Skip to ContentCity of Des Plaines Logo
City of Des Plaines Logo

City ServicesLiving In Des PlainesGovernmentEconomic DevelopmentOnline Reference Desk

Hot Items
Search Website
 
 Advanced Search
Questions? Comments? Contact Des Plaines!

City of Des Plaines Logo

 

Quick Reference Links
Flood Protection
Great Eats and More
RSS Feeds
Bids and Proposals
Building Permit Information
Chamber of Commerce
Comment Form
Directory
E-Pay
Email List
Employment
Forms and Applications
Freedom of Information Request (FOIA)
Frequently Asked Questions
Minutes and Agendas
Site Map
Special Events
Zoning Information
Zoning Ordinances

Government

Civic CenterThe City of Des Plaines is operated under the Council-Manager form of government as outlined in Article 5 of the Illinois Municipal Code. The people elect the Mayor, City Clerk, and Aldermen.

The Council is the City's legislative body, enacting the laws and establishing the policies which govern the main activities of the City.

The Mayor is the executive head of the City Government.  He/She presides at all Council meetings, signs all legal instruments and documents to which the City is a party.

Responsible for assisting the Mayor with planning, organizing and coordinating various municipal services, the City Manager is the Mayor and Council's advisor.  The City Manager handles day-to-day administrative matters and assists the Mayor in the implementation of City Council policy.  In addition, the City manager supervises the investigation of service complaints by citizens and initiates corrective action by the appropriate department.

Keeping the community informed is the initial step in intelligent government action and responsibility.  In addition to newspapers, radio and television, supplementary information on virtually any subject relating to local government is available at the Civic Center and the Public Library.

Ways In Which The Individual Citizen Can and Should Play A Part In Local Government Include:

Voting in municipal elections (The citizen who does not vote has no valid basis for complaint if the government is not run in accordance with his/her wishes.)

Expressing views and opinions to the City Council through both written and oral communication

Supporting law enforcement, thereby maintaining order in the community.

What the people of the community do, or fail to do, is a decisive factor in determining the quality and responsiveness of the City government.  In the democratic system of representative government, the ultimate power and authority rests with the people.

 

 

 

Living In Des Plaines  |  Your Local Government  |  Your City Services
Economic Development  |  Online City Reference Desk
  Search  |  Site Map  |  Home

 

Award Winner - MuniNet Guide and Review

Municipal Web Services' Accessibility Logo.  Click here to go to the Municipal Web Services' website to read more about Accessibility.

Send feedback to the City by clicking here.
Click here to report a website technical issue.

This site is best viewed in Internet Explorer 7.0 or higher or Firefox 2.0 or higher.

City of Des Plaines
1420 Miner St.
Des Plaines, IL  60016
847-391-5300

Adobe Acrobat Reader Logo
This site has documents available
 in PDF format.  If your browser does
 not have the Acrobat Reader
plug-in that is required to view
these documents, click here to
 download a free copy of this software.

Site Design/Development by
Bringing the World to Your Corner of the World

Site Use Policy

All information © 2008 Des Plaines, Illinois 

ICCS Licensed Web Site Labeled with ICRA This site is rated with SafeSurf.

Events Calendar
11/24/08 Plan Commission
11/25/08 Zoning Board of Appeals
11/26/08 Architectural Commission
11/27/08 Thanksgiving - City Offices Closed
News Headlines
Current Flooding Information and Updates
11/11/08 School Board Members Day
11/10/08 1st AND 2nd Ward Aldermen Host Meeting
11/7/08 New Year's Eve Celebration Information
11/6/08 Mitten Tree Project
10/27/08 Leaf Collection
10/22/08 Cook County Board of Review
10/16/08 This document is available to view in PDF format. Free Breast/Cervical Cancer Screenings for Uninsured Women
10/7/08 Des Plaines Thinks Green!
10/2/08 Des Plaines Firefighters Sell Pink T-Shirts

More...