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Government

Civic CenterThe City of Des Plaines is operated under the Council-Manager form of government as outlined in Article 5 of the Illinois Municipal Code. The people elect the Mayor, City Clerk, and Aldermen.

The Council is the City's legislative body, enacting the laws and establishing the policies which govern the main activities of the City.

The Mayor is the executive head of the City Government.  He/She presides at all Council meetings, signs all legal instruments and documents to which the City is a party.

Responsible for assisting the Mayor with planning, organizing and coordinating various municipal services, the City Manager is the Mayor and Council's advisor.  The City Manager handles day-to-day administrative matters and assists the Mayor in the implementation of City Council policy.  In addition, the City manager supervises the investigation of service complaints by citizens and initiates corrective action by the appropriate department.

Keeping the community informed is the initial step in intelligent government action and responsibility.  In addition to newspapers, radio and television, supplementary information on virtually any subject relating to local government is available at the Civic Center and the Public Library.

Ways In Which The Individual Citizen Can and Should Play A Part In Local Government Include:

Voting in municipal elections (The citizen who does not vote has no valid basis for complaint if the government is not run in accordance with his/her wishes.)

Expressing views and opinions to the City Council through both written and oral communication

Supporting law enforcement, thereby maintaining order in the community.

What the people of the community do, or fail to do, is a decisive factor in determining the quality and responsiveness of the City government.  In the democratic system of representative government, the ultimate power and authority rests with the people.

 

 


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Events Calendar
7/3/09 City Offices Closed - Independence Day (holiday)
7/4/09 July 4th Celebration (Parade & Fireworks) (holiday)
7/6/09 City Council Meeting
7/8/09 Economic Development Commission
News Headlines
Current Flooding Information
Current Swine Flu Updates
7/2/09 Draft Action Plan Public Hearing Scheduled for August 3
6/29/09 Wolf Road Traffic Alert
6/29/09 7th Ward Meeting  Scheduled for July 18
6/25/09 Maine West High School Clinical Government Program Underway
6/24/09 Arts Council Scholarship Recipients June 2009
6/20/09 City's Senior Staff Voluntarily Forego Pay Increase
6/19/09 New Materials Pave the Way For "Green" Alleys in Des Plaines
6/13/09 Fifth Third Bank Now Open For Business
6/11/09 July 4 Refuse Collection Schedule

More...