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'Four Arrd The For R �+ Mc tlak 0 VIZ (11Int 3y CYNTHIA D. WRIGHT and - J. DEVEREUX WEEKS Institute of Government . University of Georgia Over the past 25 years, the number of Georgia counties utilizing the ser- vices of a county manager/administra- tor has increased from a handful to over 30. The employment of a county manager/administrator grows in popu- larity as government increases in com- plexity. This is predicated on the as- sumption that an administrator. expe- rienced in business, labor and financial matters, not only brings professional- ism tothe day-to-day management of government, but better effectuates the American principle of separation of executive and legislative functions. The classical strong manager plan is not in use in Georgia, but it provides an appointed manager with broad power and considerable independence to supervise daily administration of county government. Typically a strong manager plan has: 1. appointment based on professional qualifications for an indefinite term and removal by the county governing authority; 2. sole re- sponsibility for preparation, presenta- tion and administration of the budget: 3. authority for hiring and firing coun- ty administrative personnel except those who must be appointed by elec- tive officers and independent boards; 4. direct control and supervision over department heads administratively re- sponsible to the manager; 5. authority to purchase county equipment and sup- plies; 6, authority to pay county ex - 16 penscs; 7. authority to enter into con- tracts; 8. managerial responsibility for overall county operations; and 9. direct r' '--onsihility for policy foi•'iinilation ® implementation. In the strong manager plan, the county governing authority is strictly a legislative body controlling county ad- ministration primarily' by its power to appoint and remove the manager. Thus, the strong manager not only exercises wide administrative powers but even takes policy initiatives. No counties in Georgia operate under the truly classical strong manager plan, and the scope of powers. duties and title of the manager/administrator vary from county to county. Alternative Methods Counties which consider creating the office of manager/administrator should be aware of alternative sources of au- thority for establishing the office and the benefits and legal implications of each. They are by 1922 or 1974 general statutes; by local legislation; by gov- erning authority under home rule; and COUNTY POSITION - TITLE HOW CREATED Bibb Executive Officer Ga. Laws 1933, p. 407 Burke County Administrator Local Ordinance Catoosa Chatham County Administrator Ga. Laws 1967, p. 2215 County Administrator— Action by Board duties as prescribed by board. Clarke Clayton County Administrator Ga. Laws 1973, p. 2478 Administrator - Comptroller Ga. Laws 1969, p. 3097 Colquitt County Administrator Ga. Laws 1974, p. 3082 Cobb Cook Executive Assistant Ga. Laws 1968. p. 3583 County Manager Ga. Laws 1947, p .1223 Cowe t a DeKgth County Administrator Local Ordinance Executive Assistant Ga. Laws 1956, p. 3250 Dougherty Floud Forsyth County Administrator Ga. Laws 1975, p. 2651 County Manager Action by Board County Administrator Ga. Laws 1972, p. 2067 Fulton Glynn County Manager Ga. Laws 1947, p. 100; Ga. Laws 1961, p. 3012; Ga. Laws 1970, p. 24. County Administrator Local Ordinance Gordon County Administrator Cia. Laws 1975, p. 2723 Gwinnett Hall Executive Assistant County Administrator Ga. Laws 1968, p. 2011 Local Ordinance Harris County Manager (position not activated) Ga. Laws 1972, p. 3471 Jones County Administrator Ga. i.aws 1974, p. 2165 GEORGIA COUNTY GOVERNMENT MAGAZINE