in 1916, westerville became the first village (and second municipality) in ohio to adopt a council-manager form of government, in which a city council makes policy but the town's administrative and many of its executive governmental functions are vested in an appointed, professional manager. westerville retains the council-manager system to the present day. the city elects seven council members at large for four-year terms; the council selects from among its own a member to serve as mayor, vice mayor, chair, and vice chair. under the city charter, the mayor is only "the ceremonial head of the government" of the city. the council additionally selects the city manager, who serves indefinitely. in 2007, david collinsworth replaced david lindimore as city manager after the latter's tenure of twenty-two years.