On November 6, the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the IRS released proposed regulations on Opportunity Zones designed to incentivize investment in American communities. The Treasury Department plans on issuing additional guidance before the end of the year after notice and comment.

For additional information, use the resources below:

• Treasury Press Release (click here)
• IRS Press Release (click here)
  
• Proposed Implementation Regulations (click here)
• List of Qualified Opportunity Zones (click here)
• Frequently Asked Questions (click here)
  
  

All questions can be directed to the following White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs Staff:

William F. Crozer, Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Director (William.F.Crozer@who.eop.gov)

Britt S. Carter, Associate Director (Brittany.S.Carter@who.eop.gov)

Zachery T. Michael, Associate Director (Zachery.T.Michael@who.eop.gov)

The Immigration Report Collection System managed by the Department of Audits and Accounts (DOAA) opened on November 1st for the reporting period of December 1, 2017 through November 30, 2018. The due date to complete the report is December 31, 2018. An overview of the report template can be viewed here. The report requires the county to submit information related to their E-Verify number and authorization date, E-Verify contractor information, E-Verify private employer information, public benefit information, and requires the county to certify that it is compliant with state law regarding sanctuary policies. This report is mandatory and must be submitted by every county governing authority and all county authorities.

Please start preparing early to ensure that you have all the information needed to file the report by the deadline. DOAA will be reporting non-compliant counties to state agencies that provide state funding to local governments, so make sure that you submit your report by December 31, 2018. If you have any technical questions about filing the report, including questions about your username or password, please contact the DOAA at Immhelp@audits.ga.gov or visit the DOAA website at http://www.audits.ga.gov. Step-by-step instructions on how to submit the report can be found here. All questions about the legal requirements for this report should be directed to your county attorney.

The ACCG Civic Affairs Foundation is seeking grant applications from counties for the 2019 Summer Georgia County Internship Program (GCIP). Since 2010, the GCIP has provided over 400 internship opportunities in over 70 counties to college students and recent graduates. Projects that have been funded in the past include GIS, records management, budget and tax analysis, updates to manuals, ordinances, guidebooks, and policies, inventory audits, social media campaigns, website creation and updates, parks and recreation, legal research and writing, senior services, forestry, communications, marketing, photography, service delivery, planning, economic development, and much more. Need ideas for internship projects for your county? Check out the 2018 GCIP Highlights article at https://www.nxtbook.com/naylor/ACGQ/ACGQ0318/index.php#/62.

Applications and grant packets have been sent via email to every county and can be found on the Foundation’s website at https://www.accg.org/caf_countyinfo.php. The deadline to submit the 2019 application is Friday, December 14, 2018.The grant provides funding for a 200 hour internship (wages, FICA, and a stipend towards workers’ compensation costs). All internships must be performed between May 1, 2019 and September 1, 2019. Questions about the application process for the GCIP should be directed to Michele NeSmith at mnesmith@accg.org or at 404-522-5022.

Photo courtesy Walker County.  

Prior to interning with Walker County, Tucker Hill, a multimedia film production student at Georgia Southern University, was not extensively familiar with county government. Through his public relations internship, Hill learned immensely about the day-to-day operations of county government. He learned that there are many moving parts to government and that completing tasks can take more time than the public realizes.

During the course of his internship, Hill was in charge of the "How Walker Works" video series that explores and explains different divisions of county government. During his time with the county, Hill filmed 10 segments, which will debut in November through the Walker County Government website at https://walkercountyga.gov/faq/how-walker-works/.Hill believed that this was the most successful task he accomplished during his time with Walker County. He was also believes his videos helped to launch and popularize the "Walker Rocks"campaign that showcases outdoor activities available in Walker County.

Hill’s favorite part of the internship experience was filming in many different locations. He learned about framing and conducting interviews to get the best information, which he believes will help him moving forward as he makes targeted testimonial advertisements.

To future interns, Hill advises them to be prepared as county government is bustling and extremely busy. While Hill enjoyed his experience with Walker County, he intends to go into marketing upon graduation.

For more information on the GCIP, please visit the ACCG Civic Affairs Foundation website at http://www.civicaffairs.org.