What City Council Is Responsible For
Setting policy and priorities
City Council establishes the city’s direction by passing ordinances, resolutions, and strategic plans.
Approving the city budget and major financial decisions
Council allocates resources in line with adopted priorities and long-term goals.
Providing high-level oversight of city performance
Council monitors outcomes, trends, and progress through reports, metrics, audits, and public meetings—not day-to-day supervision.
Hiring, evaluating, and holding the City Manager accountable
This is Council’s primary responsibility for city operations. Effective oversight happens through the City Manager.
Appointing boards and commissions—and holding them accountable
Council ensures boards fulfill their responsibilities and serve the public interest, without substituting Council’s judgment for theirs.
Representing residents in a governance role
Councilmembers bring community concerns into policy discussions and decision-making.
Modeling civic leadership and institutional stewardship
Council sets the tone for how public business is conducted, including how disagreement and conflict are handled.
Lynchburg operates under a council–manager form of government. This structure is designed to balance democratic accountability with professional management. When each part of the system stays in its lane, the city functions better. When those roles blur, governance breaks down.
Why This Matters: Strong rules and professional staff already exist. What determines success is how authority is exercised. When Council focuses on governance, policy, and accountability—and trusts professional management to do its job—the city can move forward. When roles blur, residents pay the price in delay, confusion, and loss of trust. The City Council Conduct Pledge reflects a shared commitment to use authority responsibly, respect the council–manager structure, and keep City Council focused on the work it exists to do.
What City Council Is — and Is Not — Responsible For
What City Council Is Not Responsible For
Managing day-to-day city operations
That responsibility belongs to professional staff under the direction of the City Manager.
Directing or supervising city staff
Council does not give instructions to department employees or intervene in operational decisions.
Micromanaging departments or projects
Oversight should be strategic and outcome-focused, not tactical.
Serving as the city’s communications department
City staff are responsible for operational communications. Council’s role is to explain decisions and priorities—not manage messaging.
Using meetings or procedures to pressure staff or delay operations
Procedural tools should enable governance, not obstruct it.