This bully pulpit role is considered the mayor's strongest power. The common council has the chief policy making and administrative oversight role in city government. The council approves all laws and adopts the city budget. The council also oversees the work of city department heads. The council is comprised of three members from Ward I and three members from Ward II plus one member elected at-large. The at-large member serves a two-year term of office, while the six ward members serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with one seat in each ward up for election each year. The council elects from its membership a president and a president pro tem, each serving a one-year term. The president presides at all council meetings, and the president pro tem presides in the president's absence. The president pro tem also serves as acting mayor in the absence of the mayor.  , the mayor of Summit is Democrat Nora G. Radest, whose term of office ends December 31, 2023. Members of the common council are Council President Marjorie Fox (D, 2020; Second Ward), President Pro Tem Beth Little (D, 2021; At Large), Stephen E. Bowman (R, 2022; Second Ward), Susan D. Hairston (D, 2020 - elected to serve an unexpired term; First Ward), B. David Naidu (D, 2021; First Ward), Danny O'Sullivan (D, 2022; First Ward) and Gregory S. Vartan III (D, 2021; Second Ward). In November 2019, Susan Hairston was sworn in to the First Ward seat expiring in December 2020 that became vacant following the death of Matthew Gould. Michael F. Rogers is the city administrator of Summit. In this role, he directs day-to-day operations of city government and the city departments. Summit has been a stronghold for the Republican Party for years. From 1921 to 2001 no Democrats served in elective office and very few ran for office. The real elections occurred in the Republican primary. In 2001, Democratic candidates Michel Bitritto won a council seat in Ward I and Jordan Glatt won the at-large council seat. Summit had never elected a Democrat as mayor until 2003, when Jordan Glatt was elected. In November 2011, Republicans swept all the open seats, with Ellen Dickson elected mayor and Gregory Drummond, Patrick Hurley and Robert Rubino sweeping the three council seats, giving full control of city government back to the Republican party. The Department of Community Services is responsible for engineering, public works, and code administration.