Municipal association (Germany)

Municipal associations (Verwaltungsgemeinschaften, ) are statutory corporations or public bodies created by statute in the German federal states of Bavaria, Saxony, Thuringia, and Schleswig-Holstein. In Baden-Württemberg the term stipulated municipal association (vereinbarte Verwaltungsgemeinschaft) is used.

Structure
A municipal association normally consists of several adjacent municipalities located in the same district. It is controlled by a political representative, chairperson or executive board. Depending on the state, this person may be officially retained or appointed as mayor.
 * In Baden-Württemberg this position is held by the mayor of the appropriate fulfilling municipality (erfüllende Gemeinde).
 * In Thuringia there are municipal associations as well as fulfilling municipalities.
 * In Bavaria one mayor of a single municipality also acts as municipal chairman (Gemeinschaftsvorsitzender) of the association.

Tasks
The duties of a municipal association typically encompass
 * Setting up land use plans
 * Sewage disposal
 * Payment transactions
 * Cemetery matters
 * Fire brigade provision