Local Government Administration in Small Town America

Cover
Endorsement
Half Title
Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
List of Figures
List of Tables
List of Contributors
Foreword
Part I Government Structures
	1 The Network of Interests, Institutions, and Individual Interactions in Small Town Governance
		Introduction
		Local Governmental Forms and Structures
		Different Forms of Government Defined
			Mayor-Council Form of Government
			Council-Manager Form of Government
			Commission Form of Government
			Town Meeting Form of Government
			Representative Town Meeting Form of Government
		Other Units of Local Government
			County Government
			Special Districts and Public Authorities
			Cooperatives
		Research On Form of Government
		Significance of Form of Government
		Changing Form of Government
			Changing Form of Government: Two Small City Examples
		Institutions, Interests, and Ideas
			The Network of Small Town Governance
		The “Rural” Lens
		References
	Case Study: Starting Out as a Professional Administrator in a Small Town
	2 The Origin and Persistence of American County Boundaries: Courthouse Competition and the Road to Reapportionment
		The Puzzle of Stable County Boundaries
		American Beginnings: The Scramble to Establish State Control
		County Proliferation: Creatures of the State?
		Apportionment Problems
		Capping County Numbers
		County Dominance in the South
		County Seats and County Persistence in the Rural West
		Preserving Rural Counties
		References
Part II Public Functions in Rural Government Systems
	Subsection: Economic and Community Development
		3 Placemaking as an Economic Development Strategy for Rural Governments
			Introduction
			Rural Placemaking
			The Placemaking Process
				Assemble an Exploratory Team
				Review Existing Long-Range Plans
				Produce an Economic Assets Inventory
				Engage the Community in a Second Assets Inventory
			Factors That Support Placemaking for Rural Communities
			Telework
			Broadband
			Tax Considerations
			Conclusions
			References
	Subsection: Election Administration
		4 The Mechanics of Democracy: The Critical Role of Local Governments in Supporting Election Operations
			The Local Election Office: Functions
				Before Election Day/Pre-Balloting
				Election Day/During Balloting
				After Election Day/Post-Balloting
			The Local Election Office: Institutional Structure
			The Local Election Office: Staff and Staff Development
			The Local Election Office: Budget
			Unique Challenges for Local Election Offices
				Legislative Policy Pressures
				Public Oversight
				Unique Intergovernmental Relationships
				Increasing Concerns About Capacity
			Enhancing Critical Local Capacity
			Notes
			References
	Subsection: Public Budgeting and Finance
		5 Public Budgeting in Small Local Governments
			Public Budgeting Overview
				Perspectives On How the Budget Shapes the Decision-Making Process
				Operating Budget Vs Capital Budget
			Public Budgeting in Small Communities of Oregon
				Overview of the Selected Cities
				Budgeting Process and Tools
				Major Revenues and Expenditures in the General Fund
			Summary
			References
		6 Using Financial Statements to Improve Fiscal Strength and Make Policy Decisions
			Defining Financial Condition
			Financial Context
			General Fund
			Water and Sewer Fund
			Cases
				The Village of Pinehurst
				Camden County
			Conclusion
			References
		7 Small Town Revenues for Big Time Public Services
			Introduction
			Town Governance and Administration
			Compensatory Approach to Financial Management
			Revenue Diversification in Town Governments
			Using Social Capital for Collaborative Governance
			Notes
			References
		Case Study: Crowdfunding Local Government: Belmont’s Bicycle Sunday Program
			The Wisdom of the Crowd
			Civic Crowdfunding
			Opportunity Environment
			Crowdfunding in Action: Belmont’s Bicycle Sundays
			Implications and Conclusion
	Subsection: Healthcare, Parks and Recreation, and Wellness
		8 Rural Communities and Access to Healthcare
			Introduction
			An Overview of the Terms and Structures of Public Health in the United States
			Federal-Level “Social Determinants of Health”
			Maternal Health and Maternal Mortality in the United States
				Interventions and Programs
				Certificates of Need
				Expanding Medicaid
				Midwifery
			Complicating Factors and Specialized Solutions
			Federal Programs
			Barriers and Limitations to Programs and Interventions
				Medical Mistrust
				Health Literacy
				Broader Access Issues in Rural America
			Conclusion
			References
		Case Study: Maternal Health and the Healthy Start Program
			Introduction
			Healthy Start Program Overview
			Healthy Start Program Strengths
			Healthy Start Program Limitations
			Recommended Reading
			Discussion and Exercise
			References
		9 Rural Parks and Recreation: Understanding and Meeting the Needs
			Introduction
			Role of Local Park and Recreation Agencies
			Benefits of Parks
				Environmental Benefits
				Social Benefits
				Economic Benefits
			Measuring and Understanding Rural Park Needs
			Defining Rural Study Areas
			Engaging Rural Communities
			Land Rich, Amenities Poor
			Population Vulnerability
			Measuring Rural Park Access
			Meeting Rural Park Needs and Improving Rural Park Access
			Funding for Rural Parks
			Concluding Thoughts
			Notes
			References
	Subsection: Human Resources
		10 Human Resources: Recruitment and Retention in Small Cities and Towns
			Introduction
			The Benefits of Being Local
			Recruitment Strategies
			Recruitment Through Cultivating the Next Generation
				Establishment of a Youth Council
			Developing Formal Internship Programs
			Retention Strategies
			Mentorship Across Town
			Succession Planning and Compensation Studies
			Compensation
			The Role of Higher Education
			Conclusion
			References
		Case Study: Volunteer Fire Departments in Small Town America
			Background
			The Challenge
			Determining the Value of Volunteerism
			The Problem
			Intergovernmental Assistance
			Concluding Thoughts
			What Do You Think?
			References
	Subsection: Infrastructure and Highway Services
		11 Gateway Towns: Loving Our Rural Communities to Death
			Introduction With a Mini-Case
			Introduction
			Infrastructure Needs
			Tourism Revenue
			Federal Land Ownership
			A New Partnership
			Conclusion
			References
	Subsection: Nonprofits and Social Services
		12 Nonprofit Organizations and Arts Education in a Rural Community
			What We Know So Far
			Intersection of Sectors
			Jane Addams and the History of Nonprofit Organizations
			Into Modern Rural Life
			Rural Arts Accessibility
			Specific Rural Context
			Burkesville Academy of Fine Arts
			City Support
			School District
			Library and Other Nonprofit Organizations
			Growth
			Obstacles and Opportunities
				Outsider Status
				Local Expectations
				Persistent Lack of Funding
			Conclusion
			References
		13 Guthrie KY and Civic Engagement: How Small Groups of People Make a Difference
			Context
			Nonprofits: Who and Mission
			Lessons Moving Forward
			Acknowledgments
			References
	Subsection: Technology, Internet, and Broadband Availability
		14 The Where of Small-Town Governance: Charting the Path From Technocracy to Democracy
			Introduction
			Overview of GIS in Governance
			GIS and Governance Paradigms
				GIS and Performance Management
				GIS and Public Service Values
			Barriers to Wider Adoption
			Conclusion: Democratizing the Technocracy—a Path Forward
			References
		15 Broadband Availability and Adoption in Rural America
			Introduction
			Broadband Availability
			Broadband Adoption
			Conclusion
			Note
			References
	Subsection: Public Safety and Emergency Management
		16 Public Safety in Rural and Small Town America
			The Nature of Public Safety in Rural Communities
			References
		Case Study: Personal Reflections On Small Town Policing
			Hiring Hardships
			Training Trials
			Officer Health and Safety
			Personal Reflections On Rural Policing
		17 Challenges in Rural Emergency Management
			Introduction
			An Introduction to Emergency Management
			The Emergency Management Cycle
				Mitigation
				Preparedness
				Disaster Response
				Disaster Recovery
			The Complications of Rurality
			Rural Mitigation
			Rural Planning
			Rural Response
			Rural Recovery
			Conclusion
			References
Part III Partnerships
	18 Enhancing Rural Capacity and Public Service Values Through Intergovernmental and Intersectoral Collaboration
		Overview and History of Intergovernmental Relations
		Purposes and Politics of IGR
		IGR Impacts On Rural Cities and Towns
			Federal Support
			State Support and Resources
			Regional Support
		Other Rural Partners and Cooperative Networks
			Contemporary Challenges for Intergovernmental Cooperation
		Conclusions
	Case Study: Personal Diplomacy and the Importance of Local Mayor Networking
		How to Network Mayors
		Benefits of the Network
		References
	19 Solution Or Trouble?: Privatization and Rural Governments
		Some Definitional Issues
		A Privatization Primer
		Contracting “On the Ground”: The Case of Cape Charles, Virginia
		Cape Charles Town Harbor
		The Cape Charles Water and Wastewater Facilities
		Discussion
		Conclusion
		References
	20 The Role of Federalism in the Attainment of Collaborative Sustainability Outcomes in Small Communities
		City Size and Implications for Interlocal Collaboration
			Labor Market
			Financial Capital
			Maximizing Economies of Scale
		Contested Federalism and Interlocal Collaborations Among Small Communities
			The Administrative Costs of State Constraints Over Local Autonomy
			The Agency Costs of Federal and State Involvement in Local-Level Policy Actions
		Data, Measures, and Estimation
			Dependent Variable
			Estimation Approach
			Administrative Cost Measures
			Agency Cost Measures
			Controls
		Results and Discussion
			Administrative Cost Effects
			Agency Cost Effects
		Summary and Conclusion
		References
	Case Study: One Food Basket at a Time: Addressing Food Insecurity
		Introduction
		Outline of Initiatives
		Policies Pertaining to Food Insecurity
		Case Study
		Student Reflection
		Acknowledgment
		References
	21 Interlocal Economic Development Collaboration in Rural America: A Case of West Texas
		Factors of Interlocal Economic Development Collaboration in Rural Regions
			Interlocal Competition
			Opportunities and Challenges
			Budgetary Capacity
			Form of Government
			Network Characteristics
		Research Design
			Dependent Variable
			Economic Development Factors
			Political Institution
			Network Characteristics
			Control Variables
			Methods
		Results
		Discussion and Conclusion
		Acknowledgment
		References
	Conclusion
Index