Local comparative government.

Kingsland, in addition to their actually elected mayor and council, has one board and one authority. They have the Tourism Board and the Downtwon Development Authority. That's it. The council handles everything else and not with a committee system, but with a committee-of-the-whole. Their typical city council meeting lasts maybe 30 minutes. They seem to be humming right along. Now, let's take a look at St. Marys. In addition to our elected mayor and council, we have: 6 authorities; 5 boards; 2 commissions; 1 committee; 1 council; and 1 foundation. That's 16 groups of anywhere from 7 to 9 people per group, folks. Go to this link to check them out: http://www.ci.st-marys.ga.us/pubdocs/authorities.boards.commissions.committees%20lists/Authorities%20Boards%20Commissions%20%20Committees%209.17.09.pdf Our typical meeting can run from 1.5 to 2 hours plus. That's largely because on many issues, the three councilmen who were on a particular committee have to try to communicate to the mayor and the other 3 councilmen who were not at the meeting on the issue with the civilian board/committee/authority/council, etc., what said unelected group advised the elkected commiottee do and then what the elected committee members themselves feel should be done (i.e, do they feel strongly enough about the issue to run the political risk of bucking the prevailing sentiment of the advisory group when they know the better interests of the citizens-at-large demands it). All things considered, methinks that perhaps our mayor and council's cups runneth over with advice. What say y'all?