The Role of Mayor: It's Complicated

Understanding the council-manager form of government

The duties, responsibilities, and authority of the mayor in a particular city depend on the laws of the state it's in, its form of government, its city charter (if home rule), and to an extent, informally, on tradition and precedent. 

On TV, mayors are inevitably of the "strong mayor" type - they run the city; they have all the power. They hire and fire city department heads, summon the police to do their bidding, can approve or kill proposed legislation, have veto power over council decisions, and unilaterally decide whether a development project gets the green light. In some major metropolitan cities such as Chicago and New York, it actually works that way. 

In Texas, Houston is the only major city that officially has a strong mayor form of government. Most either operate in official "weak mayor" mode, where the power is vested in the council as a whole, or council-manager form, where the mayor is also "weak," but the operational authority is the province of a council-appointed city manager. However, some "weak" mayors are stronger than others. 

In a true weak mayor system, the mayor has no more influence with city management/staff and no more inside information regarding city operations than any other councilmember. His/her "special powers" are limited to presiding over the meetings, performing ceremonial duties, and acting as emergency management director in a disaster situation. In Rowlett, according to my observations and experience over twenty years, mayors have been very active in their role (which is good) and have sometimes had more influence in operational decisions than the rest of the council (which, in my opinion, is not so good). 

Some cities have an even number of councilmembers (including the mayor) and the mayor votes only in case of a tie when a member is absent or abstains. We have an odd number (seven) and the mayor has a vote on every issue. The mayor's vote counts for no more or less than any other councilmember's. I believe this is the best system. 

The mayor's relationship with other councilmembers

Due to state laws regarding "walking quorums" (discussion outside of a public meeting with members of the governing body in numbers of a quorum - in our case, between four or more members), the mayor cannot legally directly communicate with all other councilmembers about city matters except in an open meeting when those items are posted on the agenda. 

Casual chats over coffee about upcoming agenda items are verboten once it's been discussed with two other members. Even city matters that might or could possibly come before the council at some point are off-limits. 

It is up to the city manager to ensure that all councilmembers are made aware of issues on an equal basis. The mayor can, however, discuss different issues with different councilmembers (in numbers less than a quorum). Sometimes mayors form their "teams" and communicate almost exclusively with those same members, leaving the rest of the council in the dark. This breeds resentment and distrust. 

This "team" often consists of the mayor pro tem and deputy mayor pro tem. It makes sense in that those are the people who will have to take over the mayor's duties in case s/he is temporarily or permanently unable to serve. However, it creates division and "cliques" among the councilmembers. 

Councilmembers whose priorities and interests align, or whose views on important issues are in agreement, tend to "flock together." That's human nature. But in my opinion the mayor, as leader of the council, doesn't have that luxury. S/he has to work with everyone, regardless of personal feelings or political disagreements. 

My promise to the council is that, as mayor, I will do all I legally can to include and involve all councilmembers, to the extent they want to be involved. We have some good candidates who have filed for council places in this election. Some have political beliefs similar to mine and some don't. If I'm mayor, I pledge to work in a collaborative spirit with whomever the people to choose to represent them, for the betterment of the city. I might disagree with you, but I'll do so with respect. 

Enabling a strong council

Some candidates may run for mayor with the goal of increasing the mayoral powers. I'm running for mayor with the intention of strengthening the powers of the councilmembers. There are certain duties that belong to the mayor by statute - but there are others that I believe should be shared with the council to a greater extent than they have sometimes been in the past. 

You, the people, go to the polls and vote for all of your representatives on the council, not just the mayor. You have the right to expect all of us to have the same level of influence to get things done.

• I believe an agenda item requested by two councilmembers should not be vetoed or moved by the mayor (nor by the city manager). If it presents a serious legal risk to discuss it in public, on the advice of the city attorney it might be moved to executive session, but this should be done only when that risk is so severe that it outweighs the very important need for governmental transparency. 
• I believe the council should be consulted in setting the schedule when the mayor calls a special (non-emergency) meeting. It's difficult and sometimes impossible to accommodate the schedules of seven busy people, but I would have the city secretary consult all councilmembers for availability and not just set a date and expect everyone to scramble to rearrange their schedules with no warning. 
• I believe contracts with council-appointed employees (city manager, city attorney, city secretary, chief judge) should be negotiated by the council as a whole in executive session, or alternatively by a subcommittee of three councilmembers. Our standard practice has been for the council to give that authority to the mayor. 

Those are only a few of the ways in which I, as mayor, would work to empower the council. 

I've heard the opinion that the mayor should "just vote" and should not explain his/her position on an issue during discussion on the motion, to prevent unduly influencing other councilmembers. I respectfully disagree. I believe every councilmember who votes on a motion has the right and obligation to make the argument for or against it - that's the basis of parliamentary procedure. And under Roberts Rules of Order and our own Rules of Procedure, that discussion takes place before - not after - the vote. 

Other councilmembers, of course, should be encouraged to argue for their own positions. Hearing others' reasons for their positions may cause members to think about factors they hadn't considered before, giving them a broader perspective and more information on which to base their votes. Strong and empowered councilmembers will, however, think for themselves and won't just blindly vote as the mayor does.  

Hearing the voice of the people

An important duty of the mayor, in my opinion, is not just to speak but also to listen. Reading the comments on Facebook posts isn't enough - and in fact gives a skewed perspective of what the majority of citizens really think. It's time to get back to old-fashioned one-to-one communication. 

That means returning phone calls. It means replying to emails. It means meeting with constituents in their homes or at the coffee shop - and that includes those residents who aren't your favorite people. It means not just attending official city events but going to neighborhood meetups - and not just waiting to be invited but seeking them out.

One thing I would like to do as mayor is hold more town hall meetings and more interactive public forums to get citizens' input on important development decisions and other issues. I want to hear what you have to say. Even when we disagree, I want us to be able to have a conversation. And I want you to know my reasons for voting "yes" or "no" on an issue. 

I never want citizens to say of me that "she ignores my emails" or "she doesn't reply to my text messages." With a city of almost 70,000, I might not get back to you immediately every time, and I might not be able to give you what you want, but my goal is to always listen. 

Being a strong weak mayor

Giving power back to the council and giving a voice back to the people doesn't mean abdicating the very real responsibilities that come with the mayoral role. Being strong in the ways and circumstances where it's appropriate is equally important. 

• It's the duty of the mayor, as meeting chair, to know parliamentary procedure and the specific rules adopted by the council and to enforce them, fairly and equally. In my long-ago position as a city secretary, I was also the parliamentarian for our city, so I understand the complexities of Roberts' Rules and as the chair of the Rules of Procedure subcommittee, I know those rules and promise to conduct all meetings according to them. 
• It's the duty of the mayor to represent the city in ceremonial events and with outside entities at the regional, state, and national levels. I have established relationships, through organizations such as the North Central Texas Council of Governments, the Texas Municipal League, and participation in various groups and initiatives, with the officials from other cities and counties throughout the state and with state elected and appointed officials. I stand ready to attend and represent Rowlett at civic events both within and outside of our city limits. 
• One of the most important, though infrequently exercised, duties of the mayor in Texas cities is to make decisions - with the advice of the public safety directors (fire and police chiefs), emergency management coordinator, and city management - if and when a disaster such as the 2015 tornado strikes our city. I was mayor pro tem in the absence of the mayor, who was out of town in May 2024 when storms caused a widespread power outage. I spent long hours in the Emergency Operations Center for two days as we coordinated relief efforts. My background as a first responder has prepared me practically and mentally for that role. I hope it's never necessary, but if it is, I will do everything in my power to protect and help our citizens through it. 

These three are responsibilities that are unique to the mayor. I take them very seriously, and pledge to you that I will fulfill those obligations - along with the duties that are shared by all councilmembers - to the very best of my ability.