As established in the 1969 City Charter, the Mayor and Council comprise the legislative branch of the City government. The Council acts on ordinances and resolutions, approves the annual tax rate and operating budget, and generally makes policy for the overall operation of the City.

Burleson has had numerous mayors that have volunteered time and energy in providing leadership for the growth and modernization of the City. The Mayors and years of service are as follows:

• W.P. Lace, 1910 before Burleson was incorporated
• G.W. Bransom, 1912-1920
• N.F. Smith, 1921-1922
• W.P. Lace, 1923
• G.W. Bransom, 1924-1933
• A.W. Haskew, 1934-1937
• G.E. Bransom, 1938-1947
• J.M. Scott, 1948-1951
• C.A. Godfrey, 1952-1955
• J.A. Gregory, 1956-1959
• Jack Taylor, 1960-1961
• Hobart Bartlett, 1962-1967
• Clayton Boyd, 1968-1971
• Frank G. Norwood, 1972-1975
• Dr. Robert E. Ables, 1976-1982
• Scott Butler, 1982-1984
• R. G. "Jerry" Boone, 1984-1989
• Vera Calvin,1989 -1992
• Rick Roper, 1992-1998
• Byron Black, 1998-2004
• Ken Shetter, 2004-Present

The daily operation of the Town of Burleson and then the City of Burleson had been the responsibility of the City Secretary until 1969 when the Home Rule Charter was adopted by the citizens. Since that time, the City Manager, appointed by the City Council, serves as the chief administrative official of the City and is responsible for the overall operation of the City Administration.

The City Secretaries and then the City Managers are as follows:

City Secretaries to 1969

• G.W. Dobson, 1912
• W.R. Taylor, 1913-1914
• C.C. Taylor, 1915-1919
• T.A. Jenkins, 1920
• A.H. Loyless, 1921-1933, 1935
• R.W. Levey, 1934, 1936, 1938
• J.T. Scott, 1937
• N.L. Clark, 1939-1948
• Boyd Scott, 1949-1954
• Ray Bentley, 1954-1967
• Homer Barns, 1969

City Managers - after 1969

• D.R. Ward, 1970
• Frank A. Proctor, Jr., 1971-1973
• Homer Barns, 1974
• Ronald W. Harmon, 1974-1976
• James R. England, 1976-1979
• Mark P. Sowa, 1979-1983
• Ron Crabtree, 1984-1988
• Jack Eades, 1988-1992
• Kay Godbey, 1993-2001
• Bill Davison, 2001-2006
• Curtis Hawk, 2006-present

The position of City Secretary has continued since the Charter change in 1969. The duties of the City Secretary during this time include acting as secretary to the City Council and keeping all official documents and records of the City.

Persons who have served as City Secretary in this capacity are:

• Sandra Barabas, 1970-1971
• Barbara Martin, 1972
• Jean Walker Phillips, 1972-1999
• Mary Kayser, 1999 -2006
• Amanda McDowell, 2007-present