Managing America's Small Communities

the long version

"Managing America's Small Communities charts several key aspects of the largely unexamined world of small city management. This book describes the demographic trends, structural features, executive behavior, and service quality among small communities. Are small cities growing, declining, or have they remained untouched by the force of change? To what extent have the structural changes and reforms that have swept through larger cities touched small communities? What are the characteristics and behaviors of small city chief executives and how involved are different executives in the dimensions of the governmental process? How do chief executives in small cities make decisions about local services and programs? Are there differences in the extent to which appointed managers and elected mayors are responsive to community interests? The book addresses each of these questions and also examines the frequency with which small communities provide various services, the quality of services provided, and how small city officials can diagnose problems with service quality and performance. Ultimately, the book's empirical evidence documents the high degree of professionalism in city administration throughout the country."--Jacket.