Thousand Oaks is a General Law City with a Council/Manager form of government. Under this type government, the City Council is the policy-making body, appointing the City Manager who is responsible for carrying out Council policy.

Local Government Snapshot

• Five-member City Council  elected from the City at-large.
• Councilmembers serve four-year staggered terms.
• Municipal (local) elections are held in November of even-numbered years.
• The Council annually selects a Mayor who serves as presiding officer during City Council meetings.
• Meetings held on Tuesday nights approximately two times per month. (The month of August is recessed). Council meetings are held in the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza Scherr Forum Theatre which doubles as the  Council Chambers.
• Council duties include appointing City Manager, a City Attorney and members of City Committees and Commissions, adopting a two-year budget, enacting legislation and establishing basic City policy. 
• Council meetings are televised live on TOTV-Channel 10, a government access television channel providing Thousand Oaks' citizens a window on government.