Every state is different.  This is more of a Tennessee thing.  I'll illustrate with a story:  A few years ago, a TN state official went to a local county meeting in a very rural part of the state.  He had all kinds of big ideas on implementing zoning laws, etc.  After some respectful discussion, one of the good citizens of said county went to the state official with a message for the governor.  He delivered that message by punching the state official in the nose and then telling him never to come back.  Problem solved. :)