History of the City Manager Form of Government in Oneonta:
The City of Oneonta was formed in 1908 and with a Mayor – Council form of government. The Mayor provided day to day oversight of the various department heads with budget authority granted by the City Council Aldermen.
In 2010, a “Charter Review Commission” was formed to consider the best structure of government given the changing needs of the city. The Charter Review Commission proposed to Oneonta residents that the type of government needed was a City Manager – Council form of government. The new Charter was brought to a public vote in November of 2011, was approved by the voters, and became effective January 1, 2012.
In the new structure, the City Manager is the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Administrative Officer. The Manager is hired by the Common Council members and is responsible for the overall day to day operations. From January to October of 2012, Mayor Richard P. Miller, Jr. served as the de facto Manager while the search was conducted for the permanent City Manager. From October 2012 to May 2014, Michael H. Long served as the first full time City Manager. From October 2014 through July 2015, Martin D, Murphy served as City Manager.
