Transcript Ashland Citizen Leadership Academy

Local Government Organization
Welcome!
Almost 90,000 units of local government
in the United States
 No level of government plays a more
active role in our daily lives than local
 Thank you for taking the time to learn
about your community
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The Center of the Universe
COTU – Est. 1858
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Charles Hartgrove, ICMA-CM
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Appointed as Town Manager of Ashland in
August 2003
Previously served in the Virginia Towns of
Middleburg and Gate City
17 years experience as Town Manager
International City/County Management
Association Credentialed Manager
B.A.- Government, the University of
Virginia’s College at Wise
Born in Portsmouth, VA and raised in Gate
City, VA
Government 101
Federal Laws
 State Laws
 Constitution of Virginia (1971)
 Code of Virginia (15.2)
 Judicial Review (Federal and State)
 Town Charter (Granted by the Virginia
General Assembly)
 Town Code
 www.town.ashland.va.us
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Dillon Rule
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In Municipal Corporations (1872), Dillon
explained that in contrast to the powers
of states, which are unlimited but for
express restrictions under the state or
federal constitution, municipalities only
have the powers that are expressly
granted to them.
Dillon Rule
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Critics of the rule have argued that it
imposes unreasonable constraints on
the ability of communities to govern
themselves and undermines democracy
or that local self-government is a matter
of natural right that does not need to be
conferred by higher political structures.
Home Rule
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Home rule involves the authority of a
local government to prevent state
government intervention with its
operations. The extent of its
power however, is subject to
limitations prescribed by state
constitutions and statutes.
Home Rule
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When a municipality or other political
subdivision has the power to decide for
itself whether to follow a particular
course of action without receiving
specific approval from state officials,
it acts pursuant to such powers.
Unusual Features of Virginia
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Statewide pattern of city-county separation
Fewer units of local government
Fewer cities & less use of special districts
No independent school divisions
Fewer elected officials per capita
Broader use of the council-manager plan,
or variation, in cities, counties, & larger
towns
Greater reluctance to extend taxing powers
to special-purpose governments
Forms of Local Government
Towns vs. Cities
 Cities are independent geographically
 Towns are territorial subdivisions of the
counties within which they are located
 Towns can perform the same municipal
functions as cities, except that they do
not have constitutional officers
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Forms of Local Government
In general, towns receive from the
county services such as health, mental
health, education, courts, and social
services
 Town inhabitants pay taxes to the county
as well as the town, and they vote in
county elections.
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Forms of Local Government
Towns cannot levy sales taxes but share
county sales tax revenues
 Town annexations, unlike city annexations,
do not remove territory from the county
 This town-county arrangement is similar to
the city-county relationship found in other
states
 The fact that town and county
responsibilities overlap can lead to
ambiguity and even conflict
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Flexible???
Uniform Charter Powers Act provides
additional powers to cities and towns
 Code of Virginia, §15.2-1102
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What Your Locality is Able to Do
Legally
Land Use
 Kinds of Services
 Levels of Services
 Taxing & Borrowing
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Forms of Local Government
Differences between mayor-council &
council-manager forms of governments
 Required duties of a manager
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Mayor-Council
Several of the Commonwealth’s smaller
communities utilize this form of
government where the Mayor serves as
the chief administrative officer (VA Code
§ 15.2-1423)
 Council Committee Structure oversees
daily administration above and beyond
policy implementation and planning
responsibilities
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Council-Manager
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Council-manager government combines the
strong political leadership of elected officials
with the strong managerial experience of an
appointed manager or administrator.
All power and authority to set policy rests with
an elected governing body, which includes a
mayor or chairperson and members of the
council, commission, or board. The governing
body in turn hires a nonpartisan professional
manager who has very broad authority to run
the organization.
What is a Town Manager? Are
you the Mayor?
Council-Manager
Every community is different. Factors
such as population, level of public
services, size of staff and unique local
conditions contribute to the expectations
of council for the manager.
 VA Code §15.2-1541 details the required
duties for a city or town manager.
 City/Town Manager works at the
pleasure of the Council
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Council-Manager
See that within the city or town the laws
ordinances, resolutions, and bylaws of
the council are faithfully executed
 Attend all meetings of the council and
recommend for adoption such measures
as the manager deems expedient
 Make reports to the council from time to
time upon the affairs of the city or town
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Council-Manager
Keep the council fully advised of the
city’s or town’s financial condition and its
future financial needs
 Prepare and submit to the council a
proposed budget for the fiscal year
 Execute the budget as finally adopted by
the council
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Council-Manager
Appoint all officers and employees of the
locality, except as he or she may
authorize the head of an office,
department, and board responsible to
the manager to appoint subordinates
 Perform any other duties prescribed by
the council that are not in conflict with
the foregoing
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Council-Manager
ICMA Code of Ethics www.icma.org
 An effective manager should be able to
implement and communicate council’s
vision for the community
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Town Council
5 elected at-large members
 Staggered May elections in even
numbered years (3 & 2 seats)
 Mayor and Vice-Mayor elected by Town
Council members at an organizational
meeting held in July after each election
 Council appoints Town Manager, Town
Attorney, and Town Clerk
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Town Council
Sets Policy for the Town of Ashland
 Appoints members to the Planning
Commission, Economic Development
Authority, Parks and Recreation
Committee, Board of Zoning Appeals,
and other ad hoc committees as needed
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Town-County relations
Town-County Liaison Committee
Staff work jointly on strategic issues such
as economic development, tourism, and
other topics
 County provides town residents public
schools, public utilities, building inspectors
office, fire marshal, assessor's office,
registrar's office, parks and recreation, and
transfer station access
 Town Manager and County Administrator
relationship
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Regional Participation
Richmond Regional Planning District
Commission richmondregional.org
 Richmond Regional Transportation
Organization
 Pamunkey Regional Jail Authority
 Capital Region Collaborative
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Commonwealth of Virginia
General Assembly
 Governor’s Office
 DEQ, Health Department, VDOT,
DHCD, DRPT, etc.
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Federal Government
House & Senate
 Executive Branch
 EPA, DOT, FRA, etc.
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Challenges for Local Gov’t
Local governments are increasingly
being asked to do more with less.
 Federal and state support is declining.
 Citizens are demanding a more caring,
responsive government.
 New technology is revolutionizing
communication.
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Helpful Websites
hanovercounty.gov
 vml.org
 vaco.org
 Virginia.gov
 icma.org
 coopercenter.org
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Website & Social Media
www.town.ashland.va.us
 Facebook
 Twitter
 Instagram
 YouTube
 Flickr
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Questions?