 Expressions of local government are those in which the people are closest to the government and the government is closest to its people. It's a great opportunity to achieve those things that you think are really valuable that makes a community a community. I think it's meaning edge government. Obviously it's a government closest to the people. Local government is all about working with the people on every single thing they see or touch during a day has some local government element to it. It's about the people in your community and what your community sees for its future and how they want to go forward. To me local government is incredibly rewarding. It's the best thing I've ever done. Local governments in British Columbia are made up primarily of municipalities and regional districts. There are 162 municipalities and 27 regional districts. Municipalities consist of cities, towns, villages and districts. And regional districts are a federation of municipalities and unincorporated areas called electoral areas. Regional districts enable municipalities and electoral areas to enter into partnerships to deliver services in a cost effective way for citizens. Local governments are involved in many parts of daily life from water, sewer and policing to land use planning, roads and recreation facilities. The Community Charter and the Local Government Act set out the purposes of municipalities and regional districts which include providing for good government of the community, providing for services, laws and other matters for community benefit, providing for stewardship of the public assets of the community and fostering the economic, social and environmental well-being of the community. Local governments provide for the community by following the rules and legislation, following proper meeting procedures and making transparent decisions. Local governments provide services based on the needs and wants of the community. Municipalities may provide any services that they consider necessary or desirable, such as building inspection, garbage collection, community parks, street lighting and sidewalks. And regional districts may provide local, sub-regional and regional services that are too costly for a single municipality to provide, such as a large recreational facility or a major sewage system. Local governments pass by laws for a variety of purposes, including establishing meeting procedures, regulating land use, regulating an activity such as noise and nuisances, or requiring certain actions such as obtaining a business license. Local governments provide for stewardship of the public assets of the community by collecting taxes and charging fees to pay for local government administration, staffing, debt services, and the services provided to the community. Local governments foster the economic, social and environmental well-being of the community by creating business retention and expansion programs, adopting growth strategies and plans that encourage affordable housing units, and creating active transportation networks. Local government officials are elected every four years. They are elected as mayors, counselors, and electoral area directors. Local government is different than a business and other levels of government. Unlike a business where there is often one person in charge, a council or board is a collective body. For municipalities, each vote around the council table is equal. For regional districts, votes around the board table are sometimes variable based on service participation or population. A local government is more complex than a private sector business. It has more diverse responsibilities and communities that it must serve. It must build and maintain many different relationships, including with other local governments, first nations, the provincial government, and the federal government. While there are clear financial rules and limits, a local government's work is primarily about balancing different community interests to find a path forward. Local governments are different than other levels of government because there is no cabinet or opposition. In general, local governments decisions are debated and made in public. All of the council or board is accountable for a decision based on a majority vote. Once a decision is made, each elected official needs to work to implement it, even if they opposed it in earlier discussions. Also, there is no built-in referee chosen by the whole body as a neutral voice to monitor conduct. The chair of the meeting has certain powers to maintain order at that meeting, but it's the individual responsibility of each elected official to know the rules and follow them.