters of Prince William County, Manassas and Manassas Park.

     Your City Clerk and the City Attorney are appointed by the Council, as are various special boards, commissions, committees, etc.

     All department heads and other city officials are appointed by the City Manager, unless other wise provided by the City Charter.

     In Manassas local government cleans, plows and repairs streets. Garbage and trash are picked up regularly from citizen's homes. Police and helath services help keep the city free form crime and disease. Fire and Rescue services are provided jointly by volunteers and your government. All these services and more are provided by Manassas' Council-Manager form of government. Under this system, elected officials and professional public administrators work together to keep the City running smoothly and efficiently. Each factor in the system has a unique and specific role, and contributes to the successful working of your local government.

MAYOR

     The mayor is the chief elected official of the City. He serves as presiding officer of the City and has powers to appoint, with the advice and consent of the Council, members of boards and advisory bodies to the Council. In case of tie votes, the Mayor must cast his vote to break a tie. He may influence the outcome of Council business and can veto ordinances passed by Concil. It takes two-thirds Council vote to override that veto.

CITY COUNCIL

     The Council is the body which makes legislative and policy decisions based on the authority specifically delegated to it by the Constitution and General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Council consists of six (6) members elected at large. The Council also serves as the voice of the citizens and brings concerns of the people to the attention of the City and seeks solutions to citizen's problems. It has the power to initiate, pass, amend or repeal any laws of the City within the framework of the City Charter and State Statutes.

     The Council has set aside one (1) hour before one Council meeting each month to hear citizen's comments, suggestions and complaints.

CITY MANAGER

     The unique aspect of Council-Manager form of government is the fact that the City's day-to-day operations are carried out not by elected officials but a professional administrator hired by the City Council. It is the City Manager's responsibility to appoint other professionals to head various City departments, and to see that Council policies are carried out in an effecient and smoothly-functioning City administration.

     The Manager can be replaced by a majority vote of the Council at anytime if the Council determines that he/she is not doing an adequate job. The City Manager attends all Council meetings and contributes to the discussions, but does not have a vote on matters. The Manager is charged with the responsibility to enforce all laws, appoint and remove department heads, prepare the annual budget, act as a technical advisor to the Council, suggest items he/she believes would be beneficial to the City and manage virtually all City personnel and operations.

CITY CLERK

     The city Clerk is appointed by the Council. The Clerk's duties fall into three main areas: serving as a Clerk for the City Counci; maintaining official records of the City; providing for the many requests fro City related informaiton; and maintaing files and stocks of City publicaitons, maps and other public materials.

BOARDS, COMMITTEES AND COMMISSIONS

     There are basically three types of board and advisory groups in the city government, including advisory groups in the city government, including amny seperate entities appointed by the Mayor with City Council approval. Most of the citizens serve on these boards without pay and memberships varies in number with each group.

     Three Main categories are:

     ADMINISTRATIVE - These boards have some control over their own matters and usually derive their ongoing purposes and authority from State legislation. The Airport Board is an example.

     QUASI-JUDICIAL - Evidence is presented where some fact or situation is contested. The Board of Zoning Appeals is such a board.

     ADVISORY - These groups study problems assigned to them by Council and make recommendations to the Council. The Planning Commission and Architectural Review Board are two such advisory boards.

CITIZEN GROUPS

     Manassas citizens have the chance to participate in the operaiton of their city government on more than just election day. Many individuals, neighborhood associations, ad hoc committees and civic organizations are heard each year by your council and their recommendations are considered.

     The quality of the local government is insured by three elements: qualified elected officials, professional staff and, most importantly, citizens themselves. Without any of these key parts, Manassas would not be the dynamic community it is today.

MEETING SCHEDULE

     Regular Council meetins are held in the Council Chamber, City Hall at 5:30 p.m. on the second Monday of the month and at 5:30 p.m. on the last Monday of the month. On the last Monday of the month time is reserved at 7:30 p.m. to hear any citizen on any subject relative to city governmental affairs. Citizen input is IMPORTANT, let your city government hear from YOU!!!

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