Welcome Ben Bitter, City Manager of Maricopa and new President of ACMA!
Maricopa City Manager Benjamin Bitter has been elected by his peers to lead the Arizona City/County Management Association (ACMA) as its next President. Bitter began his term as President Thursday afternoon and will serve though January 2027. Following completion of his term as President, Bitter will remain on ACMA’s Board of Directors for an additional year (through January 2028), serving as its Past President.
Recognition as ACMA’s President shows the highest level of commitment to a professional Code of Ethics and is an acknowledgment of Maricopa’s strong history of professional management. As President, Bitter aims to advance the organization’s mission by strengthening the skills and knowledge of Arizona’s current and emerging local government leaders who serve communities across the state.
Although many are only familiar with the council-manager form of local government because of the popular 2000’s television show “Parks and Rec” (in which Rob Lowe played the part of the city manager), the form of government has been around for over 100 years. It combines the strong political leadership of elected officials with the professional experience and expertise of an appointed administrator. City and county managers are appointed to implement the policies of elected officials and oversee the day-to-day operations of running a city or county. For Maricopa, this includes a multi-faceted operation with more than 500 employees and a budget of over $340 million.
“While some may scoff at this, I truly believe that the purpose of government is to bring joy to our community’s residents. As we pave potholes, provide emergency medical services, open new bridges and roads, fight crime, and be responsible stewards of taxpayer resources, we do it with the thought that each action we take can improve the lives of those we serve. Local government management can be incredibly challenging and incredibly rewarding. Organizations like ACMA help bring together the best practices and ideas to ensure professionals are armed with the tools to succeed in these difficult positions. It makes us better!” said Bitter. “It’s a tremendous honor to represent the City of Maricopa, and the state of Arizona, as ACMA President in 2026.”
Bitter began working for Maricopa in 2021, before becoming its City Manager in April of 2024. He is a Credentialed City Manager Candidate through the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), a certification that is currently held by fewer than a dozen city managers across the state. Bitter earned a master’s degree in public administration from Arizona State University and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Brigham Young University. He completed the Senior Executives in Local Government Program at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and also holds a certificate in Management and Organizations from the University of Arizona.
Bitter first became a member of ACMA in 2007 and has served on its Board of Directors since 2020 in various roles. He is the first City Manager from Maricopa to serve on the ACMA Board of Directors and his eight consecutive years of service on the Board would represent one of the longest tenures in the history of the organization.
