Local governments are closest to the people

They affect you more than any level of governmentThey serve you in your home, school streetlights

stop sign, pipes that carry your drinking water

They are: workers who build and maintain roadsPolice sanitation crews

CountiesCitiesSpecial districts

Everyone living in Georgia lives in a County

Counties are created by the State Legislature

In Georgia’s first constitution there were 8 counties

Most counties are headed by elected: county commission - elected by the county

voters for 4 years, staggered terms.

The commission has a combination of legislative and executive power

More than half of Georgia counties have a county administrator or county manager who carries out day to day work of the county government

The 3rd county formed in Georgia Incorporated: February 5, 1777

Population: 232,048

Total Area: 440.4 Square miles

Chatham County

County commissions enact laws regarding local property and affairs

These laws are called county ordinances -laws that affect local affairs:

recreation program traffic regulations

provide trial courtsState health and welfare programsVoter registrationState electionsBuild and repair roads and bridges Record property ownershipBirthsDeathsMarriagesRegistering automobiles/state automobile tags

Fire protectionSewer systemPublic transportationParksLibrariesPolice departmentsRecreation facilities Public health facilities

A city is a community that has been incorporated officially created by the state legislature

A city with its own government is a municipality

Cities are made because people want certain services not provided by the county

http://www.savannahga.gov/cityweb/SavannahGaGOV.nsf/mainportal/government?opendocument

A city exists as a political unit with: At least 200 people living in the area Be at least 3 miles from the boundary of an existing city Be 50% developed and divided into tracts designated for residential, commercial, industrial, governmental, or institutional purposesConsolidated city

City charters allow the city to:Provide police protectionMaintain streets and sidewalkscontrol trafficProvide for water and sewage services

Some cities were formed before counties were made:

Savannah Augusta Most cities are small There were 527 cities in the 2000 census Georgia has 246 cities that have fewer than

1,000 people 62 cities have populations larger than 10,000

people

City council: governing body of a city also known as a city commission

Cities have an elected mayor who is the leader of the city

Mayor –Council government with a “Strong Mayor”

Mayor-council government with a “Weak Mayor”

Council-Manager

Elected city council responsible for making the laws

Mayor may be either weak or strong

Mayor –Council government with a “Strong Mayor” Mayor has total responsibility for day-to day

operations Mayors hires and fires staff Prepares the budget mayor has Veto power

ceremonial head of government City council decides policies but no administrative power, limited power, may over ride veto Atlanta

Mayor has limited powers Mayor and city council share power Mayor may preside over council meetings Mayor has little veto power Mayor appoints department head with council

approval Mayor serves as ceremonial head City council decides policies and makes laws Smyrna

Mayor presides over meeting but little executive power

Mayor serves as ceremonial head Set up like a corporation Citizens elect a city council City council hires a city manager

City council decides policies and makes laws

Appointed by the city council to administer the government and can be removed by it.

Prepares the budget Administers daily operations Hires and fires staff Oversees meetings Ceremonial duties

Most of Georgia’s cities have a Mayor-council form of government

Are made for special purposes: School districts MARTA CAT bus system School districts They make their own rules and regulations They can charge a fee

What is Savannah? A Mayor Council “strong mayor” form of government or a Mayor Council “weak mayor” form of government or a Council-Manager?

Find out, write it up and submit!