PART I. ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 



The existing- division of services among units of government and 

 the organization for administering these services are matters of his- 

 torical development. Social and economic changes have resulted m 

 demands for additional services of government and for an expansion 

 of old services. Enlargement of the economic unit requires that the 

 administration of many services be shifted wholly or in part to larger 

 units of government. Adjustments have been slow but the trend is 

 definite. Here the emphasis will be on a description of the organiza- 

 tion of units of local government in New Hampshire and the manner 

 in which governmental services are administered at the present time. 

 This system is described as it exists under the present constitution 

 and public laws. Inasmuch as this is largely a study of rural towns, 

 cities will receive but little attention, and the county, school district, 

 and village district will receive such emphasis as their relative posi- 

 tions warrant. 



All civil officers within the state receive their authority from 

 acts of the state legislature as provided by the constitution : 



. . .; and to name and settle, or provide by fixed laws for the 

 naming and settling, all civil officers within this state; . . . and 

 to set forth the several duties, powers, and limits, of the several civil 

 and military officers of this state, . . .^^ 



Accordingly, public laws provide for the election and appointment of 

 personnel to carry out the functions of local government. 



TOWN ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 



The town is the major unit of local government, and the public 

 services it provides are numerous and varied. Meetings must be ar- 

 ranged for the voters and the agenda and budget prepared. A list of 

 qualified voters must be maintained. Large amounts of money are 

 involved for payment of the governmental services provided. To ob- 

 tain these funds, private property must be appraised and taxes levied 

 and collected. Trust funds, legal procedure, and borrowing require 

 administrative attention. Records must be kept and reports made in 

 accordance with the statutes. Persons and private property demand 

 protection at public expense, and, likewise, public property must be 

 protected and maintained. Highways need attention. The responsi- 

 bility for direct relief of the poor must be assigned. To eiTect proper- 

 ly these and numerous other services requires organization and au- 

 thority to act. 



The Town Meeting 



Every town is required by public law to hold an annual meeting 

 "on the second Tuesday of March for the choice of town officers and 

 the transaction of all other town business. "i- The New England 



» Constitution of New Hampshire, Form of Government, Articl? 5, 

 V^ Revised Laws, 1941, Chapter 57, Section 1. 



