Name: ________________________________
Period:_________
Local Government
What are the different types of local government?
You should be able to answer:
1)
2)
3)
4)
What is the origin and purpose of counties and townships?
How do citizens play a role in the running of towns in New England?
What is the purpose of a special District?
How do mayor-council and council-manager plans of city government compare?
________________________________________________ and only have the powers given to
them by the state- NOT the federal government. Our daily lives are closely connected to our
local government as we come in contact with people who work for our local government:
_________________________ _____________________________________and others. We
also depend on local services: _______________________________ and water/sewer.
Counties and Townships
Our oldest unit of local government is the ____________________. The concept originated in
England and brought to North America by the Colonists. The original colonies were
_____________________________________________________.
The business of the county is done at a place called the
“________________________________” and is located in the ________________
_____________ of the county, so that every person could reach it within a day’s wagon
journey.
Every county still has a county seat that acts as the capital of the county. What is the county
seat of Stark County?
Answer: _________________
Most counties help states ______________________________(sheriff offices) and offer other
services (road departments, water and sewage treatment plants, etc)
Most counties are __________________________________________. The board is a group of
people who manage the business of an organization—in this case it is the county. The board is
usually made up of ______________________________ ____________________. They are
responsible for setting up county programs and ___________________
_____________________________ (local laws). In most cases the board
____________________________________________ which run hospitals, libraries, and other
programs.
Stark County Commissioners:
________________________________
_________________________________
___________________________
The best known elected county official is the _____________________. The concept has its
roots in __________________and was brought over with the colonists. The Sheriff along with
“Deputy Sheriffs” _________________________
_______________________________________________ in rural areas not covered by city or
state police departments.
Stark County Sheriff: _________________________
Other county officials include:
________________ (determines the value of property)
The Treasurer (_____________________________________)
______________________ (keeps official records such as marriage certificates)
TOWNSHIPS
As a result of the ______________________________________________, the future Middle
Atlantic States and in the Midwest (starting in Ohio) counties are divided into townships. Each
township is ________________________________ (6 miles North to South and 6 miles East to
West). They were intended to carry out duties (running schools and repairing roads) in rural
areas far away from the county seat.
NEW ENGLAND TOWNS
A second form of rural government started in the New England colonies- _______________.
Settlers would construct a village comprising of
___________________________________________________________. When it was
combined with nearby farmland, a town was established.
In early New England towns citizens took an active role in local government. Voters met once a
year at town meetings to ________________________
_____________________________________. The meetings still take place in some small New
England towns and represent the closest thing to a
__________________________________________.
The citizens would elect a board of 3 to 5 members to carry out the town business during the
year. Other officials such as school board members, the assessor, clerk, and treasurer were
selected _______________________________________ to carry out specific duties.
Currently, citizens in large towns choose representatives to attend town meetings and many
have hired ____________________ to be in charge of the town’s business.
SPECIAL DISTRICTS
A special district is a _________________________________________________. It usually
serves one community, but can cover one or parts of several communities. For example, a dry
region (such as in the south western US) communities ask the state to create a special water
district to supply water to the region and cities have special districts to run subways.
Every community has one special district- ________________________________. This and
other special districts are run by board of citizens.
CITIES
Urban areas are typically referred to as a___________________________. Larger urban
centers are commonly called cities while municipalities that serve _______
________________________ are often called towns or villages.
Today, a mid-sized American city has between ___________________________
____________________________ citizens. Several cities have millions of people.
Governments of today’s cities are responsible for many programs, including pollution control
and public safety.
2010 Census: ________________________: 73,011
2009: _____________________________: 32,734
The powers and boundaries of a municipality (a city, town, or village) are _______
______________ and governed by one of three methods: mayor-council, council- manager, or
commission.
MAYOR-COUNCIL PLAN
Mayor: _______________________________
Council: _______________________________
About ____________________ in the United States use the mayor-council plan. The specific
duties and responsibilities of the city officials depend on if the city uses a
“________________________” or “______________________________”.
Weak Mayor
The weak mayor system originated in English colonies as the early settlers did not trust the
English government and did not ________________________________
________________________________________________.
The mayor does ___________________________________________—most of the power
rests with the council.
The council is elected by the people and acts _____________________________
___________________________________. The council can choose a mayor from its members
as well as other officials, make ordinances, and decide how money should be spent.
Early on, most cities in the US used this system, but as cities grew so did the demands and
need for _________________________________- resulting in a strong mayor
Strong Mayor
The relationship between the mayor and council resembles _________________
___________________________. The council makes ordinances, but an elected mayor is in
charge of the _____________________________________________
_____________________.
COUNCIL MANAGER PLAN
As a result of government corruption and favoritism in the early 1900’s the council-manager
plan was developed ________________________________
_______________________________.
The council is made up of citizens __________________________ and is created through an
election. The council makes ordinances and ___________________
___________________________to hire the day to day business. It is the manager’s
responsibility to prepare the budget and is in charge of people who work for the city.
The manager is not elected to __________________________________________
______________________.It is used in over 2 thousand cities today.
COMMISSION PLAN
The commission plan originated in _____________________________. In 1900, a hurricane
destroyed the city, and the weak mayor government in place at the time could not manage the
rebuilding.
The citizens convinced the state to approve a new form of government, called the commission
plan.
This plan includes:
- Voters choose several commissioners who __________________________
_____________________________________.
- Each commissioner __________________________________________ (example:
finance, or public assistance)
- ______________________ for a single leader in control of the budget and make the
departments work together.
It ____________________ rebuild Galveston and as a result hundreds of other cities decided
to implement it. However, many have since decided not to use it anymore.
No matter what type of government, the success of a city, town, or village
___________________________________. Ideas, concerns, and potential solutions can be
heard in city hall.