1. Counties and Municipalities
Unit 4

2. 12/5 Warm-up
What might be one benefit and one challenge resulting from federalism?
What do you think of of when you hear “local government”?

3. Federalism Quiz
Citizens of states elect representatives at the national level thus an intersection of state and national power.
Speed limit laws are made at state level but influenced by monetary incentives from the federal level. No
In order for a proposed amendment to become part of the Constitution it must be passed by the US Congress (national) and by the states (state).

4. Federalism Quiz No
We vote for a president at the state level. States decide how to apportion their electoral votes. The outcome of the state votes determines representation at the national level.
The Supreme Court (national) may rule a state decision or law unconstitutional (state).
This law was made on the national level and forces state and local governments to comply without funding the implementation of the act. This is an unfunded mandate.

5. Local Government Quotes
Read through all the quotes and select two to thoughtfully respond to in writing.
Choose at least one quote that is focused on local government.
In your response, you might discuss: -Do you agree, or disagree?
-What does the quote make you think about?
-What history is behind these words?
-What does this quote say about our governmental system?
-Why is local government so important?

6. Local Government
County - oldest form of local government (also known as parishes and boroughs in some states)
County seat - center of the county (within a day’s journey from any part of the county)
Counties were established by the NC General Assembly between 1776 and 1912
Assist state governments with keeping law and order, and collect taxes
Rooted in England, the county form of government came to North America with the English colonists. Colonies were divided into counties to carry out laws in rural areas. Because farmers lived far apart, county business was done at a place most people could reach within a day’s wagon journey. This distance to the ‘county seat’ set the boundaries of many counties. Today, most counties help state governments keep law and order and collect taxes. Counties may also offer many other services, from libraries to health care.
Counties were established by the North Carolina General Assembly to make basic government services more readily available throughout the state. County lines were drawn and redrawn from 1776 to 1912, when the last of the one hundred counties was created. Counties continue to carry out state requirements but they also have the authority to take on additional roles above and beyond these basic services.

7. Cities
Cities (municipalities) are “incorporated” within counties because people living there want a more “local” provision of public services.
Municipalities must be incorporated by act of the General Assembly— defining its geographic boundaries and approving its charter
Incorporation is recognition of and approval for a government and elected officials at the municipal level
Charters may call the municipality a city, town, or village
552 municipalities in NC’s 100 counties

8. Cities Cities are not mandated to provide any services at all.
Larger cities and towns provide many of the same services: water supply, wastewater treatment, police and fire protection, garbage collection, planning and zoning, and building inspection.

9. Who you gonna call?

10. Services Provided by Local Government
Airports
Ambulance service
Animal shelters
Art galleries and museums
Auditoriums/coliseums
Building inspections
Buses/public transit
Cable television regulation
Cemeteries
Community appearance
Community colleges
Cooperative extension
Court facilities (space only)
Economic development
Elections
Electric systems
Public health services
Public housing
Public schools
Recreation programs
Register of deeds
Rescue squads
Sidewalks
Social services
Soil and water conservation Storm drainage
Street lighting
Streets
Traffic control
Veterans services
Wastewater collection and treatment
Water supply and protection Youth detention facilities
Emergency management Environmental protection
Fire protection
Forest protection
Garbage and yard waste collection
Gas systems
Historic preservation
Human relations
Jails
Job training
Law enforcement
Libraries
Mental health services
Parks and open space
Planning and zoning
This is a competition to see which group can get the most right answers in 5 minutes
Then, have them compare trade with another group and compare their lists. Check off how many each group got correct.
Then, guess which are county and which are city. I tell them the right answers.

11. Counties
Cities
Both

12. Art galleries and museums Auditoriums/coliseums Building inspections
Airports
Ambulance service
Animal shelters
Art galleries and museums
Auditoriums/coliseums
Building inspections
Buses/public transit
Cable television regulation
Cemeteries
Community appearance
Community colleges
Cooperative extension
Court facilities space
Economic development
Elections
Electric systems
Emergency management Environmental protection
Fire protection
Forest protection
Garbage and yard waste Gas systems
Historic preservation
Jails
Job training
Law enforcement
Libraries
Mental health services
Parks and open space
Planning and zoning
Public health services
Public housing
Public schools
Recreation programs
Register of deeds
Rescue squads
Sidewalks
Social services
Soil and water conservation Storm drainage
Street lighting
Streets
Traffic control
Veterans services
Wastewater treatment
Water supply and protection Youth detention facilities
This is a competition to see which group can get the most right answers in 5 minutes
Then, have them compare trade with another group and compare their lists. Check off how many each group got correct.
Then, guess which are county and which are city. I tell them the right answers.

13. Authority in Local Government
Counties: voters chose a board of county commissioners, sheriff, register of deeds.
Municipalities: voters chose a council/board (and sometimes the mayor). Advisory boards make recommendations to the main board.

14. NC COUNTIES: Board-Manager Form
County manager- chief administrator of the county government, responsible to the board of commissioners for overseeing all departments
Hire, fire, and discipline county employees with the board’s approval (not elected by the people)
Prepare an annual budget

15. CITIES: Mayor-Council Plan
Elected mayor, serves as the chief executive and an elected council operates as the legislative body
May be described as either strong-mayor or weak-mayor forms—based on the powers given to the mayor
Strong-mayor: mayor heads the city’s administration and has power to veto, hire/fire, and prepares the budget (usually used in larger cities)
**Weak-mayor: mayor has less formal power; shares executive duties with other elected officials (clerk, treasurer, city engineer, police chief, council members) most forms of mayor-council government operate as this

17. CITIES: Council-Manager Plan*
Strong city council (5 or 7 members); weak mayor who is elected; manager named by the council
City Manager- chief administrator of the city; oversee municipal affairs
Appoint , suspend, or remove any city officer/employee not elected
City councils must appoint: city attorney, city clerk, city police, tax collector
Advantages: simple, responsibility is clear, uses trained experts; Attempts to create a balance between all parties and ideas

18. Review What is the oldest unit of local government in North Carolina?
a. Cities
b. Towns
c. Counties
d. Villages C

19. Review
Who sets the boundaries of counties, cities, and towns in North Carolina?
a. The counties, cities, and towns
b. The NC General Assembly
c. The Governor
d. The Federal Government B

20. Review
Which of the following county officials are NOT elected by the citizens?
a. County Commissioners
b. The Register of Deeds
c. The Sheriff
d. The County Manager D

21. Review
Municipalities in North Carolina are mandated to provide which of the following services?
a. Public housing
b. Fire protection
c. Garbage collection
d. Municipalities are not mandated to provide any services D

22. Review
Municipal governing boards make all of the following official decisions for a city EXCEPT:
a. Setting local tax rates
b. Adopting an annual budget
c. Passing ordinances for regulating behavior
d. Issuing a charter to the local community college B

23. Review
The local government of Orange County NC has a chief executive who carries out the day-to-day operations of the county. The executive is not an elected official, but has the authority to hire and fire department heads and make significant changes to the organization. The type of local government that best describes Orange County is:
a. Strong mayor form of government
b. Council-manager form of government
c. Weak mayor form of government
d. Government of appointed boards A

24. Review
In order for a municipality to officially become a city, town, or village, the NC General Assembly must accept the municipality’s:
a. charter
b. code of ordinances
c. Council members
d. size of its population A

25. Review How old must one be in order to register to vote? a. 18
b. 17, if the person will be 18 by the time of the election
c. 21
d. 16 B