Popular Government

Remember the chaos in Florida during the 2000 election? The counts and the recounts? The confusing "butterfly" ballot? The "protests" and the "contests"? Could that have happened in North Carolina?

The increase in immigration to the United States, coupled with the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, may cause a rise in employment discrimination based on national origin. Federal and state laws and regulations prohibit such discrimination, and the courts have interpreted those provisions in numerous cases. An attorney for UNC Chapel Hill provides an overview.

The director of IOG's Web site explains the listserv, a "killer application" that allows local government officials in various areas of specialization (human resources, social services, waste management, etc.) to communicate easily among themselves by e-mail.

Wake County's Board of County Commissioners and Board of Education entered into a five-year agreement intended to resolve potentially contentious disputes over the level of county funding of schools. Was the agreement, which terminated in September 2002, effective? What can other systems learn from Wake's experience?

This issue of N.C. Journal contains three articles:

• New Guide Addresses Issues Related to Pregnant or Parenting Minors
• Training on Relationships between Nonprofits and Governments
• Team Formed to Disseminate Best Practices in IT Security

This issue of At the Institute contains one article:

• A Fond Farewell to Gladys Hall Coates