Local Government Administration in Small Town America

Part I: Government Structures

1. The Network of Interests, Institutions, and Individual Interactions in Small Town Governance

James C. Clinger, Donna M. Handley and Wendy L. Eaton

Case Study: Starting Out as a Professional Administrator in a Small Town

Jamie Lawrence

2. The Origin and Persistence of American County Boundaries: Courthouse Competition and the Road to Reapportionment

3. Placemaking as an Economic Development Strategy for Rural Governments

4. The Mechanics of Democracy: The Critical Role of Local Governments in Supporting Election Operations

5. Public Budgeting in Small Local Governments

6. Using Financial Statements to Improve Fiscal Strength and Make Policy Decisions

7. Small Town Revenues for Big Time Public Services

Case Study: Crowdfunding Local Government: Belmont’s Bicycle Sunday Program

Martin K. Mayer and John C. Morris

8. Rural Communities and Access to Health Care

Case Study: Maternal Health and the Healthy Start Program

9. Rural Parks and Recreation: Understanding and Meeting the Needs

10. Human Resources: Recruitment and Retention in Small Cities and Towns

Case Study: Volunteer Fire Departments in Small Town America

11. Gateway Towns: Loving our Rural Communities to Death

12. Nonprofit Organizations and Arts Education in a Rural Community

13. Guthrie KY and Civic Engagement: How Small Groups of People Make a Difference

14. The Where of Small-Town Governance: Charting the Path from Technocracy to Democracy

15. Broadband Availability and Adoption in Rural America

Subsection: Public Safety and Emergency Management

16. Public Safety in Rural and Small Town America

Case Study: Personal Reflections on Small Town Policing

Kim Wallace

17. Challenges in Rural Emergency Management

Clinton McNair and Scott E. Robinson

18. Enhancing Rural Capacity and Public Service Values through Intergovernmental and Intersectoral Collaboration

Case Study: Personal Diplomacy and the Importance of Local Mayoral Networking

Matthew L. Howell

19. Solution or Trouble? Privatization and Rural Governments

20. The Role of Federalism in the Attainment of Collaborative Sustainability Outcomes in Small Communities

Case Study: One Food Basket at a Time: Addressing Food Insecurity

21. Interlocal Economic Development Collaboration in Rural America: A Case of West Texas

Sung-Wook Kwon and Xiaoou Cheng

Conclusion for Managing Mayberry

Biography

James C. Clinger is a professor in the Department of Political Science and Sociology and serves as director of the Master of Public Administration program at Murray State University. He teaches courses in state and local government, Kentucky politics, intergovernmental relations, public policy analysis, and public budgeting and finance.

Donna M. Handley serves as Master of Public Administration Director and associate professor at Southern Utah University. Prior to her academic career, she served as an assistant director of community development for the City of Auburn, Alabama. Her research interests include online learning, rural community governance and leadership, and women and leadership.

Wendy L. Eaton currently serves as the Program Chair of the Master of Public Administration program at Franklin University (Ohio). Prior to her academic career, she served as an assistant city manager and has over twelve years of experience in local government management.

"This well-conceived book fills a major vacuum in the public administration literature that exists on rural living and governance. The authors explore numerous topics from economic development strategy to public budgeting challenges to public safety and others. A theme that is present in many of the chapters is the lack of financial support for healthcare, non-profits, broadband, and public services. For all those interested in local government management, you will find this volume enlightening even if your focus is on urban governance."
Douglas J. Watson, Retired City Manager and Professor, The University of Texas at Dallas, United States