Government

The City of Safety Harbor operates under a Commission-Manager form of government. This type of municipal government is commonly called the council-manager form of government.

Safety Harbor Commission
The Safety Harbor Commission has 5 members consisting of a Mayor and 4 City Commissioners elected at large to numbered seats on a nonpartisan basis. The Mayor appoints a Vice-Mayor once a year.
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Council-Manager Government
In the Council-Manager form of government, the Council is the governing body of the city and elected by the public. The City Manager is hired by the Council to carry out the policies it establishes. The Council usually consists of 5 to 9 members including a Mayor (or Council President) who is either selected by the Council or elected by the people as defined in the city charter. The size of the Council is generally smaller than that of a Mayor-Council municipality and council elections are usually nonpartisan.

Duties
The Council provides legislative direction while the City Manager is responsible for day-to-day administrative operations of the city based on the Council’s recommendations. The Mayor and Council are responsible for setting policy, approving the budget, and determining the tax rate.

City Manager
The City Manager serves as the Council’s chief advisor. The City Manager also serves at the pleasure of the Council and is responsible for preparing the budget, directing day-to-day operations, and hiring and firing personnel.

Mayor
Typically, the Mayor is recognized as the political head of the municipality but is a member of the legislative body and does not have the power to veto legislative actions.