CMM Public Administration & Governance 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under the council-manager form of government, which statement BEST describes the city manager's relationship with elected officials?
- The manager sets policy and the council implements it
- The council sets policy and the manager implements it administratively (Correct answer)
- The manager and council share equal policymaking authority
- The manager serves at the pleasure of the mayor alone
Correct answer: The council sets policy and the manager implements it administratively
In council-manager government, the elected council establishes policy direction and the professional manager is responsible for administrative implementation.
Question 2: Which principle of public administration holds that government agencies must be answerable to elected officials and the public for their actions?
- Transparency
- Accountability (Correct answer)
- Efficiency
- Neutrality
Correct answer: Accountability
Accountability requires that public administrators answer to oversight bodies and citizens for their decisions and use of resources.
Question 3: A municipal manager discovers a department head is making hiring decisions based on political connections rather than merit. The appropriate first response is to:
- Ignore it as long as performance outcomes are met
- Confer with the department head and enforce merit-based hiring policy (Correct answer)
- Immediately terminate the department head without investigation
- Report the matter to the press to ensure transparency
Correct answer: Confer with the department head and enforce merit-based hiring policy
The manager should address the violation directly with the department head and reinforce merit system requirements before escalating.
Question 4: The concept of 'administrative discretion' in public administration refers to:
- The authority of administrators to interpret and apply rules within legal boundaries (Correct answer)
- The right of administrators to override council decisions
- Keeping budget details confidential from the public
- Delegating all decisions to subordinates
Correct answer: The authority of administrators to interpret and apply rules within legal boundaries
Administrative discretion allows managers to exercise professional judgment when applying laws, regulations, and policies to specific situations.
Question 5: Which federal law most directly governs how local governments must handle requests from the public for access to government records?
- The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
- Each state's own open records or sunshine law (Correct answer)
- The Administrative Procedure Act
- The Privacy Act of 1974
Correct answer: Each state's own open records or sunshine law
Public records requests at the local government level are governed by each state's individual open records or sunshine laws, not federal FOIA.
Question 6: A city manager who follows the ICMA Code of Ethics is expected to:
- Advocate publicly for the political party that appointed them
- Remain politically neutral and serve the entire community (Correct answer)
- Prioritize the interests of the city council majority over all residents
- Maximize revenue generation as the primary administrative goal
Correct answer: Remain politically neutral and serve the entire community
The ICMA Code of Ethics requires city managers to maintain political neutrality and serve all community members equitably.
Question 7: What is the primary purpose of a municipal charter?
- To establish the city's annual operating budget
- To serve as the fundamental legal document defining the city's powers, structure, and governance (Correct answer)
- To list all ordinances and resolutions passed by the council
- To describe the duties of individual city employees
Correct answer: To serve as the fundamental legal document defining the city's powers, structure, and governance
A municipal charter functions as the city's constitution, defining its legal authority, organizational structure, and governance framework.
CMM Public Administration & Governance 2
Under the council-manager form of government, which statement BEST describes the city manager's relationship with elected officials?