This volume contains nine case studies describing the initial two-year experiences of local governments in implementing the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act of 1973 (CETA). (An earlier volume published eight similar area studies on the transition from federally centralized to decentralized manpower programs.) Written by resident field researchers familiar with the local scene, these reports span a range of experiences - from well-run operations to one on the verge of dissolution because of interjurisdictional tensions. The reports are approximately twenty pages in length and summarize how local governments administer employability development and public service employment programs. The governmental units and locations are as follows: Capital Area Consortium, Texas; Calhoun County, Michigan; Orange County Consortium, California; Kansas City-Wyandotte County Consortium, Kansas; Topeka-Shawnee County Consortium, Kansas; Phoenix-Maricopa County Consortium, Arizona; Lansing Tri-County Regional Consortium, Michigan; St. Paul, Minnesota; and Cleveland Area-Western Reserve Manpower Consortium, Ohio. Specific topics covered include (1) pre-CETA services; (2) the clientele served; (3) relationship with other state and local agencies; (4) assessment of program effectiveness; and (5) the planning and administration of Titles I, II, and VI. While problems, such as piecemeal planning and difficulty in arranging on-the-job training, are discussed, the overall tenor of the studies is positive, reflecting progress in coordinating local program operations. (ELG)