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50-467: Jomala is a municipality of Åland , an autonomous territory of Finland . In terms of population, it is the next largest after Mariehamn , the capital of Åland . The municipality has a population of 5,768 (31 October 2024) and covers an area of 687.00 square kilometres (265.25 sq mi) of which 544.43 km (210.21 sq mi) is water. The population density is 40.41 inhabitants per square kilometre (104.7/sq mi). The municipality

100-459: A Viking fortress, and Kasberget which was one of the many mountains where signal fires were lit when enemies were seen approaching. Before the city of Mariehamn was established in 1861, the peninsula where the city is situated was a part of Jomala. The church of Jomala is dedicated to the patron saint of Åland, St. Olav . It is the oldest surviving church in Finland and it is situated in

150-531: A change in law, Tampere was first city to elect a mayor ( pormestari / borgmästare ) in 2007. The mayor is not, however, currently elected directly, but by the municipal council. The mayor acts as municipal manager and as a speaker of municipal council. Although municipalities do not have police or legislative powers, local ordinances concerning traffic can be set, and municipal parking inspectors can give parking tickets. Municipalities are legal persons and can appear in an administrative court . Likewise,

200-404: A corporate board of directors . The council or commission appoints a city manager to oversee the administrative operations, implement its policies, and advise it. The manager position is similar to that of a corporate chief executive officer appointed by a board of directors. The position of " mayor " present in this type of legislative body is a largely ceremonial title, and may be selected by

250-462: A municipality. This was finished by the Marin cabinet . Council-manager government Executive mayor elected by the people, elected legislative City council Council - Manager Executive leader elected by the council from among themselves Elected mayor and cabinet Executive mayor elected by the people Committee system Executive leader and executive committees elected by

300-493: A new (and Finnish-speaking) suburb with multiple times the inhabitants than there are in Sipoo. There is currently a heated political debate in Finland about reforming the municipality system. Essentially, a multitude of small municipalities is seen as detrimental to the provision of public services, having originated during Finland's agrarian years. As a result, there have been suggestions of state-imposed mergers. A committee led by

350-415: A place of business in the municipality (3.8% of income). Some municipal functions receive direct funding both from the municipality and the state, e.g. AMK vocational colleges. Finland has an extensive welfare state , and municipalities are responsible for much of the services to that end. Tasks of the municipalities are as follows: Although municipalities are responsible for their own finances, there

400-418: A property tax, amounting to 3.6% of income, which is comparatively low: the annual fee is 0.32-0.75% of net present value for permanent residences and 0.50-1.00% for leisure properties like summer cottages as well as undeveloped plots. This is always paid by the owner, never a tenant directly, unlike the council tax . Municipalities receive a share of corporate tax revenue ( yhteisövero ) from companies having

450-443: A response to some perceived limitations of the city commission government form. Since it relies on candidates being elected at-large, minority populations are often unable to elect candidates of their choice. In addition, it may concentrate too much power in individual commissioners, who also manage city departments. The council–manager form became the preferred alternative for progressive reform. After World War I , few cities adopted

500-467: A simple majority at any time. It is used in roughly 40% of American cities. The council-manager system is similar to the typical governance of a publicly traded corporation . Under the form, an elected governing body, usually called a city council , board of aldermen , or similar title, is responsible for legislative functions such as establishing policy , passing local ordinances , voting appropriations , and developing an overall vision, similar to

550-462: A state agency, and used primarily for traffic-related purposes (signage, speed limits, and highway planning). There are 745 officially recognized urban areas in Finland, 49 of which have more than 10,000 inhabitants and six more than 100,000. Each municipality has a distinct coat of arms . They are posted on the municipal borders and shown in official documents representing the municipality. The coats of arms for many municipalities have been designed in

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600-488: A target of population 20,000 per municipality. Commuter belts have also been proposed as a target by a government committee, such that municipalities where more than 35% of workforce commutes would be subject to a merger. The Sipilä cabinet , from 2015, had been preparing a significant reform of health and social services ( sote-uudistus ), aimed at increasing choice between municipal and private healthcare, and assigning some healthcare responsibilities into larger units than

650-429: Is collected only from medium to high income earners. However, in practice even the municipal tax is progressive due to generous deductions granted to the lowest income levels. The pre-deduction base tax varies from 16% in affluent Kauniainen to 20% or more in a number of small rural municipalities. Next to the municipal tax, municipalities receive funding from the state budget ( valtionapu , 19% of income). This funding

700-423: Is derived from the composition of the council, not along government-opposition lines. Furthermore, individual decisions are prepared in specialized municipal boards ( lautakunta ) for a council meeting, which include, for example, zoning, social assistance, and education boards. Council, executive board, and municipal board memberships are elected positions of responsibility, not full-time jobs. Remuneration depends on

750-429: Is expected as the name of the municipality refers to the entire parish, not just a single center like a church village. Villages have no administrative role, although some have voluntary village associations ( kyläyhdistys ) and other non-governmental public life. Although related, urban areas in Finland ( taajama ) are not local administrative units. A catalog is independently compiled each year by Statistics Finland ,

800-542: Is legally autonomous and answers only to the voters. The size of the council is proportional to the population, the extremes being 9 in Sottunga and 85 in Helsinki . A subsection of the council, the municipal executive board ( kunnanhallitus ), controls the municipal government and monitors the implementation of decisions of the council. Its decisions must be approved by the council. Unlike national cabinets, its composition

850-522: Is means-tested to municipality wealth and serves to balance the differences in municipal tax revenue. Besides taxes, sales revenue, fees and profit of operations also form a substantial share of municipal income (21%). In 2023, taxation will be significantly changed, when new wellbeing services counties are founded. Since these are funded by the state, municipal taxes will be reduced by 12.64 percentage points from ~20 to ~7%, and state taxes will be increased correspondingly. Additionally, municipalities levy

900-503: Is much highly specific legislation and regulation that requires the services to be provided up to a standard. Thus, although municipalities have the power to voluntarily spend tax-generated income, they are required to first allocate funds to legally prescribed services. Municipalities may provide some of these services through corporations that they own or from private companies that they regulate. For example, Helsinki Regional Transport Authority (HSL) provides public transport services in

950-459: Is unilingually Swedish . Mariehamn Airport is located in Jomala. Three of Åland's four highways cross the municipality of Jomala as they start from Mariehamn; highway 1 runs west to Eckerö , highway 2 northeast to Sund and highway 3 east to Lumparland . "Jomala" is the name of a god common to many Finno-Ugric peoples . Jumala is Finnish for god and Jomala is one of the sites where

1000-474: Is used in 40.1% of American cities with populations of 2,500 or more, according to the 2011 Municipal Yearbook published by ICMA. The concept of the council–manager form of government was a product of a confluence of the prevailing modes of thought during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Probably the foremost influence was the Progressive Movement ; following along the thought lines of

1050-729: The Fianna Fáil government. Under the County Management Act 1940 , which was brought into operation in August 1942, a county manager is the manager of every borough or town in that county, but since the 1990s, has the power to delegate these functions to any other officer of that borough or town council. The system was modified also in subsequent legislation, particularly the City and County Management (Amendment) Act 1955 , which made some adjustments to give greater power to

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1100-613: The Finnish Environment Institute classifies urban settlements with over 15,000 inhabitants as kaupunki , municipalities can name themselves kaupunki with fewer inhabitants. There are 44,991 inhabitants in Nurmijärvi , the largest kunta in Finland, and 1,246 inhabitants in Kaskinen , the smallest kaupunki , so the kunta–kaupunki categorisation mainly concerns the name of the municipality. The areas of

1150-643: The 18th century, King Gustaf III implemented the Great Partition, where common lands were redistributed into larger properties, and claimed all unclaimed land to the crown. Thus, there is no "leftover" land outside the jurisdiction of municipalities, as all land belongs to either to a private property or to the government. The secular government divided the properties to taxable units (villages and secular municipalities) according to its own convenience, which were not necessarily convergent with parishes. Furthermore, cities were chartered separately. Up to 1734,

1200-458: The Christian church organized itself in Finland. Other versions of the name that have occurred are Jwmala in 1356, Jomalum in 1414, Jomala in 1486 and Jwmala in 1494. One of oldest churches in Finland stands here as testament to these times. Jomala was inhabited around 2000 BC with Jettböle being one of the most renowned prehistoric sites. Other ancient sites include Borgberget, where there was

1250-1016: The Swedish-speaking areas of Finland, Midsummer is celebrated every year by hoisting up a maypole . It was a tribute to the sun in the ancient times. Harvest festivities are held every September. Jomala is bordered by Lemland in the southwest, Mariehamn in the south, Hammarland in the northwest, Finström in the north and Sund in the northeast. These are Andersböle, Björsby, Buskböle, Dalkarby, Djurvik, Gottby, Gölby, Hammarudda, Hinderböle, Ingby, Jomalaby, Karrböle, Kila, Kungsöby, Möckelby, Möckelö, Norrsunda, Rasmansböle, Ringsböle, Sviby, Södersunda, Torp, Ulvsby, Vargsunda, Västansunda, Västerkalmare, Ytterby, Ytternäs, Ödanböle, Önningeby , Österkalmare and Överby. [REDACTED] Media related to Jomala at Wikimedia Commons Municipalities of Finland Municipalities have council-manager government : they are governed by an elected council ( kunnanvaltuusto , kommunfullmäktige ), which

1300-460: The capital area. From 2023, new wellbeing services counties will take the responsibility for healthcare and social services from the municipalities. As of 2021 , there are 309 municipalities in Finland, and from 1 January 2025 308, of which (the following numbers not updated) 107 are cities or towns ( kaupunki ). Sixteen municipalities are unilingually Swedish (all in the autonomous Åland region), while 33 are bilingual: 15 with Swedish as

1350-532: The church village ( kirkonkylä , abbreviated kk ) is the historical center, the largest or administrative center may be in another village. For example, Askola has a church village (Askolan kirkonkylä), but its administrative center is in Monninkylä . Often, the church village has the same name as the municipality, as with Askola. However, this is not necessarily so, e.g. Enontekiö is governed from Hetta ; these villages are often erroneously labeled in maps. This

1400-785: The city's experience of commissioners and recent experience in the United States a council–manager plan of city government was proposed. After discussion between the minister for local government and local representatives, the minister, Richard Mulcahy, introduced as a government measure, the Cork City Management Bill 1929 and it became law despite opposition. The minister proposed and the Oireachtas enacted similar provision for Dublin City in 1930. Similar laws were passed for Limerick in 1934 and Waterford in 1939 under

1450-561: The commission form and many cities using the commission plan switched to the council–manager form. By 2001 there were 3,302 cities with a population over 2,500 and 371 counties using the council–manager system. Phoenix, Arizona , is the largest city in the United States to retain a council–manager government. Since the turn of the 21st century, there have been studies about hybrid forms of local governments that take elements of both council–manager and mayor–council forms. The cities that have modified their organizational structure from one of

1500-409: The council from among its members or elected as an at-large council member with no executive functions, similar to a non-executive chairperson in a corporation. The International City/County Management Association (ICMA), a professional organization for city managers, has listed at least three defining characteristics that distinguish a true council–manager government: This system of government

1550-578: The council from among themselves The council–manager government is a form of local government commonly used for municipalities and counties in the United States and Ireland , in New Zealand regional councils , and in Canadian municipalities . In the council-manager government, an elected city council hires a manager to serve as chief executive ; this manager can be replaced by

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1600-746: The council members, and the Local Government Act 1985 , which provided for the council–manager system in Galway City once detached for local government purposes from County Galway . The above acts have been replaced since that time, in substantially the same form, by the Local Government Act 2001 . The council-manager form of local government was originally introduced into the West German states of Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia by post-WWII legislation. It

1650-474: The economy, transport and environment, while law and environmental enforcement is handled by the local aluehallintovirasto , governing multi-region jurisdictions termed alue .-G.H- Residents pay a municipal tax that is a form of income tax , which is the mainstay of the income of a municipality (42% of income). Municipal tax is nominally a flat tax that is levied from a broader population (including lower income levels) than progressive state income tax, which

1700-554: The fledgling profession and caught the eye of Richard S. Childs , who would become known as the "father" of the council–manager form of government. The first large city to adopt the council–manager form was Dayton, Ohio , in 1913. Ohio Progressives organizing for the city manager plan also prioritized proportional representation with adoption in Ashtabula , Cincinnati , Cleveland , Hamilton , and Toledo . The council–manager form of government developed, at least in part, as

1750-1189: The former Minister for Regional and Municipal Affairs, Hannes Manninen , suggested creating a two-tier system of municipalities with different powers, while the Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities ( Kuntaliitto ) favoured a system where municipalities would be units of at least 20,000–30,000 inhabitants, cf. the current median at 4,700. The motion was inspired by a similar reform in Denmark (see Municipalities of Denmark ). The former government ( Vanhanen II ), however, planned to not impose mergers. Recently, many voluntary mergers have been agreed on. Ten mergers were completed in 2005, one in 2006, 14 in 2007 and one in 2008. In 2009, there were even more, many of which consolidated more than two municipalities. Several cities merged with surrounding rural municipalities in Hämeenlinna , Salo , Kouvola , Seinäjoki , Naantali , Kauhava , Lohja , Raseborg , Jyväskylä and Oulu in 2009. In total, there were 32 mergers, involving 99 municipalities, that reduced

1800-577: The law was different in cities than in rural municipalities. On 6 February 1865, the modern municipalities were established as secular entities separate from the parishes. The reform was inspired by the Swedish municipal reforms of 1862 . Up to 1964, cities financed their own police and registry services. Until 1977 municipalities were divided into cities ( kaupunki , stad ), market towns ( kauppala , köping ) and rural municipalities ( maalaiskunta , landskommun ). The market town category

1850-574: The majority language (all but four in Ostrobothnia ) and 18 with Finnish as the majority language (all but five in Uusimaa region). Four municipalities in northern Lapland ( Utsjoki , Inari , Sodankylä and Enontekiö ) have one or all of the three Sami languages spoken in Finland as an official language. Finnish municipalities can choose to be called either kaupunki ( city or town ) or kunta (small town or rural municipality). Although

1900-432: The modern era, many of them by Gustaf von Numers . In addition, municipalities like Vantaa since 2015 and Helsinki since 2017 have a logo distinct from their coat of arms. Distinctively, the Helsinki capital region , has no special arrangements. The area consists of four entirely independent cities that form a continuous conurbation . The Helsinki metropolitan area has grown in population and area relatively quickly:

1950-444: The movement, the municipal reformers of that time wanted to rid municipalities of the pervasive " political machine " form of government and the abuses of the spoils system . The thought was to have a politically impartial administrator or manager to carry out the administrative function. Staunton, Virginia , is credited as the first American city to appoint a city manager, which it did in 1908. This appointment attracted attention to

2000-478: The municipalities vary, as the population is the primary criterion for forming a municipality. The largest municipalities in size are found in Lapland, of which the largest is Inari at 17,333.65 km (6,692.56 sq mi) (130 km square). The smallest municipalities are very small towns. Kaskinen is an independent town with a land area of only 10.49 km (4.05 sq mi). Kauniainen , which

2050-508: The municipality and position, but is generally nominal or modest: a regular council member is paid 70 euro on average on a per-meeting basis (2017). Municipal managers ( kaupunginjohtaja , stadsdirektör for cities, kunnanjohtaja , kommunsdirektör for other municipalities) are civil servants named by the council. The city manager of Helsinki is called ylipormestari / överborgmästare "Lord Mayor" for historical reasons. There were previously no mayors in Finland, but after

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2100-456: The nearby municipalities, considered rural only 50 years ago, have become suburbs , and the growth is projected to continue. A state-imposed merger of Helsinki and a part of Sipoo , a rural, 40% Swedish-speaking municipality adjacent to the Helsinki metropolitan area, was approved by the government in 2006, counter to the opinion of the Sipoo municipal council. This area will effectively become

2150-556: The number of municipalities by 67. The year 2009 also marked the end of the last maalaiskunta , a municipality surrounding a city but sharing the name, in Jyväskylä . There were four mergers in 2010, six in 2011, ten in 2013, three in 2015, four in 2016, two in 2017, one in 2020 and one in 2021. In the period 2005–2021, the number of municipalities was voluntarily reduced from 444 to 309. In 2012, Katainen's government published an extensive plan aiming at merging municipalities to reach

2200-598: The pure forms have been called "adaptive" forms. Following the turmoil of World War I (1914–1918), the 1916 rising , the Irish War of Independence (1919–1921), and the Irish Civil War (1921–1923), the Irish government found it necessary to remove the members of several local authorities and replace them temporarily by paid commissioners. Both Dublin and Cork city councils were so removed. In both cities, there

2250-420: The state of Finland is a separate legal person. Excluding judicial review of formal compliance to administrative law, municipalities are independent and not a part of a local state hierarchy. Municipalities cooperate in regions of Finland . State agencies have jurisdictions spanning one or more regions: each region is served by an ely-keskus ( elinkeino-, liikenne- ja ympäristökeskus ) on matters of employment,

2300-540: The village of Prästgården. The oldest parts of the church date from the 13th century. The church tower is 52 meters tall and there is also a memorial for all the Ålanders who emigrated. Another memorial refers to sailors who lost their lives at sea. The "King of Åland" Julius Sundblom is buried here. A large medieval cemetery with graves from the Iron Age can be visited behind the church. The Lemström channel divides Jomala from its neighboring municipality, Lemland . It

2350-451: Was a body of opinion that the services provided by the councils were delivered more efficiently and fairly under the commissioners than under the previous system, where the executive function had been, in effect, vested in the councils and their committees. In 1926, a committee of commercial and industrial interests in Cork came together to consider a scheme of city government. Having regard to

2400-496: Was abolished and these were renamed as cities. The rest of the municipalities were classified as 'other municipalities'. All municipalities called maalaiskunta were eventually either merged to their parent cities or changed their names. From 1995 onwards only 'municipality' is recognized by law and any municipality is allowed to call itself a city. Not all municipalities have an obvious urban center; indeed, rural municipalities are often composed of distributed rural villages. Although

2450-681: Was originally a corporation in Espoo , is only 6.00 km (2.32 sq mi). Municipalities were originally parishes . The old word for a municipality is pitäjä , 'keeper', because when the system was instituted, one municipality kept one minister. Municipalities were divided into villages, which consisted of individual properties. Borders between properties and thus municipalities were defined by oral agreements passed down from generation to generation; usually along straight lines between defined markers such as boulders. Medieval documentation survives only from legal disputes concerning borders. In

2500-674: Was widened by Russian POWs in 1882. The Kungsö battery was one of the ten coastal batteries which the Russians built in Åland during the First World War in 1916. The battery was situated 32 meters above sea level , on the highest point of Dalsberg. Finnish, Swedish and German troops invaded it in 1918. It was dismantled in 1919 by Finnish civilian workers. There are various well-preserved windmills in Jomala, e.g. on Norrgård farm in Björsby. Since Jomala belongs to

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