Milan operates under the Mayor-Council form of government. It consists of a Mayor (also know as the "Village Board President") and six council members ("Village Trustees") and an elected Village Clerk. The Mayor appoints, and Village Board of Trustees approve, a Village Administrator to oversee the day-to-day operation of government services and programs. Milan is a non-home rule community, as are most Illinois cities and villages with populations under 25,000.
Village Government Structure
The Mayor-Council form with the addition of a full-time administrator combines the leadership of elected officials with the experience of a professional manager. While the Village Administrator has management responsibilities and serves as the executive head of the government, it is the elected officials who set Village policy. This includes financial responsibilities such as determining the tax rate and approving the annual budget. As such, the Mayor and Village Board of Trustees retain power vested in it by the voters, and employs the administrator as its full-time executive who carries out the Board’s decisions.