Some city officials learn the hard way that good intentions are not enough. Lawmakers and courts have created a tangled web of dos and don'ts for elected and appointed officials. Whether you are a mayor, legislative body member, city attorney, or city manager, you have to find a way to navigate the legal maze to serve your citizens. Fortunately, you have the basis for what you need to know in your hands. The City Officials Legal Handbook represents a portion of the training and education you will need to help you understand your role as a city official. Each chapter breaks down complicated legal issues into plain language to provide the most important information to you. While the legal Handbook is not intended as legal advice or as a substitute for consultations with your city attorney, it is designed to provide city officials a 'source of first resort' in Kentucky municipal law. The Handbook is updated every odd year to provide basic information about the framework of city government and how it functions, planning and conducting meetings, budgeting, taxes, planning and zoning, ethics, and more. As with any legal publication, there is always a chance the law will change between updates. Please work closely with your city attorney on legal matters, and contact the KLC Municipal Law staff with questions about the legal information provided in this Handbook.