The mayor is the chief executive officer of the city. In this role, the mayor is responsible for the general welfare of the city.
Department heads report directly to the mayor and receive their assignments from the mayor.
In municipalities with an administrator, the mayor exercises the executive responsibility indirectly by monitoring the activities of the administrator and the various departments of city government. The mayor shall serve as the chief executive officer of the city, performing executive responsibilities by monitoring the activities of the administrator and the various departments of city government to see that city ordinances and state laws are enforced. This requires knowledge of city ordinances and state laws and a procedure for monitoring municipal activities. The mayor shall serve as the policy leader for the community, providing policy information and recommendations to the council. The major shall preside over the city council.