City managers administer 96 Illinois municipalities

The manager-council plan emphasizes democratic control and executive leadership. Whether city managers take a strong public stance or exist in the shadow of the city council, administrative efficiency is the code they are judged by

THERE ARE 2,500 manager cities in the United States, with 96 of them in Illinois. Glencoe was the first Illinois city to adopt the plan (1914). Eighty-five of the state's 96 cities adopted the manager plan after 1950, with 28 of these making this decision after 1970. The preponderance (76) of Illinois manager cities are in the Chicago area suburbs. Those that have recently adopted the plan are found in a variety of cities, but most are upper income communities like those on the lake shore north of Chicago. Low income cities include Markham and Maywood. In the other major metropolitan area—St. Louis—only three Illinois suburbs have a manager.

Most Illinois managers are in relatively large cities. More than half of the state's cities over 50,000 have the manager plan, while only 3 per cent of those under 10,000 have it. In this latter category, virtually all of the 25 managers are in the larger villages or cities. Villages or small cities simply cannot afford professional administration and often do not really require it.

Basically the manager plan calls for a directly elected council which appoints an administrator called a city manager who generally has complete administrative responsibility for the conduct of city affairs.

The best combination
"No system is perfect, but the council-manager form allows the best possible combination of democracy and efficiency in local government"—Harold Alderfer, American Local Government and Administration (Bobbs-Merrill, 1956), p. 308.

"Permit me to say in language as plain as I can make it that city managers have made the outstanding contribution to public administration in the United Slates in the 20th century"—Charles Merriam, quoted in Ronald Loveridge, City Managers in Legislative Politics (Bobbs-Merrill, 1971). p. 11.

These glowing words are based on the reformer ideal that democracy could be rescued from the curses of bossism, corruption and incompetence by infusions of efficiency through a strong executive. Efficiency simply meant putting a politically responsible person in charge of things, giving him authority and resources, and holding him responsible for producing results. Of course, it hasn't always worked precisely the way reformers hoped.

The growth rate
While only about 8 per cent of the cities in Illinois have managers, those cities have about 2.25 million residents, or about 30 per cent of the state's population outside of the city of Chicago. Generally, manager cities are fast growing because they are in expanding suburban areas. Therefore, although urbanized areas in Illinois grew about 17 per cent during the last decade, most of the cities that adopted the plan in the 1960's grew at a faster rate than the average. The fastest growing manager cities (growth rates exceeding 100 per cent) were all in the Chicago suburbs, while the manager cities that lost population were downstate.

If there is an average manager city in Illinois, it would be a Chicago suburb of 25,000 population which adopted the plan during the late 1950's. The closest city to this arithmetical average is Palatine, in northwest Cook County, which adopted the plan in 1958 when only 8.000 citizens lived there. There have been five managers since that time; none for more than Five years. Palatine experienced explosive growth during these years and in 1973 had 28,800 persons. This growth has changed the community substantially and plagued manager and council alike. The most recent political change involves election of a Republican council slate.

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Abandonments of the manager plan suggest a different pattern. Through 1969 three Illinois cities, Alton, East Moline and Savanna, abandoned the city manager form by vote of the people. In 1959 East Moline became the first city to abandon the plan, followed by Alton in 1962 and Savanna in 1969. As far as can be determined, factors such as poor managerial public relations and civic desire for a less centralized system played a key role in these abandonments. These were not particularly fast growing cities, and the civic culture was not apparently conducive to city managers.

Other cities, such as Schiller Park, have abandoned the plan apparently through disuse. But in Illinois, as in the nation, adoptions are more common than abandonments.

Whether the manager plan works or not, it is clear that the position does dramatically highlight efficiency and democracy. In theory, the council cannot interfere with manager prerogatives to hire, fire and run the city. They can only dismiss him for whatever reasons the council wishes. This ability to fire him at any time for any reason is a classic demonstration of democratic control.

The manager plan sprang from the reform tradition at the turn of the century. The first managers were engineers, hired to pave streets and install ac-

Table 1. City manager municipalities in Illinois

City and decade adopted	1970 Population	1960-1970 growth rate	Present city manager year appointed
Before 1940
Glencoe	10,542	0.7%	Robert B. Morris, 51
Glenview	24,880	37.2	Robert van Deusen, 62
Kenilworth	2,980	0.7	Kenneth A. Tcrlip, 74
Riverside	10,432	7.0	C. Harold Eash, 68
Wilmette	32,125	13.7	Stan E. Kennedy,74
Winnetka	14,131	5.7	RobertA.Buechner,71
1940-1949
Brook field	20,284	-0.7	RichardW.Scott.69
Galena	3,930	-10.9	Ed Pcrleth, 73
Hinsdale	15,918	23.8	James W. Lincoln, 73
Park Ridge	42,379	30.0	Herman C. Spahr, 70
Western Springs	12,147	12.2	0. J. Willoughby, 66
1950-1959
Arlington Heights	64,884	132.7	L. A. Hanson, 58
Bloomington	39,956	10.3	Richard D. Blodgctt, 70
Centralia	15,217	9.4	Norman Schuchman, 73
Champaign	56,532	14.0	V. Eugene Miller, 74
Crystal Lake	14,541	74.9	Robert H. Walker, 72
Decatur	90,397	15.9	Leslie T. Alien. 72
Deerfield	18,949	60.8	Norris W. Stilphen. 59
Elgin	56,705	12.6	Leo Nelson, 72
Elmhurst	50,547	36.6	Robert T. Palmer, 53
Elmwood Park	26,160	9.6	Richard B. Nuzzo. 75
Evanston	79.808	0.7	Edward A. Martin, 71
Galesburg	36.390	-2.6	Tom Herring, 60
Greenville	4,631	1.4	Danny Davis, 73
Highland	5,981	21.0	Oliver R. Bishop, 73
Highland Park	32,263	26.4	Larry Rice, 75
Homewood	18.871	41.1	Terrancc Burghard, 72
Joliet	80,541	20.4	Lynn A. Neuhart, 75
La Grange	16,773	9.7	Stephen Bcrley, 72
Lake Forest	15,642	46.4	Gerald E. Hagman, 72
Lombard	35,977	59.5	Paul L. White, 69
Mascoutah	5,045	39.2	D. L. Sitton, 68
May wood	30,036	9.9	Mark W. Kitch, 74
Mount Prospect	34,995	85.1	RobertJ.Eppley.71
Mount Vernon	15,980	2.7	Raymond Botch, Jr., 70
Northbrook	27,297	134.6	RobertA.Wcidaw,63
Northfield	5.010	25.1	John H. Eckenroad. 69
Northlake	14.212	15.4	Herbert Kip, 74
Oak Lawn	60.325	119.5	Kenneth McDonald, 73
Oak Park	62,521	2.3	LeeA.Ellis.71
Palatine	25,923	125.2	Anton H. Harwig, 74
Park Forest	30,716	2.2	Robert G. Pierce, 62
Peoria	126,964	23.1	Robert 0. Wright, 70
Rock Island	50,250	-3.3	Raymond P. Botch, 61
Salem	6.187	0.4	Lawrence A. Asaro, 73
Skokie	68,571	15.6	John N. Matzer, Jr., 70
Villa Park	25,798	27.0	Robert Gostanian, 74
Westchester	20,033	10.7	Charles M.Danek, 57
Wood River	13.186	12.8	Richard Undcrkoflcr, 74
Woodstock	10,226	14.9	John A. H ayes, 73

City and decade adopted	1970 Population	1960-1970 growth rate	Present city manager year appointed
1960-1969
Adddison	24,482	263.2	Wiliam G. Steffey, 71
Barrington	7.701	41.7	DeanH.Maiben.71
Carbondale	22,816	55.5	Carroll J. Fry, 72
Carpentersville	24,059	38.1	George A.Shaw.68
DeKalb	32,928	78.2	Donald Crawford, 69
Downers Grove	32,700	54.8	James Gricsenier, 72
Elk Grove Village	24,516	271.0	CharlesA.Willis.67
Flossmoor	7,846	69.7	Charles Stinnett. 74
Hoffman Estates	22,238	168.1	Geo P. Longmeyer, 72
La Grange Park	15.626	13.3	CharlesH.Lively.73
Libertyville	11,684	36.5	Alien H. Schertz, 65
Markham	15,987	36.6	Andrew W. Smith. 74
Niles	31,460	54.1	Kenneth R. Schecl, 67
Normal	26,346	97.6	David S. Anderson, 69
Oak Brook	4.118	N/A	K. G. Carnugnani, 73
Streamwood	18,176	277.0	John F. Pctrie, Jr., 69
Westmont	8,482	41.4	MacD. Manning, Jr., 69
Wheaton	31,401	28.1	William E. Kirchhoff, 73
Wheeling	14,746	105.7	George C- Passolt, 71
Wood Dale	8.831	187.6	Raeldon R. Barker, 74
1970-After
Bolingbrook	7,275	N/A	Reed F. Carlson, 73
Buffalo Grove	11,799	N/A	Daniel T. Larson, 71
Carol Stream	4,434	N/A	John R. Adamson, 71
Clarendon Hills	6,750	14.7	Paul D.Sharon.73
Evergreen Park	25,487	5.4	Bill P. Perry, 73
Fox River Grove	N/A	N/A	A. Bruce Trcgo. 74
Glendale Heights	11,406	N/A	Jack E. Lantrip, 73
Glen Ellyn	21,909	37.2	William Dixon, 74
Gurnee	2,738	N/A	Robert R. Trigg, 72
Hanover Park	11,916	N/A	R. D. Heninger, 72
Lake Bluff	4,970	42.5	Homer R. Ankrum, 74
Lake Zurich	4,082	18.0	Delmar Hosier, 73
Moline	46,237	8.3	Duanc W.Oliver, 72
Mundelein	16,128	53.2	Frederick Bernhardt, 73
Naperville	23,885	44.7	C. William Norman. 70
Oak Forest	17,870	379.9	RonaldA.Feidner.72
OIncy	8,974	2.2	Dean Schlec, 74
Park Forest South	N/A	N/A	GcorgeJ.Paluch.73
Richton Park	2,558	N/A	Robert Toone, 73
Rolling Meadows	19,178	76.3	James E. Watson, 69
Romeovillie	12,674	254.6	W. Barry Baker, 74
Tinley Park	12,382	93.7	Richard D. Gregg. 74
Vernon Hills	N/A	N/A	Peter Barron, 73
Washington	6,790	14.7	Rod D.CIausen.72
Waterloo	4,546	21.6	Enos Purcell, 71
Woodndge	11,028	N/A	Burton G. Braun, 73

Source: International City Management Association, The Municipal Management Directory 1975. U.S. Bureau of Census, Census of Population: 1970. General Population Characteristics. Final Report PC(1)-B 15, Illinois.

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Nationally, over two-thirds of city managers are college graduates with an average age under 40. Another characteristic they share is short tenure. The average manager stays only three to five years in a city before moving on

counting systems. As the plan spread over time, the emphasis on democratic control and executive leadership became stronger. Writers and observers were more sophisticated about blending the need for executive leadership through managerial expertise with democratic controls through the elected council. Managers, of course, had always known this.

Managers are proud of their efficiency and their deference to democratic norms. They insist on their administrative prerogatives to hire, fire and prepare the budget even as they take care not to ruffle council members' feathers. They take pride in the fact that their job is on the line every Monday night when the city council meets, and they take pains to reduce conflict situations that might really endanger their position. They behave, in Illinois and elsewhere, precisely as any professional public executive would under similar circumstances.

Common characteristics
Looked at nationally, most managers comprise a relatively homogeneous lot. They are 99 per cent male, 98 per cent Caucasian and heavily Protestant. Over two-thirds are college graduates with an average age under 40. Over the years the average age has declined and engineering has been replaced by liberal arts and business or public administration as the commonest college major. A Final common characteristic they share is short tenure. The average manager stays only three to five years in a city before moving on. While there are no separate statistics for Illinois, it is unlikely that the managers here vary much from these averages.

There are a number of criticisms of the manager plan, all of which are heard in Illinois as well as nationally. One involves manager attitudes. Some claim that managers are insensitive to social issues, that they have an engineering "nuts and bolts" set of values which focuses on paving the most streets for the dollar. These critics feel that the manager treats people as things or objects in his attempt to run the city. On the other hand, many times a manager's plans come under heavy fire because the manager shakes up people with new ideas, paying too little attention to the traditional ways of doing things. At the other extreme, managers are seen as pawns in the hands of the council. Thus, the manager is perceived as being too efficient and/or dictatorial, yet he is also seen, often by the same people, as too dominated by politicians and not tough enough to get the job done.

Table 2
Manager cities in Illinois by size as of January 1972

Population* 10,000 or less 10,000-50,000 50,000 and over Total

All cities 1,108    137     22 1,267

Manager cities 25 58 13 96

Number Pct.   3% 42% 59%   8%

* Based on 1970 census figures.

Some cities have managers who take a strong public stance on issues, appear frequently in public, and seem to be the dominant forces in their communities. Other managers exist in the shadow of the council, restricting their views to personal conversations and responses to council requests. They consciously maintain a low profile. Most managers fall between these extremes, but under changing circumstances will adopt different strategies in order to survive and to forward the policies they favor.

Two basic groups
It is possible to divide managers into two broad groups, those that see themselves as community and policy leaders and those that see themselves as administrators. A community leader sees his responsibility to propose policy issues to the council even if they are not necessarily popular, while an administrator is likely to emphasize his role as a technician carrying out council policy. Those who see themselves as community leaders, however, are often reluctant to make public appearances on controversial topics if it can be avoided. Theoretically, once the issue has been settled by the council, the manager can legitimately speak out in defense or explanation of municipal policies. Even activist managers prefer to avoid the spotlight. A recent national poll indicated that 62 per cent of all managers claim to always or nearly always "play a leading role in policy making," but only 35 per cent always or nearly always "speak on controversial municipal issues before civic, service or business groups"—1975 Municipal Year Book (International City Management Association), p. 153. Managers want a role in policy making, but prefer not to be too far out in front of the council.

The more activist type
While the evidence is not ironclad in Illinois, studies in other states have found that activist managers who take policy leadership tend to be persons who had planned from early college days to become managers. They are generally individuals who are trained in the social sciences with master's degrees in business or public administration. These activists are also the younger managers, according to Ronald Loveridge, City Managers in Legislative Politics.

As suburban cities grow, and adoptions in older cities occasionally occur, the percentage of Illinois residents who reside in manager cities will continue to increase. In some cities, Peoria for example, both the plan itself and individual managers have been controversial. Other cities, such as Glencoe and Deerneld, have been rather quiet and the incumbent managers have been in office for many years. But whether in quiet or turbulent cities, the manager plan has usually lived up to its promise. It has somehow kept the efficiency of centralized management in uneasy balance with popular control by the council. The plan is here to stay. ˛

New state map
The 1975-76 bicentennial edition of the Illinois highway map is now available and can be ordered from MAP, Room 217, Illinois Department of Transportation, 2300 S. Dirksen Parkway, Springrield, Illinois 62764.

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