One of the most striking things to me about city government has been discovering just how much a city does govern. Over the last couple of weeks, I have been sorting through what are called administrative codes and also policy statements for the city and making note of any documents that are out of date.

The administrative codes are mostly for use internally within the city. The codes explain more general information and processes. The policy statements outline a multitude of policies and have to be voted on by the city council to keep them up to date. The policies cover everything from ATM exchange station protocol to cemetery function. Many of the policies also reference state or federal law and how the city is meeting mandated policies and programs.

Did you know there is a policy specifically to allow banners to be hung along Johnson Drive? There is. I never knew that a grave plot costs $1,200 until I read through policy statements. Policies state everything from rules for the farmer’s market (homemade salsa and baked goods needing refrigeration can’t be sold) to license fees for pets (one must initially pay $50 for a license to own a “special animal”).

Seeing the expansive amount of detail a city keeps on all things that affect the daily lives of citizens only continues to make me assert the importance of local government. When I attended a city council meeting a few weeks ago, I saw that the crowd was fairly small (apart from a group of high school students required to attend for a class). This means that one voice, your voice, truly makes a difference at the local government level.