Fulton County is governed by a 7-member Board of Commissioners. Six commissioners are elected by geographic district and one is elected countywide as the chairman. Each year the Board of Commissioners elects a vice chairman from among their members.
Members are part-time and serve four-year terms.
Candidates for the Board of Commissioners must be at least 25 years old and residents of Fulton County.
Most commissioners hold jobs in addition to their commission positions.
Responsibilities of the Board of Commissioners include:
- establishing policies for the health and welfare of county residents
- adopting an annual budget for county government operations
- authorizing bond referenda and
- enacting plans for County growth and development
Commission meetings are held on the first and third Wednesday of each month at 10 a.m. in Assembly Hall, located on the Pryor Street level of the Fulton County Government Center, 141 Pryor Street, SW, Atlanta. Meetings are open to the public.
Fulton County Government is administered by the County Manager, Dick Anderson, who was appointed by the Board of Commissioners. The County Manager implements the Board's policies, prepares the annual budget for the Board's approval, appoints department heads, and supervises about 5,000 employees.
The County Manager supervises the executive branch of Fulton County Government, which includes departments concerned with such vital areas as roads and utilities, public safety, courts, social services, health, planning, business development, and tax assessment and collection.