Local Governments
Counties
Cities
Village of Key
Biscayne
County Government
-Largest level of local government
-Gets all authority from the State
Government
• Cannot operate without state’s
permission
-Charters
-Local version of a Constitution—
It is given to local governments by
the State
• Describes government, structure,
and powers
-Common Purposes
• Protection of and services to the
people
The county level of government is
the largest level of local government
in the United States. Why is that?
How come county governments are
larger than city governments? What
is the difference between a city and
a county? Does it matter which you
live in? Can some people live in
both?
County Officials
- Mayor
-County Board (legislature)
-Commissioners
-Alderman
• Elected local legislature
-Manager
Dade County citizens elect a Mayor & 5member Board of County Commissioners
through partisan elections held every two
years. The Board of County Commissioners
(BCC) are the people elected in 13 districts
to represent you
The Dade County Board of Commissioners is
the governing body for the entire county.
Responsibilities include overseeing the
budget, zoning and planning issues,
promoting growth, and improving the
quality of life for citizens of Dade County.
• Hired professional, runs county
County Officials
-Sheriff
• Chief law enforcement officer
• Runs jail and Sheriff’s Dept.
-Coroner
• Declares deaths, works on crime
scenes
-Clerk
-Register of Deeds
• County records/ownership papers
-District Attorney
• Represents the county in court
• Prosecutor for the county
County Services
-Pass laws and regulations
ordinances--Term for local laws—
also referred to as blue laws in
some areas
• All paid for with some money from
the state, but mostly county taxes
-law enforcement
-fire services
-recreation
-sanitation
-education
-planning
-transportation
-health
-welfare
City Governments
-get powers from a charter given by
the state (must have permission to
form)
-Incorporation-- Official
recognition from the state of a
local government’s power (want
services for citizens)
-Annexation-- the addition of
more land into a city or town (by
choice or force - to provide
services)
City Governments
-Usually one of two major types of city
governments
-Mayor-Council Form (power divided)
-Strong Mayor System
-Weak Mayor System
• Mayor’s power limited by city council
-Council-Manager System
-elected Council hires professional to
run gov’t (called a manager)
The government of Key Biscayne is
made up of a mayor and 6 council
members that are elected every two
years. Village council meetings are
open to the public and held the 2nd & 4th
Tuesday evenings at 560 Crandon Blvd.
There has been a shift in
most cities to give the
mayors more power in the
mayor-council form
governments.
City Officials
Key Biscayne Mayor
Frank Caplan
-Mayor
• Elected chief executive of the
city who is responsible for
overseeing city government
-Council (city’s legislature)
-Pass ordinances to regulate city
known as “home rule”
-Manager
• Professional manager with full
responsibility of government
• Appointed by city council
Council
Member Davey
Village Manager
John Gilbert
City Services
-Can face more serious problems in urban
areas
• Cities have more people
• More problems, more services
(sometimes more taxes)
-Same types of services
Public works include cleaning, repairing,
and maintaining city streets and sewers.
We also coordinate street excavation
work; enforce litter laws; and remove
graffiti and illegal signs. We regulate
street and sidewalk use while
enhancing and protecting the public
right-of-way; and provide architectural,
civil, structural, and mechanical
engineering services, including project
and construction management. Our staff
work to bring these services to the
citizens of Angier all year long.
• Paid for with extra city taxes and user
fees
-law enforcement
-fire services
-recreation
-sanitation
-education
-planning
-transportation
-health
End of Course / interim question:
The law making body in local government refers to which of
the following terms?
a. mayor-council
b. Advisory committee
c. Board commission
d. City council
End of Course / interim question:
Which of the following terms refers to when a city has the
power to write and amend it’s own laws?
a. Home rule
b. Advocacy
c. lobbying
d. City rule
End of Course / interim question:
Which of the following refers to influencing the votes of
members of a legislative body such as the city council or
county commission?
a. Home rule advising
b. Strategic planning
c. advocacy
d. lobbying
End of Course / interim question:
Which of the following occurs under the mayor-council plan
of government?
a. The mayor appoints the city council
b. The city commission is the lawmaking body
c. The city council is the lawmaking body
d. Laws are always passed by referendum
End of Course / interim question:
A group of city commissioners want to make a number of
changes for the city. One problem that might arise is which of
the following?
a. Commissioners may disagree over their areas of authority
b. Changes may cost more than the commissioners are
willing to spend.
c. The mayor may become too powerful
d. Board of commissioners will not have authority to act.