Overview
Grand Junction was founded in 1882. In 1921 the citizens of Grand Junction voted to employ the Council-Manager form of government, which became popular in the early part of the 20th century. This system combines the political leadership of elected officials with the managerial expertise of an appointed local government manager. The members of the City Council are elected by the citizens of Grand Junction to make policy decisions and laws, similar to a board of directors in a private company.
City Charter
The City's guiding document is the City Charter. The City Charter sets out the structure of the City government, including the powers and duties of the City Council and the City Manager, along with general guidelines for the operations of the City and the salaries of City Council (Section 38). The Charter, which can only be amended by the people in a municipal election, was first adopted on September 14, 1909. On November 8, 1921, the Charter was amended to adopt the Council-Manager form of government.
Form of Government
The goal of a Council-Manager form of government is to separate the administrative functions of the city government from the political process. The administrative aspects of the organization are run by professional staff members trained in government administration.
The Grand Junction City Council is comprised of seven community members - five of whom are elected from and represent certain City districts - and two that are elected at-large. Elections are held every other April in odd-numbered years, and the Mayor is selected from among the City Councilmembers each May.