The Mount Vernon Charter Review Commission presented a proposal May 8 for voters to consider shifting the city from a strong-mayor system to a city manager form of government.

The proposal would make the mayor a voting member of the city council who presides at meetings and performs ceremonial duties while a professionally hired, nonpolitical city manager would handle daily operations such as budgets, personnel and public works. Gabriel Thompson, an advisory board member who spoke for the commission’s government and elections subcommittee, summarized the change: "Under our current system, the mayor is both the political leader like policy and the chief executive, responsible for day to day city operations." Thompson said the manager would instead implement policy set by the council.

The commission and its consultant, the National Civic League, said the change aims to increase continuity, professionalize leadership and reduce political interference in operations. Commission chair Tamela Boyd told participants the proposal is one of three recommendations the commission may place on the November 2025 ballot, and she clarified timing questions raised by the public: if voters approve a city manager, the change would not take immediate effect and would be implemented after the current mayoral term ends (the commission described that period as about two years).

Presenters said the mayor would retain ceremonial duties and certain intergovernmental roles, and the city manager would be accountable to the full council. The commission also noted the city manager model is commonly used nationwide and cited nearby municipalities that use it as examples.

The commission will vote on which recommendations, if any, move to the ballot at its June 4 meeting. No formal change or ordinance was adopted during the May 8 forum; the session was an informational public forum and not an official commission vote.