CMO Municipal Government Structure & Functions 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which type of municipal election is designed to allow voters to remove an elected official before their term expires?
- Referendum election
- Recall election (Correct answer)
- Run-off election
- Initiative election
Correct answer: Recall election
A recall election allows voters who gather sufficient signatures to force a vote on whether to remove an elected official from office prior to the end of their term.
Question 2: The council-manager form of government most closely parallels which private-sector organizational structure?
- A sole proprietorship with one owner-operator
- A partnership with equal managing partners
- A corporation with a board of directors and a professional CEO (Correct answer)
- A nonprofit with volunteer leadership only
Correct answer: A corporation with a board of directors and a professional CEO
The council-manager form mirrors a corporate structure where an elected council (board of directors) sets policy and hires a professional manager (CEO) to carry out operations.
Question 3: What does 'ultra vires' mean in the context of municipal government?
- An act authorized by a supermajority of the council
- An action taken outside the legal authority of the municipality (Correct answer)
- A financial transaction requiring external audit approval
- A charter amendment approved by state legislature
Correct answer: An action taken outside the legal authority of the municipality
Ultra vires, Latin for 'beyond the powers,' refers to actions taken by a municipality that exceed the authority granted to it by the state, rendering those actions void or unenforceable.
Question 4: Which of the following statements best describes a municipal general obligation bond?
- A bond backed solely by revenues from a specific enterprise fund
- A bond backed by the full faith, credit, and taxing power of the municipality (Correct answer)
- A short-term loan issued to cover payroll during revenue gaps
- A bond issued by a state agency on behalf of a city
Correct answer: A bond backed by the full faith, credit, and taxing power of the municipality
General obligation bonds are backed by the municipality's full taxing power and general revenues, typically requiring voter approval because they pledge the city's creditworthiness.
Question 5: Which meeting notice requirement is most commonly mandated by state open meetings laws for regular municipal council meetings?
- 48-hour advance posting of agenda at city hall and on the official website (Correct answer)
- 30-day advance publication in a local newspaper
- Personal delivery of notice to each resident
- Approval of the notice by the state attorney general
Correct answer: 48-hour advance posting of agenda at city hall and on the official website
Most state open meetings statutes require posting of agenda and notice at least 24-72 hours before regular meetings, with 48 hours being a common standard.
Question 6: A municipal department's line-item budget format is best characterized as:
- Organizing expenditures by program outcomes and measurable results
- Categorizing spending by specific object codes such as salaries, supplies, and equipment (Correct answer)
- Allocating funds based on zero-based justification each fiscal year
- Grouping costs by major service delivery projects
Correct answer: Categorizing spending by specific object codes such as salaries, supplies, and equipment
Line-item budgets organize expenditures by specific object categories (e.g., personnel, materials, capital outlay), providing detailed control over individual spending items.
Question 7: Which of the following is a distinguishing characteristic of a council-manager municipality compared to a strong-mayor municipality?
- The council passes ordinances by simple majority in both forms
- Department heads are appointed by the professional manager, not directly by elected officials (Correct answer)
- The mayor is popularly elected in both forms with equal authority
- Budget preparation is the exclusive duty of the finance committee in both forms
Correct answer: Department heads are appointed by the professional manager, not directly by elected officials
In council-manager government, the professional city manager appoints and supervises department heads, insulating administrative appointments from direct political influence by elected officials.
CMO Municipal Government Structure & Functions 5
Which type of municipal election is designed to allow voters to remove an elected official before their term expires?