Access Government: FAQs

How is a county executive different from a county manager?
A county executive is an elected representative who ultimately answers to the public and commits himself or herself to the terms of an elected representative, which cannot change without public approval. The county executive is afforded direct control over county policy, particularly budgets, and works cooperatively with the county council or legislature. A county manager is an official appointed or hired by a county council or legislature on terms outlined in a hiring contract or other agreement suitable to the parties involved. The terms apply only for the duration of the contract, after which the terms may be renegotiated by either party. Often, the county manager acts as a full-time administrative officer for the council or legislature and is responsible for day to day activities within the county government. The county manager does not have veto authority. In most governments, the public does not have any voting rights over choosing county managers.

What if a city is located within a county? Who runs public services?
In a county executive form of government, county services are delivered to citizens who live within the geographical jurisdiction of the city. The city government retains some responsibility for public services under its own form of government. City and county ordinances are separate and distinct unless there is a cooperative agreement between the two governments. However, public mobility (eg. people who live in the county but work in the city) causes most city/county governments to coordinate policies.

Which form of government is better: a commission or a county executive?
The form of government a county implements depends on many factors, such as population, amount of urban and rural centers, geography, tax base, political and cultural history, and administrative resources. Some prefer a county executive form of government because it helps streamline services and centralize decision-making. Others prefer a government where authority is dispersed among many interests, as often presented in a commission form of government. The concentration of county executive governments in the eastern half of the United States is most likely the result of a long political affiliation with local governments where all lawmakers are subject to a public referendum through the voting process. It has no bearing, however, on whether one government is more effective than another.

Do all county executive forms of government require the title of county executive?
Charter governments do carry the county executive title. However, the responsibilities of a county executive are often synonymous with those of another position, such as Borough Mayor or County Judge/executive. Due to this overlap, CEA considers the functions of a county government before the title when determining its true form. Thus, while only 150 county governments are "county executive" in title, there are over 700 governments that base their structures on the county executive form.