The City of Coeur d'Alene operates under a Mayor-Council form of government, the form of local governance that most resembles the U.S. Constitution's separated branches of an elected legislative body and a separately elected chief executive.

In Coeur d'Alene, as with many communities throughout the United States, the mayor assumes a larger policy-making role and responsibility of day-to-day operations is delegated to a city administrator appointed by, and responsible to, the chief executive.

The city administrator provides general leadership and oversight over the city's 13 departments. For more information on their duties, visit the "staff" link in the sidebar.