Service Delivery, Customer Relations, and Communication
Service delivery questions test the Georgia law that forces cities and counties to agree on who provides what, and whether you can communicate with the public clearly and lawfully.
The Service Delivery Strategy
- O.C.G.A. § 36-70-1 et seq. requires each county and the municipalities within it to negotiate a service delivery strategy identifying which government provides which services, how services are funded, and how disputes are resolved.
- The strategy and the intergovernmental agreement behind it must be filed with the Department of Community Affairs and updated periodically. Without an approved strategy, the governments lose eligibility for many state permits, grants, and loans.
- Intergovernmental contracts are authorized by Ga. Const. art. IX, § III, para. I and are the usual vehicle for joint services such as water, 911, recreation, and animal control.
- Duplication and overlap are the targets; the strategy should eliminate both.
Communication and customer relations
- Answer the question asked, in plain language, with a name, a number, and a deadline. The open records clock of three business days is a service standard as much as a legal one.
- Public entities must provide effective communication under ADA Title II: auxiliary aids, accessible meetings, and alternative formats on request. Language access follows the same logic.
- Have one voice: a public information officer or designated spokesperson for emergencies and controversial matters, with staff clear on who may speak.
- Social media and email about public business are public records; keep them retrievable and separate from personal accounts.
- Track performance: response times, complaint resolution, and citizen surveys measure service, not just volume.
Worked example
A city and county both operate recreation programs and both claim the same state grant. Reasoning: the service delivery strategy should assign recreation to one provider or define each role, and the funding plan must match. Filing an updated strategy with DCA and documenting the intergovernmental agreement resolves the overlap and restores grant eligibility.
Traps that cost marks
Treating the strategy as optional paperwork; ignoring an expiring strategy until a permit is denied; letting any employee speak for the agency; promising records you cannot release; forgetting accessibility at public meetings.