What is a County Commissioner?

2022 county commissioner election

The Jaci Nagle for County Commissioner Committee is responsible for the content of this website.

County Commissioners are elected officials who oversee county activities and work to ensure that citizen concerns are met, federal and state requirements are fulfilled, and county operations run smoothly.

Overview of a County

Commissioner's Duties

Provide for law enforcement and correctional services in the county.
Plan and provide for parks, playgrounds and other recreational facilities.
Build and maintain storm water collection systems and drainage ditches.
Develop and enforce building codes. • Store, purify and distribute water.
Provide for the protection of the general health and welfare of county residents.
Promote economic and industrial development.
Administer and provide human services and income maintenance programs.
Undertake comprehensive planning, zoning and development controls.
Provide emergency management.

Administrative/Management

Establish policies and procedures for central administration and for county departments to meet county goals.

Coordinate activities of the county board, central administration and county departments with those of the independently elected officers, including attorney and sheriff. Many counties have a variation of these offices.

Represent the county on administrative / advisory boards and commissions, which provide direct and indirect county or county related services. These include airports, libraries, community corrections, local public health boards, community action agencies, mental health centers, day care centers, nursing homes, developmental achievement centers, extension, regional development commissions, hospitals, social services, joint solid waste commissions, and planning commissions.

Manage the county personnel system, including the authorizing of the number of county employees, establishing salaries and conditions of employment, approving a county benefit schedule, negotiating and approving labor agreements, supervising appointed county department heads, participating in and approving the recruitment and employment of all county employees, and implementing the county pay equity plan and the county affirmative action / equal opportunity plan.
Adopt and oversee the process for purchase of equipment and supplies for use by the county.
Appoint county representatives to other governmental entities, such as watershed districts and library boards.
Review the effectiveness of county services and programs.

Taxation / Finance

Review, adjust and adopt the annual county budget and program as presented by the central administration or county departments.
Authorize the levy and collection of countywide property taxes.
Serve as a board of equalization on disputes regarding appraised property values for taxing purposes.
Authorize the application for and/or receipt of funds from federal and state governments and their use within the county budget.
Adopt and participate in the implementation of fiscal management policies for the county in areas such as investment, reserve policy, short-term borrowing, use of bonds and risk management / insurance.
Monitor the overall fiscal health of the county through regular reports of the auditor, treasurer and finance departments.
Approve the payment of bills for expenses incurred by the county.
Develop and adopt a capital improvement program / budget covering major county expenditures over a series of years.

Legislative

Adopt ordinances as needed for the enforcement of countywide actions.
Ratify, modify or deny the actions of commissions and boards, which are advisory to the county board.
Pass resolutions relating to county concerns.
Approve county participation in joint powers agreements with other governmental units.
Communicate county actions and concerns to the general public through school groups, business groups, civic organizations, the press and other public forums.
Participate in both district and statewide meetings of the Association of Minnesota Counties (AMC), including the annual meeting and the legislative conference.
Participate in activities of the National Association of Counties (NACO).
Attend conferences, meetings, training and other education programs, as approved by the board, which relate to county activities.
Other duties and responsibilities that may be enacted by the federal government, state legislature and governor.

As you can see, the duties and responsibilities of a county commissioner are extensive and bound by both federal and state requirements. Although the office of county commissioner is largely considered to be a part-time job, it may seem like a full-time job. The actual time spent varies by commissioner and the number of committees they serve on but I believe that the most important activity a commissioner can undertake is talking to constituents to learn what their concerns and issues are.

Sources

So You Want to Be a County Commissioner?

Clay County Board of Commissioners

jaci

nagle

It's Time for Transparency in Government

I believe that elected officials are servants of the community that elected them. To that end, details of government activities should be readily available to community review and scrutiny. No one should ever feel that they do not have access to these activities unless data privacy protection is required by statute.

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PO Box 303

SO Int'l Falls, MN 56679

vote

nov

8th