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County Government 101Essentials of County Government

Amy Bason, NCACC

Kara Millonzi, UNC‐CH School of Government

Winter 2017

NC Local Government Structure and Powers

Mandated and Authorized County Functions

County Government Structure

Shared Responsibility

Open Government

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NC Government Structure and Powers

NC GovernmentsStructure Powers

CitiesCounties Special Purpose Local Governments

General Assembly

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Can the County do 

it?

General 

Statutes

Local Acts of the 

Legislature

Judicial Interpretations

State Agency Regulations

Federal / State 

Preemption

What statute says I can’t do that?

What statute/local act says I can do that?

Are there any judicial interpretations of the statute/local act?

Are there any state agency requirements or limitations?

Are there any pre‐emption issues?

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Your relationship with the state legislature is important

Local Delegation

NC Association of County 

Commissioners

Authorized / Mandated Functions

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Elections     Register of Deeds   Sheriff     Courts     Public Health     Social Services     Mental Health     Medical Examiner     Community 

Colleges     EMS     Emergency Management     Public Schools     Property Assessment     Building Code Enforcement

Jails

Building Code Inspection 

Mandated County 

Functions

Optional County 

Functions

Optional Municipal Functions

Mandated Municipal Functions

Juvenile Detention     Soil and Water Conservation     Cooperative Extension     County Home

Libraries     Solid Waste     Public Transportation     Hospitals     EMS    Airports     Sewer     Ambulance     Fire/Rescue     Water     Parking     

Hospitals     Regulatory Powers     Parks and Recreation     Stormwater Watershed     Drainage     Public Housing     

Community & Economic Development     Land Regulation     Parking

Streets

Sidewalks     Street Lighting     Cable/Broadband     Police     Electric    Natural Gas     Police     Cemeteries     Downtown 

Development/Redevelopment

County Government Structure

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NC County Government Structure

Voters

Soil & WaterConservation Supervisor

SheriffRegister of Deeds

County Commissioners

Local Board of Elections

State Board of Elections

Board of Adjustment and Planning Board

ABC Board

County Attorney

Clerk

Public Health

Social Services

Board of Equalization & Review

Tax Collector

Tax Assessor

State Governor

Area Authority for MH/DD/SA

Local School Board

State Legislature

County Departments

Community College

Board of Trustees

Manager

State Court System

Human Services Board(s)

What is “Your” Role?

Fund mandated functions

Share power and authority over mandated functions 

Determine which discretionary functions to fund/provide

Work with private sector and other government entities to address local and regional issues

Adopt regulatory policies

“Your” = County Board of Commissioners

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Shared Responsibility

Major State‐Mandated Functions

Policy‐Setting Authority

Funding Authority / Responsibility

Control Over Personnel

Law Enforcement State, Sheriff, County Board County Board Sheriff (but County Board sets number of personnel and compensation)

Register of Deeds State, County Board County Board Register of Deeds (but County Board sets number of personnel and compensation)

Public Schools State, Local Board of Education

State, County Board Local Board of Education

Public Health State, Local Public Health Board/County Board

State, County Board Local Public Health Board/County Board

Mental Health State, Regional Mental Health Board

State, County Board Area Mental Health AuthorityBoard

Social Services State, Local Social Services Board/County Board

State, County Board Local Social Services Board/County Board

Elections State, Local Board of Elections State, County Board Local Board of Elections (but county board sets total salary amount)

Community Colleges

State, Community College Board

State, County Board Community College Board

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County Commissioners vs.

Group A Group B

Sheriff Local Board of Elections

Open Government

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Open Meetings

Must provide Public Notice and Access to Official Meetings of Public 

Bodies

What is a public body?

Any governmental body that has 2 or more members and exercises one or more of the following functions:

• Legislative

• Policy‐making

• Quasi‐judicial

• Administrative

• advisory

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Is it a public body?

A 5‐member board of county commissioners.

A 7‐member board of county commissioners.

A 3‐member audit committee, comprised of county commissioners

1 commissioner serves as liaison to public works department

What is an official meeting?

Majority of members of the public body

Gather together in person or electronically; 

And do one or more of the following:

• Conduct a hearing

• Deliberate (receive info, discuss issue)

• Vote on public business

• Otherwise transact the public business

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Is it an official meeting?

Two of a three‐member committee discuss committee work by phone.

Majority of board members attend political party social event.

Manager e‐mails board members—majority “reply all” to discuss issue by e‐mail.

Majority of board members text each other during regular board meeting about where to meet for dinner after the meeting

Majority of board members attend School of Government training.

Notice & Access Requirements

Notice Regular Meeting

• File schedule with clerk; post on website

Special Meeting

• 48 hour notice to those who request it; post on bulletin board or meeting room door; post on website

Emergency Meeting

• Notice to news media; same manner as board

Recessed Meeting

• Post on website

Access Must provide reasonable public access to all officials meetings of public body

• Except for closed session portion

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When can board hold closed session?

Preserve confidentiality of records

Preserve attorney client privilege

Discuss economic development incentives

Discuss bargaining position for property acquisition

Consider performance, qualifications, appointment of public employees and officers (not board members)

Matters involving alleged criminal misconduct

A Public Record is….

a record that is made or received in connection with 

public business.

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Rule of Thumb

Everything document, fax, email, text message, facebook post, tweet, 

instagram, etc. related to your duties as a 

commissioner is a public record!

Location is Irrelevant

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Is this a public record?

E‐mail from manager to board chair member attaching draft agenda for next meeting, sent to board member’s personal G‐mail e‐mail account.

Is this a public record?

E‐mail from council member to “significant other” about dinner plans for evening, sent from council member’s government e‐mail account.

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Is this a public record?

Text message from board member to another board member informing board member of change in meeting room number.

Is this a public record?

Telephone call between a commissioner and the county manager to talk about the agenda for an upcoming board meeting.

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If something is a public record, then what?

Retention Requirements

• Must save/preserve a public record according to record retention schedules

• Record retention schedules are based on substantive content of the public record

Public Access Requirements

• Public has a right to inspect record and a right to copy record unless there is a specific statutory exception /exemption

Citizen: u and wife want to meet us for dinner at 6 2moro?

Mayor: same place as last Fri? scallops were delish

Citizen: yeah. btw–Y potholes on Jones St. not fixed yet? ruining my car shocks. mayoerpromised theyd be fixed 6 mnths ago. As usual LOPSOD

Mayor: BMY publ. werks crew painfully slow. will direct to fix asap

Citizen: Thx. it’s doog to know peeps in high paces :-}

Mayor: had 2 pull rank. crew will get there early next week at latest.. ITMT take Smith st.

Citizen: YTM. where/when is next council mtg?

Mayor: in 3 weeks. moved 2 library mtg. room. 7pm. CU 2moro

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Public Records in a Nutshell

Every record created or received by any employee, official, or agent of the county is a public record 

County must keep/retain public records in accordance with schedule published by Dept. of Archives

Anyone has a right to inspect an existing public record, unless there is a statutory exemption

Anyone has a right to obtain a copy of an existing public record, unless there is a statutory exemption

The costs of complying with public record requests generally are borne by county