The roles of elected officials and senior management are often confused—I myself have done so in the past. This article clarifies the responsibilities of each and emphasizes the importance of maintaining a healthy distance between elected officials and the municipal manager.
What is “sound municipal governance”?
Governance is the decision-making framework that elected officials rely on to run the municipal organization. It defines who decides what, who executes, and how accountability is ensured.
Role of elected officials (mayor and council)
- Decide on the “what”: guidelines, priorities, regulations, public policies.
- Allocate resources: budget, taxes, loans, and financial envelopes.
- Monitor on behalf of citizens: accountability, results, compliance.
- Do not manage day-to-day operations: elected officials do not hire staff or oversee operations (accounting, human resources, responding to citizens, etc.).
Accountability (according to ChatGPT)
The obligation of a person or organization to inform, explain, and justify its decisions, use of resources, and results obtained, and then to accept the consequences (corrections, sanctions, improvements).
Role of the municipal manager (often also clerk and treasurer)
- Execute the “what” by deciding the ‘when’ and “how.”
- Plan, organize, and oversee operations: enforcement of regulations, budgets, grant applications, contracts, infrastructure maintenance, management of staff and consultants, as delegated by the board.
- Act with neutrality and loyalty.
- Contribute to quality of life by ensuring the effective delivery of daily services.
Reference : https://admq.qc.ca/decouvrez-les-fonctions-de-directeur-general-greffier-et-tresorier
Concrete example (minutes of September 8, 2025)
Elected officials adopt a mandate to analyze defamatory communications targeting the municipality and take appropriate legal action (proposal by Andrew J. Pelletier, Cain Lamarre law firm). In this context, it is appropriate to publicly disclose the budget authorized for this mandate.
- Role of elected officials (the “what”): authorize the use of lawyers to analyze cases and protect employees from intimidation, harassment, and damage to their reputation.
- Role of the DG (the “when/how”): working with lawyers, setting the timeline, managing operational and financial follow-up, and applying the appropriate legal measures.
The “right distance” to keep
- Oversight, not interference: the mayor has the right to oversee, inform, and make recommendations, and ensures that council decisions are carried out without directing staff or bypassing the administration.
- Everything goes through the municipal manager: we avoid “bypassing” senior management; direct intervention in operations only occurs if formal authority has been clearly delegated or in an emergency situation.
- Parallel with the private sector: like a board of directors that sets policy without managing day-to-day operations, the city council makes decisions and the CEO manages.
Ethics and professional conduct
Elected officials and senior management must comply with the code of ethics set out in the LEDMM, which guides behavior and prevents conflicts of interest. Each municipality must adopt such a code.
Is it true that the municipal manager must maintain a distance from elected officials in a municipal context in Quebec?
ChatGPT said:
Yes—and this is not just a “rule of common sense,” it is a separation of roles provided for by law and reiterated by supervisory bodies.
- What the law says: The municipal manager is responsible for the administration of the municipality and ensures communication between the council and employees. In other words, the municipal manager is the institutional channel between elected officials and the administrative apparatus. Légis Québec+2Légis Québec+2
- What this means in practice: elected officials set the vision, adopt regulations and the budget; they do not give operational directives directly to employees (urban planning, public works, etc.). Going “over the head” of the municipal manager is considered interference.
- Why maintain this distance: to preserve the neutrality of the administration, avoid the politicization of day-to-day decisions, and protect employees from political pressure. Situations involving interference may be investigated by the Commission municipale du Québec.
In short: yes, the municipal manager must maintain a “professional distance” from elected officials—and elected officials must, in turn, refrain from interfering in the administration outside of the formal channels that go through senior management.. Légis Québec+1
