The City of Oberlin operates under a Council/Manager form of government, which establishes the City Council as the legislative body and provides for professional management through the appointment of a trained municipal administrator. Oberlin adopted this form of city government, which replaces political party considerations with the efficiency of a business structure.

Day-to-day operations are the responsibility of the City Manager, who serves as the chief executive of the City. Oberlin government functions are carried out by the City Manager and six appointed department directors who report directly to the City Manager. Directors of these departments, which include Electric, Fire, Planning & Development, Police, Public Works and Code Enforcement, along with the City Manager's Office, constitute the City Administration. The City Manager provides leadership and guidance to all six City departments, oversees implementation of Council-enacted policies, updates City Council on City business, coordinates the budget and oversees the City's long-range planning.

In addition, the City Manager works closely with City Council, the Finance Director, Law Director , City Clerk and related boards in devising policies that ensure the financial health of the City. A well-balanced residential and business economy allows Oberlin to provide optimum services to its residents.

The City Manager's office staff also handles organizational development, human resources, labor relations and negotiations, and public relations. The experienced administrative staff makes the City of Oberlin not only a great place to live, but a great place to work. Look for personnel openings on the Employment page.

For City Manager's Office documents, see the CMO Document Archive in the E-government section.

Eric Norenberg, City Manager

Eric was appointed City Manager in October 2007. An Ohio-native, Eric has a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Heidelberg College in Tiffin, Ohio and a Master of Public Policy from the Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan.

Eric has over 20 years of municipal government experience. He served in a variety of positions with the City of Mesa, Arizona, including Special Assistant to the City Manager, Acting Convention and Community Center Director, and IT Services Leader. Before that, he completed internships with the cities of Southfield, MI; Ann Arbor, MI, and Mesa, AZ.

The Norenberg family includes Eric’s wife, Kaye, their children, Zach and Molly, and their dog, Checkers.