Local government structure
Elected Council / Full-time City Administrator
The governing body of River Falls consists of an elected City Council coupled with a
City Administrator. The City Administrator oversees the daily operations of City staff. There are eight City Council representatives including the Mayor. Four of the eight seats represent various
voting districts in the City. Three seats represent the community at large. The
remaining seat is designated the Mayoral.
The City Council
The City, or Common Council must have a quorum of at least four members to take action. Each member represents one vote except the Mayor. The Mayor may vote only in the event of a tie. The Mayor may also veto any action by the Council. In order to
override a Mayoral veto, the Council must have two-thirds of the members (5) to override veto. All motions conducted by this body are documented in
the City Council minutes.
The City Administrator is an advisor to the City Council, as well as a Council liaison to City staff and the community.
Other Governing Bodies
The Plan Commission oversees the overall growth and land use of the City. Primarily dealing with zoning issues, this eight member commission consist of representatives appointed by the Mayor to serve a three year term. The advisor to the planning commission is the full-time
Development/Planning Director.
The appointed members of the Utility Commission oversee the operation of electric, sewer and water service in the City. The full time Utility General Manager is the advisor to the commission. Other City governing boards
include the Cable Communications Advisory Committee, Library Board, Ambulance Commission,
Parking Meter Commission, Parks and Recreation Board, Historical Preservation Commission and Police and Fire Commission. These committees hold
public meetings on a regular basis.