City Commission

The City of St Johns practices what is known as the "Commission - Manager" form of city government.

The Commission-Manager form is the system of local government that combines the strong political leadership of elected officials in the form of a Commission, with the strong managerial experience of an appointed local government Manager. The form establishes a representative system where all power is concentrated in the elected Commission and where the Commission hires a professionally trained Manager to oversee the delivery of public services.

In Commission-Manager government, Commission members are the leaders and policy makers elected to represent the community and to concentrate on policy issues that are responsive to citizens' needs and wishes. The Manager is appointed by the Commission to carry out policy and ensure that the entire community is being served.

The City is treated as a unit for election and general administration purposes.

Advantages of a City Charter

• It secures Home Rule for St. Johns. It establishes a simple, direct and businesslike form of government.
• It creates a single-headed administrative establishment and this administrative unity makes for harmony between departments, since all are subject to a common head.
• It insures expertness in administration at the point where it is most valuable, namely, at the head.
• Regular municipal elections will be held every two years.
• It makes elective officers responsive to public opinion by means of the initiative and referendum. It furnishes through the recall a simple method of removing inefficient or corrupt officials.
• It permits public work to be done by direct labor as well as by contract.
• It centralizes purchasing, which will effect greater saving in the purchase of supplies.
• It recognizes the people as the sole sources of governmental power and imposes upon each member of the community the duty and responsibility of actively interesting himself in the affairs of the city.

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