County job postings worth checking - any advice?

The city and county near Louisville both posted administrative and maintenance openings this week. I have been trying to stay organised about it. Hiring is slower than private jobs. Do they prefer local residents?

Thanks for writing this out. I went through something close to it last year, and it got easier once I kept a simple log of every call and form.

The exam was simple, mostly clerical skills. Practice material is usually on the same website.