FORMS OF GOVERNMENT
The way a county government is structured determines the executive and policy-making roles of key officials and influences the way county officials interact. As a result of changing state laws and increased citizen demand, counties have more responsibilities now than ever before. They’ve also had to increase efficiencies, improve productivity and adopt results-oriented management practices. That’s why most forms of Georgia’s county governments incorporate professional management with executive authority.
Traditional Commission:
policy making and executive responsibilities are combined and held by a 3- to 7-person board of commissioners. The chairman may be elected by the voters or among the board members. View organization chartSole Commissioner:
full policy-making and executive responsibilities are held by a single person. This form of government is rarely found outside of Georgia. View organization chartElected Executive:
most closely resembles the structure of state and national government. The board of commissioners, like Congress, performs legislative functions while the county executive (or CEO) heads the executive branch, like the president or a state governor. View organization chartCommission-Administrator:
leaves ultimate policy-making and executive responsibilities to the board of commissioners while an appointed county administrator offers day-to-day policy-making assistance and significant administrative support. View organization chartCommission-Manager:
the board of commissioners maintains the primary policy-making role and also oversees executive functions. An appointed manager is named by the board of commissioners to handle substantial day-to-day executive duties. View organization chart
