ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Council-manager government

So, imagine you and your friends are playing a game, but you need someone to help keep the game fair and make sure all the rules are being followed. That person is called the referee.

Now, imagine your town or city is like a big game with lots of people playing and lots of rules to keep things fair. The people who are in charge of making sure all the rules are being followed and everything is running smoothly are called the council.

But the council can't do everything by themselves. Just like how the referee needs helpers to make sure the game is fair, the council needs helpers to make sure the town or city is running well. These helpers are called the managers.

So, a council-manager government is when the council is in charge of making the rules and managing the big picture, but the managers are in charge of actually carrying out those rules and making sure everything is working properly.

It's like the council is the captain of a big ship, and the managers are the crew members who help steer the ship and keep it running smoothly. That way, everyone can live in a happy and fair town or city just like you and your friends playing a game!