The role of the city administrator and small town planning: a qualitative study of Iowa\u27s small town managers

Small town city administrators have the responsibility of managing all functions for the community in which they are employed, but often lack the resources of their larger counterparts to devote to specific city functions such as planning. This includes planning and development functions.;Studies show that city administrators, in all sizes of cities, have varying roles that accompany their positions. For the purpose of this study, those roles have been separated into traditional/technical roles, and contemporary/proactive roles. This study questions whether these roles impact the quality of small town planning.;Through surveys and interviews with small town Iowa administrators, and review of documentation, this study is somewhat inconclusive on whether the administrators\u27 perceived roles impact planning in their respective communities. Thus, this study first discusses possible conclusions that can be drawn from the research, and more importantly, outlines further research that would strengthen the study