City Management Representation

What does this indicator measure?

City Management Representation measures the rate of employees in management, supervisory, and decision-making roles across City of St. Louis departments per 100,000 residents. This indicator excludes elected officials, employees at the Board of Aldermen, or employees of County Offices, such as the Recorder of Deeds, License Collector, Collector of Revenue, or Treasurer’s Office. In 2018, there were 713 management level positions in city government, which equates to a rate of 229 managers per 100,000 residents. 

City Management Representation Analysis

City employees in management roles per 100,000 residents in St. Louis City.

Data Source: City of St. Louis, 2018. American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2016.

Data Note: This is a point-in-time count of management as of September 2018. All departments whose employee data is managed by the Personnel Department of the City of St. Louis, and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Division, were included in this assessment. In the civil service, employees were identified as management if they were on the Management schedule or if they held one of the following positions in the General schedule: Chemistry Supervisor, Public Information Officer to the Mayor, Research Analyst to the Mayor, Special Assistant to the Comptroller, City Court Judge, or Special Assistant to the Mayor. In the Fire Department, employees were identified as management if they held one of the following positions: Fire Alarm Manager, Fire Captain, Battalion Fire Chief, Deputy Fire Chief, and Fire Commissioner. In the Police Division, employees were identified as management or supervisory if they held on of the following positions: Police Sergeant, Police Lieutenant, Police Captain, Police Major, Police Lieutenant Colonel, Police Assistant Chief, Police Commissioner.

What does this analysis mean?

White residents are nearly three times as likely to be represented in leadership positions in city government as black residents. White residents are represented at a rate of 365 managers per 100,000 people, while black residents are represented at a rate of 139 managers per 100,000 people. There are 27 managers of Hispanic, Asian, and other racial backgrounds, which represents a rate of 88 managers per 100,000 residents. If city management representation were equitable, there would be 329 more black managers and 85 more managers of Hispanic, Asian, or other racial backgrounds.   

Many of the managers and supervisors included in this analysis come from the Police Department with 271 (38%) and the Fire Department with 146 (20%). Other departments with high numbers of employees considered to be managers include the Airport Authority with 44 (6% of all managers), Water Division with 28 (4%), and the Comptroller’s Office and Board of Public Services with 26 apiece (4%).  

Why does City Management Representation matter?

For this indicator, we worked with our Personnel department to identify city employees who could be considered decision-makers, from Commissioners and municipal judges to the more anonymous middle managers that run city services and train the staff who interact directly with the public. Many decisions about the policies and priorities of institutions are made by leaders that are not elected officials. Managers that represent the communities they serve may be able to better recognize and address the needs of residents.

Which Calls to Action from the Ferguson Commission report are linked with this indicator?

While there are no Calls to Action from the Ferguson Commission related to political representation, the report calls for ensuring communities' ability to advocate for equity.

Questions for further investigation

• Why is there racial disparity in City Management Representation? 
• What can St. Louis do to reduce racial disparities in City Management Representation?
• What initiatives are currently underway to reduce racial disparities in City Management Representation?