How Cities Structure Authority and Decision Making

This module explains the three primary forms of municipal government used in Florida. Learners will understand how authority is distributed, how executive and legislative roles are assigned, and how each form influences daily operations.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this module, learners should be able to:

  1. Identify the council–manager, council–weak mayor, and council–strong mayor forms.
  2. Explain how decision making differs in each form.
  3. Recognize the role of a city manager in the council–manager model.
  4. Understand how executive authority shifts in a strong mayor system.
  5. Describe why some cities use hybrid systems.

Quiz

1. What is the most common form of municipal government in Florida?
2. Which form distributes administrative responsibilities across the entire council?
3. Why do some cities use hybrid forms of government?
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