Written for candidates, elected and appointed government officials as well as concerned citizens in small cities, towns, and villages, this book is an indispensable tool for improving local government. If you want your local government to be the best it can be, William D. Coplin and Carol Dwyer will outfit you with the tools you need to get started. Whether your goal is making your assessor's office accurate and citizen-friendly or ensuring that your police department is cost-effective, you will learn how to ask the right questions and encourage necessary change. In accessible, straightforward language this book introduces the bare essentials for good government in areas of finance, public works, parks and recreation, police, assessment, building codes, emergency medical services, personnel and even Web site development.