Local governments are complex organizations that require expertise in community development, public safety, public works, emergency preparedness, planning, personnel, finance, customer service, intergovernmental relations and an administrative structure that encourages and supports overall team organization.

Additionally, communities throughout Wisconsin are increasingly facing global economic competition. Their abilities to compete depend not only on private sector initiatives, but on sophisticated and aggressive public efforts as well. The need for professional municipal administration is not a matter of a failure of local government, but rather adapting to changing condition by increasing the capacity of a municipality to provide effective and efficient services.

A publication of the League of Wisconsin Municipalities states that “as the need for full-time municipal management becomes greater, there has been a significant trend among Wisconsin municipalities toward hiring professional administrators.” An administrator acts as the chief administrative officer of the municipality.

Expertise/skill levels of a municipal administrator
Municipal administrators are trained to operate local governments. They are professionals in the same way that company executives, school superintendents, doctors and attorneys are professionals. There is a body of knowledge associated with their profession. Increasingly, the standard for professional administrators is that they have Master’s degrees in public administration, with training in budgeting, finance, personnel, labor relations, intergovernmental affairs, public works, community and economic development and public safety. They can gain administrative experience in other communities before they are ready to assume the position of City Administrator.

With focused education, training and prior experience, an administrator is already up-to- speed at the point in their careers when employment opportunities with larger municipalities become attainable. On the other hand, elected officials serving in administrative capacities do much of their learning while on the job. Administrators are part of a network of expertise and know where to go to get correct answers. They are committed to municipal administration as a career.

The community’s success is their success and, consequently, they have a very strong interest in doing the best job possible. Responsive Organizational Structure Administrators are responsible for the day-to-day operations of their municipalities. It is their responsibility to bring coordination to the provision of municipal services. They work to build a municipal team of department heads and other employees. They establish and enforce policies in the areas of personnel, purchasing, cash management, risk management, planning, and employee development. They are evaluated on their ability to provide more efficient and effective government. Administrators are responsible for advancing the organization in terms of overall performance and effectiveness. The administrator accomplishes this by bringing the council, mayor and staff together to set the priorities and to establish a framework for achieving the governmental mission of cost-effective quality services to the community.

Having an administrator provides more direct accountability to the council for the proper operation of municipal services. Elected officials know who is responsible. A dissatisfied council can easily dismiss the administrator. Stronger Council Elected councils benefit in several ways from an administrator. First, they can spend more of their valuable time focusing on policy issues, community goals, and major projects rather than on administrative details. Second, they get better and more comprehensive information and analysis from the administrator in a staff role to enable them to make more informed decisions. Third, the changing role of the council may encourage more citizens to seek the office. Finally, the administrator can provide continuity when new persons are elected.

Source: https://www.wcma-wi.org/139/Professional-Municipal-Administration

The Mayor is the city's chief executive officer. In this role, the Mayor is responsible for the city's general welfare. This responsibility is exercised in both a policy-making role by recommending policies to the council, breaking tie votes, and vetoing legislation; and an executive role by seeing that laws are enforced, and that city officers and employees properly do their jobs. The responsibilities are mandated by state statute (Chapter 62.09 (8)) and consequently apply to the mayor with and without administrators. 

In municipalities without administrators, the Mayor exercises this responsibility directly by supervising the day-to-day conduct of city activities.

1. Department heads report to the Mayor and receive their assignment from the Mayor.
2. Department heads also receive assignments from the Council and are often asked by individual council members to perform tasks and projects
3. Conflicting assignments and unclear reporting responsibilities can be avoided with an administrator. 

In municipalities with an administrator, the mayor exercises the executive responsibility indirectly by monitoring the activities of the administrator and the various departments of the city government. 

The administrator is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the city government, including supervising department heads. The duties of a mayor in a municipality with an administrator are as follows: The Mayor shall serve as the chief executive officer of the city, performing executive responsibilities by monitoring the activities of the administrator and the various departments of city government to see that city ordinances and state laws are enforced. This requires knowledge of ordinances and laws and a procedure for monitoring city activities.

1. The Mayor shall serve as the policy leader for the community, providing policy information and recommendations to the Council.
2. The Mayor shall preside over the Council.
3. The Mayor shall vote in the event of a tie vote by the Council.
4. The Mayor shall have the authority to veto ordinances passed by the Council.
5. The Mayor shall serve as the chief representative of the city in relations with the media.
6. The Mayor shall represent the city in meetings with and presentations to other governmental groups, businesses, community groups, and others.
7. The Mayor will work with city residents by receiving their comments and complaints and seeking appropriate responses, in conjunction with the administrator and, if desired, the Council.
8. The Mayor shall perform any other duties not specified here that are defined in Chapter 62.09 (8).

1. The Administrator coordinates and prepares the operating budget as a key policy document and presents the budget to the Council.
2. The Administrator establishes governmental effectiveness and performance measures/outcomes.
3. The Administrator coordinates and supervises a cooperative and interdisciplinary team of professionals serving the varying needs of the community.
4. The Administrator ensures that the organization is a high performing and learning organization.
5. The Administrator is responsible to the Council for the overall coordination and direction of the day-to-day operations of City government.
6. The Administrator is charged with providing the Council policy information and recommendations and implementation of Council policies.
7. The Administrator ensures that there is a fair and uniform application of policy between all departments within the city organization.

Source: https://cityoflacrosse.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=13325167&GUID=E72CFD3E-B2F0-4FD8-8284-2B7DA20AA982

Question: If an ordinance to create a City Administrator was approved, what would be the Mayor's role?
Answer: The proposed ordinance would move the Mayor's administrative responsibilities to the City Administrator. The Mayor would still be a member of the Common Council and retain executive responsibilities (running meetings, policy setting, veto, community engagement, and advocacy to other bodies of government).

Question: Does La Crosse need a Mayor and an Administrator?
Answer: This is the current question before the City Council. Since 1856, the City has functioned without an administrator. If the Common Council votes in favor of the proposed ordinance (to have both a full-time Administrator and a full-time Mayor), the administrative duties of the Mayor would shift to the Administrator. In 2012, La Crosse citizens voted "No" on an advisory referendum for a substantially similar proposed ordinance.

Question: If an ordinance to create a City Administrator is approved, does La Crosse need a full-time Mayor?
Answer: The current proposal assumes the Mayor will be a full-time Mayor. No changes to the Mayor's salary can occur until the end of the 4-year term.

Question: Can the City fund a full-time administrator at an annual minimum cost of $242,569 (excluding cost for salary and benefits of any support staff as well as capital costs) with the City's current budget deficit of $3,000,000?
Answer: It is believed from the expectation stated in numerous public comments that in the long run, a City Administrator's professionalism, continuity, expertise, and education focused on the City's operations and budget would fund the Administrator's salary. In the short run, hiring a City Administrator will not solve the deficit, but will add to it. The Common Council would need to decide which services would be funded in the budget and which would not. This may result in some City services not being funded or funded at a lower level, including staffing.

Question: Will having a full-time position increase the property tax levy?
Answer: State law provides that the property tax levy can only be increased by an increase in net new construction, borrowing, or a taxpayer referendum. The property tax levy is determined by the overall spending in the City's operating budget. The position of City Administrator would be one part of the budget.

Question: Is this position needed? The City has operated with a Mayor-Council form of government since incorporation; why does it need to be changed now?
Answer: This is the current question before the Common Council. The only qualifications a person needs to be Mayor are to be a resident of La Crosse, at least 18 years old, and elected. On the other hand, a City Administrator would be expected to bring significant expertise, experience, and capabilities to run a City of 50,000 people with a $75 million budget. This would allow the Mayor and Council to spend more time on policy and less on staff oversight and day-to-day operations.

Question: Does hiring an Administrator mean giving up the right to elect a leader?
Answer: No. The elected Mayor and Council Members would be the policy makers, and the Administrator would report to them. The Administrator would be responsible for implementing the policies on a day-to-day basis.

Question: Does hiring an Administrator take power away from the Common Council?
Answer: Yes. Under the current proposal, because the Mayor is part of the Common Council, moving the Mayor's administrative duties away from the Mayor would mean some power and responsibility would be taken from the Common Council. The City Administrator would, however, report to the Common Council and the Mayor.

Question: Would an Administrator stay longer in a community than a Mayor?
Answer: In Wisconsin, the average time a city administrator stays in a municipality is about seven years. A mayor is elected for a four-year term.

Question: Are full-time Mayors the same as Administrators?
Answer: No. Mayors are usually elected for their political leadership, not their experience and education in administering the day-to-day administrative duties of the municipality. Some Mayors may have administrative skills; others may not. Under the current proposal, a City Administrator would perform day-to-day operations duties including hiring and firing, and the Mayor and Council would set policy.

Question: What happens If the Common Council wants to end the employment of the City Administrator?
Answer: The charter ordinance states that the City Administrator is an at-will position. It is also anticipated there will be an employment contract for the City Administrator.

Question: If the charter ordinance is approved, does the Mayor still have veto power for resolutions approved by the Common Council?
Answer: Yes. If the current ordinance is approved, the Mayor retains the ability to veto legislation.

Question: Can amendments (changes) be made to the charter ordinance prior to Common Council approval?
Answer: Yes. The Common Council can change the charter ordinance before it is adopted as part of the regular legislative process.

Question: How would the city administrator position be funded?
Answer: This has not yet been determined. The general cost of the position has been considered to some extent, but funding sources have not yet been fully detailed. No portion of the operating budget has been allocated to fund this position at this time.

Question: Why is an administrator needed now if we hadn’t needed one in the past?
Answer: This is exactly the public policy question before the City Council.

Question: Would an advisory referendum be possible prior to the Council vote on the charter ordinance in February 2026? If so, what would that cost?
Answer: The deadline to pass legislation for an advisory referendum to be included in a February 2026 Primary election would be December 9. However, the City Clerk may not know until January 6th whether there will be a February election. If there is a February Primary election at the state, county, or local level, the cost to add a referendum to the ballot would be the cost for publication of a Notice of Referendum with explanation of yes and no vote (a few hundred dollars). If there is not, a special election would be costly and would require a funding resolution. The City would pay the full share for ballots, pollbooks, notices, absentee envelopes, etc.; publication of Notice of Election and Notice of Referendum; wages for election day workers; wages for Clerk’s office staff (including extra hours and overtime); wages for special voting deputies that visit care facilities for voting; scheduling locations for in-person absentee voting; and other costs.

Question: Clarify the staff hiring and firing responsibilities of the city administrator. How do those responsibilities interplay with the Director of HR, department heads, and the City Council?
Answer: Under Section III of the proposed charter ordinance, the duties of the Mayor to “oversee the day-to-day operations, management and administration of the City of La Crosse” detailed in Wis. Stat. § 62.09(8)(a) are removed. This statute requires the mayor to “be the chief executive officer” and to “take care that city ordinances and state laws are observed and enforced and that all city officers and employees discharge their duties.” According to Section 19(e)(3)(a)-(d) of the proposed charter ordinance, those duties are replaced with the City Administrator:

(a) Being responsible for the administrative direction and coordination of all employees of the City;
(b) Recommending to the Common Council the appointment, promotion, and suspension or removal of Department Heads;
(c) Evaluating in conjunction with Department Heads the performance of all employees on a regular basis and enforcing high standards of performance;
(d) Recommending the appointment, promotion, and suspension or termination of employees in cooperation with the appropriate Department Heads and Director of Human Resources.