Creating a Manager/Administrator Position in New York State: Legal Considerations

Abstract

This policy brief provides a summary of the options available in New York state law for cities, towns, and villages to create the position of manager or administrator. As might be expected, there are common features and variations across the three municipal types in the state.1 This brief on legal considerations is a supplement to recent work summarizing the efforts of four communities in New York that more recently took initiative to consider change in the administration of their local government. In particular they assessed the changes needed to create the position of a central manager or administrator for their communities. These local initiatives were reviewed and summarized in 2020-22 by the Public Management Program (PMP), Department of Public Administration, SUNY Brockport. Reference to the four cases and an overall summary are provided at the end of this policy brief.