Bristol, Rhode Island has been marking civic milestones longer than almost anywhere else in the country. The town's Fourth of July celebration, established in 1785, is recognized as the oldest continuous Independence Day celebration in the United States — a tradition of public participation that has continued, year after year, for more than two centuries. [...]
If you work in local government and support legislative bodies, boards, or committees, you’re already living in Robert’s Rules every day. May 2 marks the birthday of Henry Martyn Robert, author of Robert’s Rules of Order. It’s a simple way to recognize the role parliamentary procedure plays in keeping meetings fair, structured, and moving forward. [...]
Board and commission appointments do not follow a single timeline Board and commission appointments rarely follow a single timeline. Terms expire at different points. Vacancies come up unexpectedly. Applications can arrive in waves, trickles, or not at all. Even so, the underlying process is more consistent than it may appear. Most clerk and manager offices [...]
In every community, boards and committees are where much of the real work of local government happens. Appointments are made, terms are tracked, vacancies open, and residents look for ways to get involved. Keeping all of that organized, accurate, and easy to find is not a small task. In Waterford, Connecticut, that work is handled [...]
A moment to recognize the work counties do every day April is National County Government Month, an annual observance organized by the National Association of Counties. Since 1991, counties across the country have used the month to help residents better understand the services county government provides and the people who make those services possible. If [...]