Local Governments

City of GoldsboroCounty of WayneWhich government is bigger?

County or city?COUNTY!

County Government

-Largest level of local government

-Gets all authority from the State Government

-Charters

-Local version of a Constitution—It is given to local governments by the State

**describes powers and responsibilities of the county

-Common Purposes

**all counties have a common purpose: to serve the people in the community with…

www.nhcgov.com

Services like:

•Water

•Sewer

•Sanitation

•Hospitals

•Transit

•Law enforcement

County Officials-County Board— ELECTED

position

-Commissioners AKA:

-Alderman

** both those titles are what county board members can be called.

**they are the mini L branch

-Manager

**hired by county to carry out laws

-Sheriff-

**chief law enforcer of a county

**elected position (why?)

-Coroner-

**investigates suspicious deaths

Clerk—•keeps official records-Registrar of Deedskeeps track of property records-District Attorney**(DA)•Elected position•investigates crimes •brings charges and prosecutes cases

County Services

-Pass laws and regulations

ordinances--Term for local laws—also referred to as blue laws in some areas

-law enforcement

-fire services

-recreation

-sanitation

-education

-planning

-transportation

-health

-welfare

City Governments

-get powers from a charter given by the state

-Incorporation-- Official recognition from the state of a local government’s power

-Annexation– adding onto a city by increasing city limits (monkey junction)

-Usually one of two major types of city governments

1. Mayor-Council Form

a. Strong Mayor System-can veto bills

b. Weak Mayor System-can’t veto/more ceremonial

2. Council- Manager System

-elected Council hires professional to run gov’t

City Officials

-Mayor

• **chief executive

• **ELECTED

• The head of the mini E

branch

-Council

-Alderman

• Makes laws, approves budget

• *ELECTED

• Mini L branch; has the alderman who makes laws and approves budget

-Manager –remember, this person is a hired position!

City Services-Can face more serious problems

in urban areas

-Same types of services

-law enforcement

-fire services

-recreation

-sanitation

-education

-planning

-transportation

-health

-welfare

Most counties are required to have:

Community collegesHospitalsCounty jailsYouth detention facilitiesSanitation Waste managementFire services