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Q: Is this form of government used only in certain kinds of cities? <br /> <br />A: No. [n fact, it is not restricted to cities, k is used by towns and counties too. <br />More than 3,400 cities operate under this form, and more than 371 counties operate under <br />the council-administrator form. They vary geatly in size and characteristics. <br /> <br />Q: How many Americans live in communities that operate under council- <br />mauager government? <br /> <br />A: More than 89 million. <br /> <br />Q: Is the form popular in large communities? <br /> <br />A: Yes. Out of 237 cities with geater than 100,000 residents, 141 use fids form of <br />government. Some examples are Charlotte, North Carolina; Dallas, Texas; Las Vegas, <br />Nevada; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Phoenix, Arizona; San Antonio, Texas; San Diego <br />and San Jose, California; Virginia Beach, Virginia; and Wichita, Kansas. Large counties <br />that use the structure include: Broward County, Florida; Clark County, Nevada; Fairfax <br />County, Virginia; Hamilton County, Ohio; Mecklenburg County, North Carolina; and <br />Santa Clara County, California. <br /> <br />Q: How much citizen participation is possible under council-manager <br />government? <br /> <br />A: Successful examples of citizen participation in the local government service <br />delivery decision-making process are widespread among professionally managed <br />communities. Because professional local government management offers government of <br />the people, by the people, and for the people, it sets the stage for citizen activism by <br />encouraging open communication between citizens and their government. Examples <br />range from visioning, in which citizens play a major role in determining the future of <br />their community, to neighborhood service delivery, which involves residents through the <br />development of citizen/government partnerships, to community-oriented local <br />~o ve~-[lnlcl]t services. <br /> Because political power is concentrated in the entire governing body rather than <br />one c letted o t'ficial, more citizens have an opportunity to be elected to a position in which <br />tine_,.,' have significant influence over the furore of their community. <br /> <br />-35- <br /> <br /> <br />