City of Hayward

Founded in 1852 and incorporated in 1876, Hayward is a charter city (adopted in 1956) and operates under a council-manager form of government. The City Council is comprised of seven members, including the Mayor, who are elected at large to serve four-year, overlapping terms. The City Council is responsible for the legislative function of the city, such as reviewing public policies and adopting policies responsive to the community. The City of Hayward is organized into 13 major departments and has nearly 900 full-time equivalent positions. In addition to providing basic services, the City runs water distribution, wastewater collection, and the Hayward Executive Airport as enterprise operations.