Local Government Board Builders series

Now in its fourth edition, this book provides boards of county commissioners with model procedural rules for their meetings. The model rules cover, among many other topics, the organizational meeting, pertinent requirements of the open meetings law, the role of the presiding officer, agenda preparation and approval, substantive and procedural motions, voting rules, ordinance adoption, public hearings, and public comment periods. Legal and practical issues are analyzed in the comments that follow each rule.

The fourth edition differs from prior editions in important ways. It incorporates significant statutory changes that have occurred since a revised version of the third edition was published in 2002. Both the rules themselves and the comments have undergone extensive modifications in an effort to make the book even more useful to county boards.

This book is a must for county commissioners, county managers, county clerks, and county attorneys. Anyone with a general interest in local government or parliamentary procedure will also want a copy.

This publication is available in print and as an eBook. eBooks can be downloaded and read on your desktop, laptop, and/or a variety of mobile devices with an e-reader application. eBooks are only licensed for use by one individual and cannot be shared. For more information about ebooks, click here. To purchase the eBook version of this publication, click here.

BONUS FEATURE:  The book contains information to help readers download a digital version of the book’s procedural rules that can be customized to fit a council’s specific needs.

Now in its fourth edition, this book provides city councils with model procedural rules for their meetings. The model rules cover, among many other topics, the organizational meeting, pertinent requirements of the open meetings law, the role of the presiding officer, agenda preparation and approval, substantive and procedural motions, voting rules, ordinance adoption, public hearings, and public comment periods. Legal and practical issues are analyzed in the comments that follow each rule.

The fourth edition differs from prior editions in important ways. It incorporates significant statutory changes that have occurred since a revised version of the third edition was published in 2007. Both the rules themselves and the comments have undergone extensive modifications in an effort to make the book even more useful to municipal governing boards. New appendixes include tables showing the numbers of members necessary to establish a quorum and the number of votes required to adopt an ordinance or approve a contract.

This book is a must for council members, city managers and administrators, city clerks, and city attorneys. Anyone with a general interest in local government or parliamentary procedure will also want a copy.

This publication is available in print and as an eBook. eBooks can be downloaded and read on your desktop, laptop, and/or a variety of mobile devices with an e-reader application. eBooks are only licensed for use by one individual and cannot be shared. For more information about ebooks, click here. To purchase the eBook version of this publication, click here.

BONUS FEATURE:  The book contains information to help readers download a digital version of the book’s procedural rules that can be customized to fit a council’s specific needs.   

The term strategic planning describes a process through which people first agree on a desired future and then organize their resources and efforts toward meeting those long-term goals. A strategic plan defines what you want to accomplish for your organization or community and provides a road map for moving forward and staying on track. The authors, as trainers and facilitators, have helped communities of all sizes and varying characteristics work through strategic planning processes. This book is their way of offering those potential benefits to others.

 This publication is available in print and as an eBook. eBooks can be downloaded and read on your desktop, laptop, and/or a variety of mobile devices with an e-reader application. eBooks are only licensed for use by one individual and cannot be shared. For more information about ebooks, click here. To purchase the eBook version of this publication, click here. 

A guidebook in the Local Government Board Builders Series, this publication describes best practices and offers practical tips for productively evaluating the manager's and the governing board's performance. It provides examples of manager and board evaluation measures, rating scales, and formats along with suggestions for ongoing performance improvement. For those already doing manager or board performance evaluations, this guidebook offers suggestions that can strengthen an existing process. It may also be used as a step-by-step manual for developing a new performance evaluation process from the ground up.

See the Local Government Board Builders Series webpage for other books in the series and related School of Government publications.

"Are you satisfied with your manager? Is your board operating in the best way it can? Most people can answer yes or no to these questions. But can you quantify your answers? Do you have written expectations for the manager or board members? This book is an excellent resource for the essential task of evaluating the manager and the board."

Kevin Patterson
Manager, Scotland County

This publication is available in print and as an eBook. eBooks can be downloaded and read on your desktop, laptop, and/or a variety of mobile devices with an e-reader application. eBooks are only licensed for use by one individual and cannot be shared. For more information about ebooks, click here. To purchase the eBook version of this publication, click here. 

Local governments often use appointed policy boards or citizen advisory committees (CACs) to engage people in the democratic process. These boards may be established to respond to community-generated issues, including identifying priorities, considering and recommending actions, and evaluating outcomes. Even though these bodies are used widely, developing and integrating their work into the governmental process remains challenging for many local governments. 

Part of the Local Government Board Builders series, this new book and accompanying electronic files provide practical guidelines for local elected officials responsible for establishing policy boards and advisory committees. The book includes tips on evaluating costs/benefits of CACs, worksheets for assessing whether or not to establish a CAC, and options for creating a model policy. 

See the Local Government Board Builders Series homepage for other books in the series and related School of Government publications.

"The questions and tips in this book provide a comprehensive framework for assessing the benefits, costs, and challenges of advisory boards. The book will be useful to local governments when creating new advisory boards, and helpful in ensuring boards' continued effectiveness as they adapt to changing conditions and priorities."

Bernadette Pelissier
Vice-Chair
Orange County Board of Commissioners

"Advisory committees are the core organizational tool by which local government filters and incepts ideas, policies, rules, and practical decision making. These volunteer citizen groups represent the true essence of how government works and are an integral part of our democracy. This book covers the purpose of citizen advisory committees (CACs) along with helpful tips on creating a positive, healthy relationship between these boards and local elected officials and their staff. It provides an in-depth perspective and includes questions that practitioners and local elected officials should consider when creating new CACs or analyzing existing boards. Dr. Upshaw has proffered a simple yet detailed approach for organizing and empowering citizen groups in the democratic process."

Lloyd Wm. Payne, Jr., ICMA-CM
Town Manager
Town of Elkin

 

This publication is available in print and as an eBook. eBooks can be downloaded and read on your desktop, laptop, and/or a variety of mobile devices with an e-reader application. eBooks are only licensed for use by one individual and cannot be shared. For more information about ebooks, click here. To purchase the eBook version of this publication, click here.

Hiring a manager may be the most important decision a local governing board makes. To make sure the new manager will be a good fit for the organization, the board needs to agree on expectations for the new manager and design a process that will enable it to hire the best candidate for the job. This guide, part of the Local Government Board Builders series, provides local elected officials with an overview of their responsibilities in hiring a public manager and outlines the essential steps in a successful hiring process. 

See the Local Government Board Builders Series webpage for other books in the series and related School of Government publications.

"I believe this publication would be an extremely valuable resource for municipalities that are in the process of hiring a manager. Not only can it offer officials immediate detailed instruction and guidance in the process of developing the profile, assessing, and hiring the best candidate, but it is as close as their fingertips for follow up review and future use."

Hartwell Wright
Human Resources Consultant
North Carolina League of Municipalities 

"Vaughn M. Upshaw, John A. Rible IV, and Carl W. Stenberg's Hiring a Manager is an excellent resource ... it raises key points that both boards and managers should consider in the hiring process. This publication can increase the likelihood of the fit right for both the board and the new manager."

Michael McLaurin
Town Manager
Town of Waxhaw

This handbook in the Local Government Board Builders Series is intended for elected officials in North Carolina cities and towns, and for persons interested in election to municipal office. It explores the nature of cities and towns in the state, including how they come into existence, how they are run, and how they are financed. It also covers the work of the mayor and council, including the organization of the council, council meetings and actions, and potential liabilities of a mayor or council member.

See the Local Government Board Builders Series webpage for other books in the series and related School of Government publications.

This publication is available in print and as an eBook. eBooks can be downloaded and read on your desktop, laptop, and/or a variety of mobile devices with an e-reader application. eBooks are only licensed for use by one individual and cannot be shared. For more information about ebooks, click here. To purchase the eBook version of this publication, click here.

In 2009, the North Carolina General Assembly passed a law requiring all North Carolina cities, counties, local boards of education, unified governments, sanitary districts, and consolidated city-counties to adopt a resolution or policy containing a code of ethics to guide actions by the governing board members in the performance of their official duties as members of that governing board. Each governing board must adopt its resolution or policy by January 1, 2011.

This guidebook, the second title in the Local Government Board Builders Series, is intended to help local elected boards and their staffs develop codes of ethics that meet the requirements of this statute. It includes a Model Code with optional provisions, as well as commentary and discussion questions that boards are encouraged to use in developing and interpreting their own codes. The book is designed to be clear and unambiguous, simple, and easy to read and use.

This is an eBook. You can download and read eBooks on your desktop, laptop, and/or a variety of mobile devices with an e-reader application. eBooks are only licensed for use by one individual and cannot be shared. For more information about ebooks, click here.

See the Local Government Board Builders Series webpage for other books in the series and related School of Govwernment publications.

What are the rights and duties of local elected officials relating to the listing, assessment, levy, and collection of property taxes? After reading this book, members of local governing boards should know what they must do, what they may do, and perhaps most importantly, what they cannot do with property taxes.

This guide, part of the Local Government Board Builders series, will help governing boards answer questions such as:

• How is the property tax rate determined?
• When can real property tax values be changed?
• What types of enforced collection remedies are available for property taxes?
• When can property taxes be waived?

This first book in the new series, Local Government Board Builders, focuses on the requirements for and tools used by lead governing officers: mayors of city councils and chairs of county boards of commissioners. Mayors and board chairs hold the keys to effective meetings for their governing bodies and must create effective working relations with public managers and other organizations. This book emphasizes how these leadership roles should work, including tips for setting agendas and maintaining forward motion and participation in meetings. Intangible essentials, such as keeping a fair and impartial manner and respecting professional roles, are also clarified.

See the Local Government Board Builders Series webpage for other books in the series and related School of Govwernment publications.

Although city and county elected officials frequently hear from their constituents, officials and citizens often do not fully understand how public participation occurs and how it informs decision making by municipal and county boards.

This book, part of the Local Government Board Builders series, offers ideas for engaging the public, assesses the strengths and weaknesses of a variety of participation mechanisms, and provides guidance for better public outreach. It also discusses ways of developing long-term community participation. 

See the Local Government Board Builders Series webpage for other books in the series and related School of Government publications. 

This publication is available in print and as an eBook. eBooks can be downloaded and read on your desktop, laptop, and/or a variety of mobile devices with an e-reader application. eBooks are only licensed for use by one individual and cannot be shared. For more information about ebooks, click here. To purchase the eBook version of this publication, click here. 

"This guide contains useful and practical information advising elected officials to encourage public participation at board meetings. Getting buy-in from the majority of the public is essential to the democratic process. Citizen interaction with public boards is not only required by law but is key for building successful relationships between citizens and their governing board. The book provides good suggestions that will help boards create opportunities for every citizen, including youth and the elderly, to engage in public debate about all issues, not just the controversial ones."

Rodney L. Locks 
Council Member 
City of Brevard

The adoption of a budget is one of the most important activities undertaken by local government officials each year. The budget serves as the elected board's primary opportunity to establish community priorities and as a tool for planning community services and programs, communicating priorities, and properly managing finances. The budget process, however, with its big numbers, multiple acronyms, and counterintuitive rules, can be confusing.

A book in the Local Government Board Builders series, this guide is intended to remove the mystery of the budget process and to equip North Carolina's city and county governing bodies with the tools they need to actively participate in the process.

See the Local Government Board Builders Series webpage for other books in the series and related School of Government publications.

"I am impressed with this guidebook on budgeting. It answered several questions I had as a newly elected commissioner, and it is a great reference for explaining the process on how to reach a budget ordinance."

Kitty Barnes
Chair
Catawba County Board of Commissioners

"This guidebook does a great job of providing context for local government budgeting. Each topic covered makes sense in the budget world, and the book will be helpful to those involved in local government budgeting."

Scott Fogleman
Budget Director
Town of Cary

It is important for local elected officials to understand the full range of available revenue-raising mechanisms. This guide, part of the Local Government Board Builders series, provides a survey of the general revenue sources available to local governments in North Carolina, advice on how funding mechanism(s) for a local government can be chosen, and the varied legal implications of charges and procedures.

Specifically, for each revenue source, the guidebook identifies the type of local government (county, municipality, or both) authorized to employ the revenue-raising mechanism,; specifies any special eligibility or procedural requirements, and describes generally for what purposes the revenue may be expended.

See the Local Government Board Builders Series webpage for other books in the series and related School of Government publications.

A new edition of this publication is currently in production. To be notified when the book is available, please click here, and use the "Notify me..." button to recieve a notice when it becomes available for sale. 

This publication is designed for local boards, from ABC and social services boards to boards of elections, planning boards, boards of education, and area mental health authorities. It covers subjects such as the use of agendas, the powers of the chair, citizen participation in meetings, closed sessions, minutes, and the use of procedural motions. The book contains helpful appendixes that summarize the requirements for each procedural motion and list other statutes that apply to particular local government boards. Suggested Rules of Procedure for Small Local Government Boards, Second Edition, 1998, was reprinted and reformatted as a publication. This reprint adds to Rule 5 and Rule 23 new material that addresses 2005 legislation pertaining to public comment periods and that was originally included as an errata sheet to the 1998 edition. If you own the original 1998 edition and the 2005 errata sheet, you do not need to buy the redesigned publication unless you want the newly worded text.

Local government leaders face a variety of problems in doing the work of local government and must use different approaches and resources to act in the best interest of their communities. Some issues are difficult to solve, and their root causes are often obscure and can remain untreated. These persistent challenges are “wicked” problems, and they can threaten the vitality of communities. Local governments are well positioned to play a leading role in coordinating the efforts of businesses, nonprofits, citizen groups, and other governments to help maximize resources and take meaningful actions to tackle these issues. This guidebook aims to equip local government leaders with tools to develop new approaches for identifying, understanding, and addressing wicked problems.

See the Local Government Board Builders Series webpage for other books in the series and related School of Government publications.

This publication is available in print and as an eBook. eBooks can be downloaded and read on your desktop, laptop, and/or a variety of mobile devices with an e-reader application. eBooks are only licensed for use by one individual and cannot be shared. For more information about ebooks, click here. To purchase the eBook version of this publication, click here.

In 2009, the North Carolina General Assembly passed a law requiring all North Carolina cities, counties, local boards of education, unified governments, sanitary districts, and consolidated city-counties to adopt a resolution or policy containing a code of ethics to guide actions by the governing board members in the performance of their official duties as members of that governing board. Each governing board must adopt its resolution or policy by January 1, 2011.

This guidebook, the second title in the Local Government Board Builders Series, is intended to help local elected boards and their staffs develop codes of ethics that meet the requirements of this statute. It includes a Model Code with optional provisions, as well as commentary and discussion questions that boards are encouraged to use in developing and interpreting their own codes. The book is designed to be clear and unambiguous, simple, and easy to read and use.

A PDF version of this publication is available for purchase at this link.

See the Local Government Board Builders Series webpage for other books in the series and related School of Government publications.

What are the rights and duties of local elected officials relating to the listing, assessment, levy, and collection of property taxes? After reading this book, members of local governing boards should know what they must do, what they may do, and perhaps most importantly, what they cannot do with property taxes.

This guide, part of the Local Government Board Builders series, will help governing boards answer questions such as:

• How is the property tax rate determined?
• When can real property tax values be changed?
• What types of enforced collection remedies are available for property taxes?
• When can property taxes be waived?

Facing the challenges of providing more and better services while being constrained by difficult fiscal limits, local governments across the United States have increased their involvement with nonprofit organizations, involving nonprofits in service delivery and drawing on these organizations’ volunteers and private financial resources. Some nonprofits have also become skilled advocates for their local government clients, making persuasive appeals for public funding of their work or otherwise helping shape government priorities.

This guidebook focuses primarily on the basic questions North Carolina local governments should ask themselves when deciding whether and how to fund nonprofits. If a governing board is considering an ongoing partnership with a nonprofit, many of these same considerations will apply. 

Part of the Local Government Board Builders series, this book was written for elected officials of municipal and county governments, but governing officials of other kinds of public entities, such as councils of government, might also find the information useful.