When you think of county government, what comes to mind? Probably services such as road repairs, elections and health inspections.

But if you investigate further, you might be surprised at the wide range of other services Clark County provides. In fact, the goal of county government is to supply citizens with services they can’t easily provide themselves.

With more than 600 programs, Clark County government is the only local jurisdiction that supplies regional services to the entire geographic area of the county. Some of the services provided to all county residents include:

• Courts and prosecuting attorneys
• Marriage licenses
• Emergency services, such as 9-1-1
• Regional parks
• Family and youth services, including help for families with a disabled or mentally ill child.

County government also provides additional services to residents living in unincorporated Clark County – the area outside city boundaries. These additional services are similar to what cities usually provide their residents, including:

• Sheriff’s patrols and crime prevention activities
• Solid waste, recycling and yard debris removal
• Sewer, water quality and wastewater programs
• Road design, construction and maintenance.

Residents' influence
The needs and wants of residents have much to do with determining the kinds of services they receive from local government. Voters elect officials who run Clark County. In addition, many citizens have official roles, such as serving on issue-oriented task forces and more than 30 citizen advisory boards. Others assume leadership positions in the county’s neighborhood associations.

These people help make important decisions about policies, how resources are distributed, and how services are provided to the community. Their work affects decisions dealing with everything from land-use planning to weed management.

To find out more about county government
Want to learn more about who governs Clark County? Want a speaker to talk about county services at your community meeting? Want to have your views heard on major county issues? Information about all of these subjects is available on this website.