City Government Description

The City of Cincinnati, Ohio, is organized under a **council–manager** form of municipal government, in which a professional city manager oversees the day-to-day operations of city departments, while policy and legislation are handled by an elected city council and mayor. The nine-member **Cincinnati City Council** is elected at large (i.e. city-wide), and the mayor and council members serve as the legislative and oversight body for the city. The council selects a vice mayor and a president pro tempore from among its members. The city manager is appointed by the council and is responsible for executing council policies, managing city staff, preparing the budget, and coordinating departmental functions.

Cincinnati’s city government encompasses a wide array of departments, offices, and agencies to provide municipal services such as public safety (police, fire), public works and transportation, health, planning and development, parks and recreation, environmental sustainability, purchasing, human resources, finance, and communications. The city also operates services like the Buildings & Permit Center, Office of Performance & Data Analytics, and Economic Inclusion among others.

The government headquarters is Cincinnati City Hall, located at 801 Plum Street, which houses many of the legislative and administrative offices. The mayor and city council meet in chambers within City Hall.