Since 1925, the City of Kansas City, Mo., has had a council-manager form of government. The city manager is the City's chief administrator and is responsible for seeing the government is run efficiently and economically. The city manager serves and advises the mayor and city council, appoints most department directors and prepares a proposed annual budget for council consideration.

The manager also enforces municipal laws and ordinances and coordinates City operations and programs. The manager does not appoint the police chief or the Parks and Recreation Department director, who are appointed instead by the boards they serve.

The city council has 13 council members, including the mayor. All are elected to four-year terms at the same time and may serve two consecutive terms. Kansas City, Missouri, is divided into six council districts. The mayor and six city council members are elected at-large, with one at-large council member representing each district. Six council members are elected only by voters living in their districts.

Departments
Below is a list of City departments. You will have the opportunity to work with each of the departments during your tenure as a Cookingham-Noll Fellow. For detailed information on each department, click on the links below.