Office of the City Manager

Overview 

In our Commission-City Manager form of government, the Commission is the governing body elected by the citizens. The City Manager is the Chief Executive that supervises all departments, offices, and agencies. City Manager Mark Washington is responsible to the City Commission for the administration of the City.

Elected and Appointed Officials

Our City leaders are either elected or appointed. Elected Officials pass legislation -- think laws and ordinances. The elected officials appoint others to execute and enforce the laws they make. The City Manager leads all Appointed Officials and the City organization as a whole.  For more info, you can review the City of Grand Rapids Charter.

Mark Washington began as City Manager on October 1, 2018. Mark has worked in local government for nearly 23 years, most recently as Assistant City Manager for the City of Austin, Texas.

More Info

We developed a Strategic Plan for the City of Grand Rapids!

It's the first plan of this type for the City, and it covers fiscal years 2020 - 2023 (July 1, 2019 - June 30, 2023).

Strategic Plan 

The Office of the City Manager develops policies which align to the oversight of City operations.

View Policies

Grand Rapids Voters adopted the Commission-Manager form of government in 1916. This means that City leadership is made up of elected officials and the City Manager. The City Commission is a legislative body. Its members are the community’s policy-makers.

More Info

Want more info about City Commission meetings and agendas? We'll tell you everything you need to know about City Commission meetings.

  • Meeting Schedules
  • Meeting Agendas
  • Subcommittee Details
  • Upcoming Topics
  • Live Streams of Meetings

More Info

The Commission has its own set of polices.

View Policies

The city is hosting paid internships for Office of the City Manager.

View Internship Page

Contact Us

Phone

616-456-3165

Email

manager@grcity.us

Location

City Hall
300 Monroe Ave NW, 6th Floor
Grand Rapids
49503
View Map

Hours

Meetings in the Executive Office are by appointment only. Please email or call to schedule an appointment. Any walk-ins can request a meeting through the plaza level ambassador.

Major Budget Amendment Process

Timeline for budget considerations to improve public safety outcomes. The road map allows for a holistic performance-based budget deliberation that supports the desired outcomes outlined in the City’s strategic plan.

 

View Memo(PDF, 134KB)

 

Police Reform Memo

Our community shares the international frustration and anger over the murder of George Floyd and the systemic racism and oppression that continues to exist.  We must now continue the work of undoing the system of inequality and racism that has plagued our communities for many generations.

View Memo

Action Steps for Community-Police Relations

The Office of Oversight and Public Accountability (OPA) developed the below recommendations.

Action Steps for Community-Police Relations

FY 2021 Preliminary Fiscal Plan

Our preliminary budget offers a detailed breakdown of our proposed City financial plans for the upcoming fiscal year and the following four years. Fiscal year 2021 begins July 1, 2020.

More Info

State of Grand Rapids

Hear from City Manager Mark Washington on what we’ve accomplished over the past year.

Watch Video

Strategic Plan

Check out the City's Strategic Plan!

Strategic Plan

National Community Survey (NCS)

The NCS is part of our Strategic Plan and our Performance Management initiative. It reinforces our Strategic Plan commitment to accountability.

National Community Survey

Grand Rapids Facts and History

Want to know how Grand Rapids was founded? Looking to learn more about our city?

City History

Get Involved

Looking to get involved in the community? You can apply to serve on City boards and commissions.

Boards and Commissions

Back to top