BURLINGTON WEATHER

How Burlington Works

There are approximately 30 municipalities in the United States called Burlington. While we are partial to the one just a few miles northwest of Boston, sometimes it's fun to learn about other places with the same name. With our third annual Civic Expo happening this month, we thought it would be interesting to look into how different Burlingtons do municipal government. We hope you enjoy!

Our Burlington's Municipal Framework

Burlington, Massachusetts, operates with a legislative branch (Town Meeting) and an executive branch, which comprises the elected boards that oversee various town departments. Our chief executive office is the Select Board, which is made up of five members, elected on three-year staggered terms.

To learn more about Burlington's municipal structure, visit the "How Burlington Works" section of the Burlington Buzz website.

While there are thousands of towns and cities across the country and around the world, their municipal structures can be categorized into only a few types:

Council-Manager

  • Elected council sets policy
  • Professional manager handles operations
  • Common in mid-sized cities

Mayor-Council

  • Strong mayor acts as executive
  • Council passes ordinances
  • Seen in older, larger cities

Town Meeting / Select Board (New England)

  • Legislative power at the citizen meeting level
  • Select Board executes decisions
  • Emphasizes direct democracy

How Are Other Burlingtons Governed?

Bridlington, East Yorkshire, England

We often look to Bridlington (population ~35,000) for a kind of exotic counterpoint to our Burlington. While not confirmed, it is thought that Burlington, Massachusetts, was named after Bridlington, England, and it is always fascinating to look at how that town, which predates our nearly-300-year-old home, compares.

In the case of municipal government, there were some similarities to Burlington's town government – a Town Clerk, for example, that is a permanent staff member (albeit appointed rather than elected and staffed at only 24 hours per week, compared to our Town Clerk's working hours, which seem approximately infinite). Bridlington's Town Clerk performs many of the same duties as Burlington's – record-keeping, handling public inquiries – but also operates as a town administrator/manager, supervising staff and managing operations.

However, Bridlington has a town council made up of 12 elected members (who, if we're reading correctly, receive a basic allowance of about £13,500 ($17,500) per year; two of these councillors are selected to be the mayor and deputy mayor each civic year. This local council can represent the public and make decisions on local matters that aren't defined by statute.

Bridlington, a coastal town on the eastern side of England, is one of several towns and parishes that make up East Riding of Yorkshire, and there is a separate overarching East Riding council that oversees the more statutory aspects of town government.

Learn more about the Bridlington Town Council on their Facebook page and website.

Burlington, Ontario, Canada

Closer to home, Burlington, Ontario (population 187,000) has a quite similar municipal structure to Bridlington.

Situated on Lake Ontario just an hour past Niagara falls and the U.S.A./New York Border, Burlington has elections every four years (run by an appointed City Clerk), where six councillors and a mayor are elected. Also elected are members of the school board and Catholic school board, and the Chair of Halton Region, who is responsible for representing the city at the regional level.

Like our Burlington and Bridlington, as well, Burlington, ON, has a number of subcommittees, such as the Audit and Budget Committees and an interesting one called the "Pipeline to a Permit" committee.

The mayor of Burlington, ON, is paid around $200,000 CAD (around $141,000 USD), and the councilors are paid somewhere in the range of $120,000 CAD ($86,000 USD).

Learn more about this small government for a big city on the Burlington, ON, city website.

Burlington, WA

On the West Coast, Burlington, Washington (population ~9,200), operates under a council–manager form of government, a structure used by many mid-sized and growing U.S. cities.

In this model, voters elect a seven-member city council, including six ward representatives and one at-large member; they also choose a mayor. The council’s most significant responsibility is hiring a professional city administrator, who manages the day-to-day operations of the city, oversees department heads, and implements council policy; this administrator reports to the mayor.

The mayor gets paid just under $220,000 per year with an increase expected this July. City Council members get paid, as well, but much more modestly with a monthly stipend coming in at $800 as of 2016. Either of these positions can elect not to receive their compensation if desired.

Learn more about Burlington, Washington’s government on the city’s official website.

Burlington, KS

Burlington, Kansas (population ~2,600) uses a mayor–council system, one of the oldest forms of municipal government in the United States (though not as old as Town Meeting).

Residents elect a mayor who serves as the city’s chief executive, along with a city council that functions as the legislative body. Each of these offices holds a four-year term. A city clerk is appointed by the mayor and approved by the council.

The mayor and possibly the council members are paid in this model, with the mayor appearing to receive around $3,000 per year; we couldn't find specific salary or stipend info for the council members.

More information about Burlington, Kansas’ municipal government can be found on the city’s website.

Same but Different

While local structures have their similarities across Burlingtons, municipal government isn’t one-size-fits-all — and how a town is structured influences everything from budget priorities to community engagement.

Got a question about how Burlington, MA’s government works — or want to suggest the next “Other Burlingtons” comparison? Head out to the Civic Expo on January 14 from 5:00 to 7:00 at the BHS Cafeteria, or let us know by email!

Burlington Trivia

(Get your answer in the Burlington Buzz newsletter or in the next edition of Other Burlingtons!)

Answer from last time: Which “other Burlington” is larger than Burlington, MA, and operates multiple public high schools?

Burlington, ON, as you can see above, has a population about 7x the size of Burlington, MA! It operates at least 3 Catholic high schools and 5 nondenominational high schools.

Did you like this feature? Let us know at hello@burlington.buzz!

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