The Mayor is the city's highest ranking official who performs administrative, political and ceremonial municipal functions.The Mayor also serves Ex-Officio as the Chair of the School Committee, a Trustee at the Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School and on the Board of Trustees for the Academy of Music Theatre, Look Memorial Park and Child's Park.

The Mayor is the City's Chief Executive Officer and is responsible for the administration of all city departments. Specifically, the Mayor and her staff are responsible for theenforcement of all city laws and ordinances, the implementation of economic development and community development initiatives, the appointment of some department heads and members of many boards and commissions and the submittal of a balanced budget to the City Council.

The Mayor's office also serves as an organizing vehicle for community groups and agencies of all types and is city government's most visible center for constituent services and problem solving. The Mayor also represents the interests of the city to other levels of government. The Mayor participates in a number of regional, statewide and national municipal and educational policy boards, such as the Mass. Mayor's Association, the Economic Development Council of Western Mass., and the Mass. Municipal Association. The Mayor's Economic Development Coordinator and the Finance Director also participate in regional and local professional organizations geared toward finance issues, economic development, and other effective tools for enhancing local government and the community.