COUNTY GOVERNMENT

Unless operating under a Home Rule Charter, the county acts as an agent of the Commonwealth for those functions which are specified by state law.

To carry out these functions, three county commissioners are elected every four years (as in 1995, 1999). They may be reelected. The County Code stipulates that each party may put up no more than two candidates, that each voter may cast a ballot for only two commissioner candidates, and that the three having the highest number of votes will be elected, thus ensuring that not all commissioners will be of the same political party. The 2002 salary for commissioners is $70,662, with the chairman receiving $71,662.

     Besides having some policy-making powers, the commissioners serve as the managers and administrators of county government, award contracts, determine the rate for any salary increases for county officials, and name residents to boards, commissions, and authorities. Assisting them are a number of officials elected for four-year terms, who fill the so-called row offices, and numerous appointed administrators, deputies, and directors.

     Currently, the number of full-time county employees is 1,800. The commissioners appoint both a county administrator to assist them with administrative obligations and a chief clerk (required by law), who keeps records and accounts of all commissioner activities.

     The county commissioners are responsible for preparing the annual county budget. They allocate Human Service Development Funds (HSDF) and administer the state Liquid Fuels funds that are used primarily for building and improving county and local roads and bridges. The commissioners and the controller comprise the Salary Board, which determines salaries of all appointed personnel. Elected row officers have a vote on matters pertaining to their particular offices.

     Public meetings of the Board of County Commissioners are held in the commissioners’ office on the fifth floor of the county courthouse according to a posted schedule — usually Wednesdays at 9:15 a.m., except in July and August, when the schedule varies. Commissioners’ work sessions, open to the public, are held most Tuesdays at 9:00 a.m in the same location.