How City Council Works: A Plain-English Guide

Freeport’s city council is where the rubber meets the road for local government. This is the group that decides whether Walmart gets built, how loud construction can be, what happens in city parks, and how your tax dollars get spent. Here’s what you need to know.

---

What Is the City Council?

Freeport operates under a Mayor-Council form of government. That means:

• The Mayor (currently Russ Barley, in office since 2013) runs the meetings and has a vote on most matters
• The Council (5 members) votes on ordinances, budgets, zoning changes, contracts, and city policy
• The City Manager and department heads handle day-to-day operations and report to the council

Think of it like this: the council sets the rules, and city staff carries them out.