Vocabulary

Administrator: Someone who manages and carries out functions and laws

Agenda: A list of items to be discussed at a meeting

Amendment: An addition that changes the meaning of an original document

Annexation: The process that allows a municipality to expand its limits (increase size)

Appeal: A request for a higher court to hear a case

Appropriation: Money set aside for specific purposes

Aquifer: An underground water source

Archives: A place where public or historic records are preserved

Assessed value: The value placed upon real estate by an assessor

Authority: The power to command, decide, rule, or judge

Balanced budget: A budget where the money coming in equals the money that goes out

Bid: An official offer for an amount of money to be paid for goods or services

Boundaries: A natural or man-made separation between properties

Budget: A financial plan used to run a municipality for a year

Buffer: A strip of land, vegetation, or wall. A buffer is often used to improve the view of unattractive features such as a parking lot

Building setback line: The allowable distance between a building and the street

Call for the question: The term used to end a discussion and vote on a motion

Candidate: A person running for political office

Cash flow: Enough funds to pay bills

Catch basin: An area where surface water is collected

Caucus: A meeting where political delegates are chosen. The delegates then nominate a candidate for office

Census: A periodic count of the population

Certification: A written declaration claiming that certain facts are true

Charter: A written document that explains the rights and privileges for an organization

Cite: To notify someone of legal proceedings against him/her

City council: Citizens elected to serve and govern the community

Civil service: The process for selecting government employees

Civil suit/action: All types of legal actions that are not criminal

Closing date: The last day to file required documents

Code: A statement of laws

Collective bargaining: Negotiations between groups and their employers asking for wages, benefits, and working conditions

Condemn: Taking private property for public use

Conflict of interest: The term used when a public official cannot participate in a discussion because of a personal interest in the matter

Consensus: All groups agree

Constituents: The people served by an elected official

Contiguous: Sharing a common boundary

Contingency: Money saved for unexpected emergencies or events

Contract: A document that describes what two parties have agreed to do

Cottage industry: A home business

Culvert: A ditch or pipe that carries drainage water under a driveway, road, railroad, or walkway

Dedication: A private owner allows his/her land to be used by the public

Deed: A legal document proving ownership of land

Defendant: The person accused of a crime

Deficit: More money spent than is available

Density: The number of people in a certain area of land

Depreciation: The loss of an item’s value over time

Developer: A person who has the legal right to propose a plan to change or “develop” an area

Development plan: Guidelines for planned growth

EEO: Equal Employment Opportunity. A law that makes sure employers do not discriminate when hiring for a job

Election petitions: A document with enough signatures to allow a name to be placed on a ballot

Elector: A person qualified to vote

Eminent domain: The power to take private property for public use

Enact: To establish a law

Encroach: To trespass on the rights or possessions of someone else

Expenditures: The money spent by a municipality for programs included in the budget

Financial planning: A forecast of expenses and money sources and rates

Flood plain: An area next to a natural watercourse that can occasionally flood

Foreclose: To sell property because the owner has not paid all the property’s bills

Freeways: Transportation structures that allow traffic to travel around community centers. Freeways allow traffic to travel farther without frequent stop lights and signs

Improvements: Changes that make raw land ready for building.

Improvements include: paving, curbs, and gutters

Incorporation: Rules and laws that allow citizens to create a new city or town

Incumbent: A person who currently holds an office

Infrastructure: Systems used by all citizens, such as transportation, water supply, and waste removal

Legislative: The branch of government that makes laws

License: Formal permission to carry out an activity

Lien: A claim placed on a property when payments have not been made

Litigation: A lawsuit

Lot: A legally defined parcel of land

Majority: A number greater than half

Mass Transit: Public transportation that allows citizens to travel together: examples: bus, train, light rail, etc.

Master Plan: A long-range plan intended to guide the growth and development of a community

Mayor: The person elected to the executive branch of local government

Media: Mass communication that includes radio, television, and newspapers

Mediator: A person who listens to the views of different groups and helps them come to agreement

Mill: The term used to describe property tax (one mill is one-tenth of a cent)

Minutes: The summary of a meeting that describes actions and votes

Mixed use: Zoning that allows more that one use in an area, such as mixing businesses and residences

Motion: A formal way to make a suggestion during a meeting

Municipality: A legally organized city or town that can govern itself

Non-partisan: A person or group representing no political party

Notary public: A person who is given permission to use an official seal that makes a document valid

Oath of Office: A declaration where a new official promises to uphold the laws

Open space: Any parcel of land or water that has not been improved (built upon) and is set aside for public or private use

Ordinance: A municipal law that applies to all citizens

Pedestrian: Someone who is traveling by foot

Permit: A document that gives a person the right to do something

Plaintiff: The person who brings a lawsuit before the court

Planning Commission: A group of people who are assigned to make plans and recommendations for the development of a municipality

Plat: A map, which represents a tract of land. The plat shows the boundaries and locations of properties and streets

Political Action Committee- PAC: A group of people formed to support or oppose an issue

Polls: The place where people vote

Procurement: Services and supplies needed for a project

Public hearing: A meeting that allows citizens the chance to express their views on an issue

Public relations: A business that works to create positive feelings

Quorum: The legal number of people needed to conduct business in a meeting

Recall: To remove an elected official from office

Repeal: To annul (cancel) an existing law

Request for Proposal–RFP: The notice that a city is asking for proposals to perform services

Resolution: A formally written policy that expresses an opinion about an issue

Restoration: Reconstruction of a building using original architectural features. Usually to preserve historic buildings

Revenues: Money received by a local government from tax or non-tax sources

Revisions: Changes to documents or plans

Rezone: To change the zoning classification of a particular piece of land

Right-of-way: A strip of land where someone other than the owner has right of passage

Roll call: A list of members in attendance at a meeting

Sanitary landfill: A site for solid waste disposal

Specifications: Written instructions that go with drawings

Statute: A law enacted by the legislative branch of government

Storm sewer: A conduit (pipe) that carries storm or surface water

Street: Land designated for vehicle traffic

Strip development: Commercial development (businesses) designed in a row and usually facing a major street

Suburbs: The outgrowth of a city as a city expands; people build homes outside the central city area

Subdivision: The division of land into two or more lots

Summons: A call by authorities stating that a person must appear in court

Survey: The process where land is measured and its boundaries defined

Tax: The amount of money that a person must pay to fund government services

Title: A document that gives a person legal possession

Topography: Surface area showing land elevations

Town manager: An official who is hired to manage city affairs and work with the mayor and city council

Unincorporated: The term used to describe an area outside a specific city or town that usually obtains services from county government

Urban homesteading: A program that sells vacant houses to people who repair and live in them

Urban renewal: A program where areas of a city are improved or redeveloped

Violation: Injury or infringement of a right or law

Waive: To give up possession or rights

Walk-able community: A community planning concept which provides citizens with housing within walking distance to stores, businesses, recreation centers, etc.

Zone: A specific area or district where there are regulations for the use, placement, spacing, and size of land and buildings