City Assembly Chairman, President or Speaker?

Hello!
Would you please be so kind as to tell me what would be the most correct term to use:
City Assembly Chairman, President or Speaker?
I was challenged by a colleague for using "chairman". His explanation was that a chair practically only chairs a session and that the president of a city assembly has much wider responsibilities than just chairing. Is he right?
Thank you very much in advance!
Respectfully,
Dragana

The correct term is the one that is used officially for the position. 'President' may be the most important and powerful person in an organisation, or may be a figurehead. Chairman Mao did more than just chair meetings.

Thank you very much for such a prompt reply!
All the best!

The head of a city or municipal council is more often called a mayor.

not a teacher

tedtmc said:

The head of a city or municipal council is more often called a mayor.

not a teacher

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Not necessarily. In most towns and cities in the UK the office of Mayor is a ceremonial rather than an executive position

bhaisahab said:

Not necessarily. In most towns and cities in the UK the office of Mayor is a ceremonial rather than an executive position

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And what is the head of the executive called?

In Manchester (and I suspect in most other towns and cities in the UK), he's the Chief Executive.

Rover

In some places, the old title of 'Town Clerk' is still used.

tedtmc said:

The head of a city or municipal council is more often called a mayor.

not a teacher

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No, not in the US. A mayor is a separate elected position, an executive. Those on a city council are legislators. Legislators write laws, executives carry out the laws.

So Dragan, what we appear to be saying is the a job title means what the people using it want it to mean. You can be reasonably certain what a military rank means, but in business and local government you can never be sure.

Even in the military, a sergeant major is not a major, and the rank of captain in the navy is several grades above that of an army captain; a sub-lieutenant or even a non-commissioned officer may be the captain of a naval vessel.

SoothingDave said:

No, not in the US. A mayor is a separate elected position, an executive. Those on a city council are legislators. Legislators write laws, executives carry out the laws.

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Not necessarily. The city council where I live appoints a professional "city manager" to be the city's chief executive/administrator. The mayor is an "at-large" member of the council. His mayoral duties are strictly ceremonial (rather than executive) in nature. ("council-manager" form of government)

Drear Pooson said:

Not necessarily. The city council where I live appoints a professional "city manager" to be the city's chief executive/administrator. The mayor is an "at-large" member of the council. His mayoral duties are strictly ceremonial (rather than executive) in nature. ("council-manager" form of government)

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OK, live and learn. I suppose I should not have assumed all states were the same.