1. SS8CG5: Analyze the role of local governments in the state of Georgia.

2. Municipality (city or town)
There is no legal difference between a city, town or village. A municipality is established by a charter and approved or incorporated by the General Assembly. There are several types of governments a municipality may have:
1. Weak Mayor
2. Strong Mayor
3. Council Manager
4. Commission Form

3. Weak Mayor-Council
City Mayor City Council

4. What role do voters play?
Voters elect mayor (mostly as a figurehead)
Voters elect council members

5. Who has legislative power?
Council makes the laws
Mayor presides over council meetings, but has little veto power

6. Who has executive power?
Council
organizes city departments
appoints heads of departments
Mayor
Appoints a few city officials.

7. Who is the most powerful?
City council makes most decisions!

8. Strong Mayor-Council Pieces
City Mayor
City Council

9. What role do voters play?
Voters elect mayor
Voters elect council members

10. Council makes the laws Has legislative power?
Mayor presides over council meetings
Mayor proposes legislation

11. Who has executive power?
Mayor appoints all city department heads.

12. Who is the most powerful?
Mayor!

13. Council-Manager Form Pieces:
City Council
City Manager
City Mayor

14. What role do voters play?
Voters elect the city council members
Council then elects or appoints a mayor.

15. Who has the legislative power?
City Council makes all the laws.
Mayor is a council member.

16. Who has executive power?
City Manager appoints all department heads.
City Manager supervises all municipal activities.

17. Who is the most powerful?
City Manager (in a close race with the council)

18. Commission Form Players
City Mayor
City Commission

19. Voters elect commission
Role voters play:
Voters elect commission
Commissioners appoint one of their own as mayor.

20. Who has legislative power?
Commission makes city laws.

21. Who has executive power?
Each commission member is the head of a city department

22. Most powerful?
Commission!

23. After exploring Marietta City’s website, what kind of government does it have?