1. Chapter 14 North Carolina Local Governments Important: 2 types: Municipality and County Local governments are not in the Constitution, created by General Assembly

2. Municipalities Municipalities constitute more than 540 cities, towns, and villages in NC Provide services to meet the needs that come from living and working closely together, such as –Streets and street lighting, safe drinking water, sanitary sewers, and waste disposal, neighborhood parks Cities, towns, and villages all have the same legal status

3. Becoming a Municipality Incorporation  the state declares that a specific geographic area is a municipality Charter  outlines the basic rules for a municipal government Annexation  when cities expand their boundaries to include new territory –An area can be annexed even when the residents don’t want to be Most municipalities are quite small

4. Governing the Municipality Each municipality elects its own governing board called either the Council, the Board of Commissioners, or the Board of Alderman Governing board elected by the people living in the municipality –Either by district or “at large” Governing board passes local laws, called “ordinances” –Establish municipal policies, approve budgets, set municipal tax rates, and regulate what people can and can’t do in the municipality

5. The Mayor Most municipalities have a mayor that presides over the the meetings, is a spokesperson for the board, and a community political leader –May or may not be allowed to vote with the board, depending on the municipality Mayor is either elected by the residents of the municipality or is a board member that is promoted by other members

6. Municipal Executive Professional manager that carries out policies –More than likely has a graduate degree in Public Administration –Responsible for the day-to-day operations of the municipal government –Does the hiring and firing of executive bureaucrat –Proposes the budget for the municipality and advise board on policies Clerk is another important official in municipal government –Keeps official records and helps board communicate with citizens In small municipalities, the board administers the city, no professional manager

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8. Governing Counties Board of Commissioners is the major governing body –Set the county tax rates, approve the county budget, and establish county policies Elected by voters, # of members varies between 3-11, term length varies as well Chairperson leads the board –Either elected by voters or chosen by board members

9. Counties NC is divided into 100 counties, each with a local government and a branch office for the state County governments: –Set local policy and carry out certain state policies and laws –Local policy: land use, public library, building facilities –Shared policy: public health, elections, mental health, social services

10. Independent Local Boards Created by the General Assembly to oversee specific services state requires counties to provide –Education, elections, mental health, public health, social services, alcoholic beverage control, and soil and water conservation –Most board members appointed by Board of Commissioners Local Education Authority (LEA) –Members elected directly by voters –Some counties have multiple LEAS –Make educational policies and hire administrators

11. County Executives Counties also use professional managers to administer policies and services –More than likely has a graduate degree in Public Administration County manager reports to the board of county commissioners Prepares a draft of the county budget, advises on policy choices Appoints people to head some county departments

12. Not Under the Manager Sheriff’s department headed by elected Sheriff Register of Deeds also an elected county official, keeps records of land ownership, marriages, births, and deaths Coroner-Pronounces people dead Clerk for Board of Commissioners-Keeps records of meetings Independent Boards