Origins

The State Constitution approved in 1868 gave the citizens of all counties the right to elect a Board of County Commissioners to govern them.

From 1868 to 1986, Mecklenburg County was governed by a five member board elected at-large. The first seven-member board took office in 1968 and in 1994, the first nine-member Board took office. Six members are elected by districts and three are elected at-large.

Elections for the Board are held in November of even-numbered years. The Board takes office on the first Monday in December following the November election. A chairman and vice chairman are elected at the Board's first meeting in December.

The Board's primary responsibilities are to adopt an annual budget, set a property tax rate and establish priorities to address the County's needs, especially in the areas of health, education, welfare and mental health.

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Management

The Board's priorities are carried out by a staff of nearly five-thousand employees led by County Manager Harry Jones. The County Manager is the CEO of the organization and is appointed by the Board. 

County Services

County Services, funded through property taxes, local sales taxes, fees and other sources, are provided to meet the community's priorities as defined by the Board of County Commissioners.

Vision

The Board has set "Vision 2015" as a road map for what they want the County to look like seven years from now. The Board's vision is summed up in the following statement:

"In 2015, Mecklenburg County will be a community of pride and choice
for people to LIVE, WORK and RECREATE."

There are 14 elements in the vision statement, ranging from affordable housing to protecting natural resources. Key elements are grouped into four related areas, called Focus Areas. All programs and services provided by Mecklenburg County fall into one of these Focus Areas:

• Community Health & Safety
• Effective & Efficient Government
• Social, Education & Economic Opportunity
• Growth Management & Environment