The Town of Lake Lure was incorporated in 1927 and operates under the council-manager form of government. The original town charter was revised in 1987 upon ratification by the North Carolina General Assembly and currently defines the governing body.
The Town is a full-service community, providing a range of traditional municipal functions, including police and fire protection, water and sewer service, solid waste, garbage and recycling collection, planning and zoning services, and a wide array of recreational opportunities.
The Board of Commissioners, also known as the town council, consists of four members and the mayor. Members of the Council are elected to four-year staggered terms with two members elected in each odd-numbered year.
The mayor is elected with a two-year term and presides at town council meetings. A mayor pro-tem is selected by the council and presides in the mayor's absence. The mayor can vote on matters before the town council only when there are equal numbers of votes in the affirmative and in the negative - also called a split vote.
The council passes ordinances, adopts the annual budget, hires the town manager and appoints citizens to numerous boards, commissions and committees to assist with the work of governing the town. The town council selects and appoints a town manager for an indefinite term.