Form of Government

A Brief History

In 1919, the City of Fairmont adopted a unique form of government, where the residents of the City would elect four "directors" who would make up the Board of Directors of the City of Fairmont. These four directors would then assign themselves four titles: Director of Streets, Director of Water, Director of Finance, and Mayor. This is the way Fairmont's government worked from its founding until 1976.

In 1976, residents of Fairmont began to rally support behind swapping to a new form of government called the Council-Manager form. The style has an elected Council that chooses a mayor from among themselves to act as the chairperson of the Council. The elected officials are then tasked with hiring a City Manager, an expert in the field of public policy that will preside over the day-to-day operations of the City. The matter of switching forms of government came to a vote in 1976 and passed, giving Fairmont the government it has today.

A historic photo of the old Fairmont City Hall on Monroe Street

The old Fairmont City Hall on Monroe Street, which doubled as the Police and Fire Departments.

a map of Fairmont City Council districts.

A map of the nine Fairmont City Council districts.

The Role of Council

In Fairmont, Councilmembers are elected at-large, meaning that despite being required to live within and represent specific districts in the city, the nine members of Council are elected by all Fairmont residents, no matter which district the voter lives in.

Council meets on the second and fourth Tuesday every month to consider matters brought forward by the City Manager on the agenda. Councilmembers can suggest matters be brought before them, but the majority of items placed on the agenda are proposed by the City Manager. At the meetings, Councilmembers are expected to follow Council's Rules of Order, which act as the bylaws for the group.

Council has two employees under their charge: the City Manager and the City Clerk. All other City Staff are hired and overseen by the City Manager.

The Role of the City Manager

The City Manager is the administrative head of all day-to-day operations within the City of Fairmont and is hired directly by City Council. The City Manager acts as the primary liaison between City Council and City Staff.

The City Manager is directed by City Council through resolutions and ordinances but is given the authority to control the majority of daily tasks without direct guidance from Council.

The City of Fairmont has had ten City Managers since the new form of government was established in 1976:

  • 1977-1979 Richard J. Bowen
  • 1980-1986 Edwin C. Daley
  • 1987-1988 Michael E. Solomon
  • 1988-1996 Edwin J. Thorne
  • 1997-2007 E. Bruce McDaniel
  • 2008-2009 James W. Snider
  • 2009-2015 Jay I. Rogers III
  • 2015-2018 Robin I. Gomez
  • 2019-2023 Valerie A. Means
  • 2024-Present Travis L. Blosser
A photo of the Million Dollar Bridge from Palatine Park.

A photo of the Million Dollar Bridge taken from Palatine Park.