The overall goal for local governments is to most efficiently deliver local services. In particular, Regina has a diverse city council with different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives to bring to the table. However, there is no clear distinction between the roles of elected officials and the city manager in Regina. This report compares and contrasts Regina city council with other local and international municipalities, and offers four new practices to improve efficiency and to balance costs and benefits of local services. This paper examines the centralized and decentralized models of local government in Canada, the United States, England, Australia, and New Zealand.