ACCG awards Education Certificates to Habersham County Commissioners 

Three Habersham County Commissioners recently attended the Annual Conference held by the Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG or Georgia’s County Association). Commissioners Ty Akins, Bruce Palmer and Dustin Mealor attended the conference, which was held April 25-27. Commissioners in attendance participated in training on a wide variety of topics that affect county governments. Two commissioners were awarded certificates for meeting the training requirements needed for completion of several specialty tracks in ACCG’s Lifelong Learning Academy. Each specialty track requires completion of eight courses (an additional 48 hours of coursework) over and above the 66-hour coursework required to achieve Certified County Commissioner status. Commissioner Bruce Palmer was recognized for completion of the following specialty tracks:

County Operations and Management

Public Safety

Revenue and Finance

Commissioner Jimmy Tench, who was unable to attend the conference, was recognized for completion of the following specialty tracks:

Economic and Community Development

Public Safety

Intergovernmental Relations

The Lifelong Learning Academy is a product of the longstanding partnership between ACCG and the Carl Vinson Institute of Government at the University of Georgia (CVIOG). “I always enjoy getting a chance to talk with the other commissioners here and around the state about our successes and challenges and hear ideas on ways to celebrate and address them,” said Habersham County Commission Chairman Ty Akins. “Classes are very important as well, because we learn from others who face or have faced the same issues we do.” Created with input from county commissioners who identified courses based on the issues and decision-making challenges regularly faced by county officials, it is a unique adult education program that provides county officials with a tailor-made learning experience to assist them with governing at the local level. To ensure the course requirements and curriculum remain relevant and engaging, the ACCG Lifelong Learning Committee – comprised of county commissioners and staff from both ACCG and the Carl Vinson Institute of Government at the University of Georgia – meet regularly to review and adjust accordingly. Through this collaborative approach, the Lifelong Learning Academy has been successful in equipping county officials with the necessary skills to meet the needs of their constituents. Habersham County Manager Alicia Vaughn also attended valuable training during the Annual Conference. “I am pleased that our Habersham County Commissioners take their training very seriously and make the commitment to further their education to better serve the citizens of the county,” Vaughn said. “The Lifelong Learning Academy courses require a commitment from those who participate in the specialty tracks that range from civic engagement to quality of life/social issues and leadership development.” ACCG is Georgia’s county association and works on behalf of county officials and their communities by providing public policy and legislative advocacy, leadership development, civic and community engagement initiatives, insurance and retirement programs that specialize in local government needs and other cost-saving programs. Formed in 1914 when county officials came together to help fund the state’s first highway department, ACCG today serves as a catalyst for advancing Georgia’s counties. For more information, go to www.accg.org.