What does the City/Town Council do?
City and town councils
Each city or town in Mecklenburg county is governed by a city or town council.
- Charlotte City Council
- Cornelius Board of Commissioners
- Davidson Board of Commissioners
- Huntersville Board of Commissioners
- Matthews Board of Commissioners
- Mint Hill Board of Commissioners
- Pineville Town Council
Charlotte: Two kinds of representation
In Charlotte, the city council is divided into two groups: district and at-large representatives.
- District members are elected by only the voters who live in their district, or a particular area of the city. This helps to ensure that the city government is aware of, and can address, the concerns, issues and wishes of the residents in each part of the city. There are 7 city council district representatives. View maps of the districts or find your representative.
- At-large members represent everyone in the city, and are elected by a city-wide vote. This helps to equalize representation and ensure that decisions balance the needs of each district. There are 4 at-large members.
- All council members work together to provide policy decisions that benefit the community as a whole.
Mecklenburg towns: Boards of Commissioners and Town Council
In the Mecklenburg towns, the councils are called Boards of Commissioners or Town Councils. These offices are voted on by all voters in the specific town. The officials serve 2-year terms. This office is non-partisan so there is no need for a primary. The 6 town council races will be on the general election ballot.
City and town government
Like the federal, state and county government, city and town government bodies are responsible for various services within city or town limits including:
- Economic development and jobs
- Garbage, recycling, water, storm water
- Public safety, police, fire, emergency management, animal control
- Neighborhoods and land use, planning, housing, rezoning
- Transportation, airport, transit system (public buses and light rail), city roads and sidewalks
- Working with other nearby governments to create strategic policies
Council and Manager
Charlotte and Mecklenburg towns have a council-manager form of government. This means that the council (which includes the city council or town board and the mayor) and the city manager work together on city issues, however each has different responsibilities. The Charlotte city manager and town managers are appointed by the council (not elected by the people) and serve as the chief administrative officers of the city or town. The manager is responsible for daily operations; the council is responsible for developing the policy and the vision.
Charlotte City Council Responsibilities
Specifically, the duties of the Charlotte City Council include:
- With the mayor, establishing the general policies in which the City operates
- Appointing key staff: the City Manager, City Attorney and City Clerk
- Appointing citizens to boards and committees that provide the council with valuable input and effort - this is a great way for citizens to be involved
- Reviewing and approving the city budget, setting the tax rate and approving the financing (includes bonds, service fees, etc.) of city operations
- Authorizing contracts on behalf of the City
The mayor and 11 city council members serve 2-year terms and share many duties.
Learn more about the Charlotte City Council
Filed Under: City/Town Councils, What does the City/Town Council do?
Tags: Charlotte, Cornelius, council, Davidson, Huntersville, Matthews, Mayors, Mint Hill, Pineville
