Explain the three ways a municipal government could be structured and identify where each structure is mainly used.

What will be an ideal response?

The ideal answer should include:
1. The mayor-council type of arrangement is a simple form of government in which most of the day-to-day executive operations are carried out by the mayor or by a city council. There are two variants: weak mayor and strong mayor. In a weak mayor system, the mayor has limited implementation and no veto powers. In strong mayor cities, the mayor is often empowered to veto policies and ordinances passed by the council and to hire and fire city personnel as he or she deems appropriate. The weak mayor-council form is the most widely used and is most popular in Texas's less populated and rural cities.
2. The council-manager form of government is used by most medium- and larger-sized cities in Texas and throughout the United States. The qualified voters who reside in the city elect a city council and a mayor, which in turn hire a city manager to carry out the council's policies. This system allows for both professional management and local political control. City managers usually are formally trained in urban studies or public administration and have extensive knowledge of budgeting, finance, and personnel laws.
3. Only a handful of cities operate under the commission form. Rather than an elected council, these cities elect commissioners, and each commissioner is responsible for overseeing a specific component of operations. For example, a single commissioner oversees police and fire, parks and recreation, or public streets.