The decades of the 1960s and 1970s were a time of rapid change in the operations of county and municipal governments. Citizen expectations regarding the scope and quality of local government services escalated rapidly. State and federal legislation and regulations resulted in higher standards for health care, housing, education, law enforcement, public assistance, personnel practices, and environmental conditions. Specialized services were mandated as a way of meeting the needs of the aged, of youth, of minorities, and of the disadvantaged.