New Richmond City video explains mayor–council and council–manager options

A city-produced explainer describes two common forms of municipal government and what each would mean for New Richmond City. Narrator (affiliation not specified in the video) says the choice affects who votes on issues, who runs daily operations and who formally oversees police and fire services.

The video opens by summarizing local government roles: "voters elect fellow citizens to make decisions on their behalf," who then "hire a professional administrator to carry out their policies and decisions." It notes New Richmond has had a professional administrator since 1985 and that Wisconsin cities with a professional administrator typically follow either a mayor–council or a council–manager model.

Under the mayor–council arrangement described in the video, the mayor is elected to a two‑year term, chairs meetings, "votes only if there is a tie," and serves as the statutory head of the police and fire departments. The city is divided into six districts, each represented by one council member; council members vote on every issue and typically serve on three to five subcommittees. The council elects one of its members to serve as council president to act if the mayor is absent.

In the council–manager model the video outlines, the mayor position would become an at‑large council seat and all seven council members would vote on every issue; the council would elect a president and vice president to lead meetings. The professional administrator would have clearer day‑to‑day oversight of city departments, which the explainer says would align police and fire operations with other departments rather than leaving them under an elected mayor.

The narrator frames the tradeoffs: proponents of council–manager government point to clearer separation between elected officials and staff and to wider national use of that model, while critics note New Richmond’s long history of electing a mayor (more than 100 years) and argue the public should directly choose the chair rather than have fellow officials elect it. The video asks residents, "Which model do you think is best for New Richmond?" and closes by urging viewers, "If you have an opinion, be sure to contact your elected officials and let them know what you think."

The explainer does not include a date of publication or identify the speaker’s organizational affiliation, nor does it cite specific Wisconsin statutes for the legal points it raises. The video presents structural facts (two‑year mayoral term; six districts; administrator in place since 1985) as background information rather than as a proposal or formal action by the council. The city has not recorded any votes or formal motions in this video; it serves as informational material to prompt public input.