Legislative authority is vested in a seven-member City Council. All members are elected at-large for four year terms. The Council establishes compensation of City officials and employees and enacts ordinances and resolutions relating to City services, tax levies, the appropriation and borrowing of money, the licensing and regulation of businesses and trades and other municipal purposes. The presiding officer is the Mayor, who has no vote unless there is a tie vote of the members of City Council.

The Charter establishes certain administrative departments and the City Council may establish divisions of those departments and/or additional departments.

The Mayor is elected by the voters specifically to that office for a four year term. The Mayor appoints, subject to the approval of Council, all the directors of the City's departments. The key appointed officials are the Finance Director, Law Director and the Directors of Public Service and Public Safety. The Director of Public Safety has also been appointed the City Administrator. The Mayor also appoints members to a number of boards and commissions and appoints and removes, in accordance with civil service requirements and various contract provisions, all non-elected City employees.