1. Counties and Municipalities

2. What is a county?
The largest territorial and political subdivision in North Carolina

3. Why do states form counties?
To set local public policy and carry out state guidelines

4. How many counties has the NC General Assembly divided NC into?
100

5. What is the structure of county government in NC?
County Legislature – Board of County Commissioners
Elected by – citizens of the county
Responsible for:
set county tax rate
approve county budget
establish county policy

7. County Government Cont.
County Executive – County Manager
Hired by – Board of Commissioners
Responsible for:
draft county budget
carry out policies of the Board
appoints people to lead some county departments

8. State Mandated (Required by State) Boards
ABC Board – monitors alcohol sales
Board of Elections – looks over election procedures
Board of Education:
sets and adopts a school budget
follows policies of state department of education
sets the local school curriculum

9. County Law Enforcement
The Sheriff

10. Register of Deeds Elected by the voters
Record legal documents: land ownership, marriages, births, and deaths

11. Clerk of Court Elected by the voters in county
Guides the county court system but is a state employee because all courts are controlled by the state

12. What is a municipality?
Cities, towns or villages

13. How are municipalities created?
Incorporated means that the state has declared that the area is a city, town or village
Charter – outlines the basic rules for a municipality

14. How can a city expand its boundaries?
Through Annexation: process of bringing unincorporated land into an existing municipality

16. How is a municipality governed?
Run by an elected governing board called a city council or city board
An elected mayor usually presides over the council.

18. What is the Mayor-Council Plan?
Mayor has real power and serves as the chief Executive (carries out policy)

19. What is the Council-Manager Plan?
Governing council hires a professional Manager to carry out policies (most of NC)

20. What enforces laws in most municipalities?
City police force – not elected but hired

21. Local Legislation Ordinance: Local laws Referendum:
Allowing voters to accept or reject a local law

22. What services are provided by county and municipal governments?