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What it's like to serve: Takoma Park officials describe council workload
Summary
City Clerk Jesse Carpenter and attendees discussed the time commitment of serving on Takoma Park's city council; officials said time varies but some members spend 20'30 hours per week during busy periods and that much work involves constituent communication and meeting preparation.
Jesse Carpenter told prospective candidates that the city council is the policy-making body while the city manager supervises staff and day-to-day operations. "The council is the policy bodies and the city manager is like the CEO of the city," he said, and advised candidates to rely on staff for operational matters.
When asked how many hours a week council service requires, Jesse and other participants said it varies by member: some may spend a modest part-time amount while others devote "more than 20 hours, probably some spend 30 hours" in busier periods. They recommended meeting the city manager and current or former council members to get a realistic sense of day-to-day work and ways to be efficient.
