Government

The city of Florence, South Carolina, has a council-manager form of government. This means that the city is governed by a city council, which is a group of elected officials who set policy for the city. The council also appoints a city manager, who is responsible for carrying out the day-to-day operations of the city government.

City Council: The Florence City Council consists of a mayor and six council members. Three members are elected by districts, and three are elected at-large. The elected mayor presides over meetings and votes as a member of the council. The council is responsible for setting policy, enacting ordinances, and appointing a city manager, among other responsibilities. You can find more information about the city council, including a list of current members, on the city’s website. 

City Manager: The city manager is appointed by the city council and is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the city government. This includes managing the city’s departments, developing and implementing the city budget, and hiring and firing city employees. The current city manager of Florence is Ron Shorter.

Here are some of the benefits of a council-manager form of government:

• Clear division of responsibility: The council sets policy, and the manager carries it out. This can help to ensure that the government is efficient and effective.
• Expertise: The city manager is a professional who is hired for their experience and expertise in managing local governments. This can help to ensure that the city is run effectively.
• Responsiveness: The council is elected by the people and is accountable to them. This can help to ensure that the government is responsive to the needs of the community.