December 2018, Vol.12 , No.12 Past issues | Subscribe | Printer Friendly | Advertise | eMagazine Archives
As we prepare for the session and in our ongoing mission to heighten county involvement in the legislative process, ACCG is updating its list of County Legislative Coordinators (CLCs) and needs your assistance.

In 2010, ACCG established the CLC network to help improve communications among and between counties and legislators while the General Assembly is in session. The CLC will serve two primary roles:

  • help keep county commissioners and county management updated on legislation of importance to counties (this information is provided by ACCG’s weekly Legislative Updates), and

  • provide your county-specific information to ACCG and your legislative delegation to help policymakers assess the impact of proposed legislation on your county.
ACCG is requesting counties’ assistance in the following areas:
  1. Please review the list of 2018 county-appointed CLCs as a reference;
  2. If your CLC remains the same, please confirm that this is correct;
  3. If your county’s CLC will be someone else, or your county did not designate a CLC for 2017 but you would like to do so this year, please let us know.
Further details on the responsibilities of a CLC can be found here. County chairmen are asked to officially designate the CLC by passing a resolution at a commission meeting. Once the resolution passes, ACCG will need a copy of it for our files as well as the name, title, office and cell phone numbers and email address for your CLC.

Please contact Todd Edwards (tedwards@accg.org) if you have any questions
 




Kennesaw State Student, Joshua Shapiro, Completes Internship with Cobb County

Prior to interning with Cobb County, Joshua Shapiro, a GIS student at Kennesaw State University, was not familiar with county government operations. Through his GIS internship in the Department of Stream Monitoring, Shapiro learned that the county is responsible for a wide variety of responsibilities from testing stream water to providing services to senior citizens.

During the course of his internship, Shapiro’s responsibilities focused on GIS mapping and related tasks, including field work. He was tasked with creating maps showing sampling sites that were incorporated into a departmental report. He also created maps that will assist in the day-to-day activities of his supervisors to better visualize their data. These included a master map showing chemical, bug, and fish data and a watershed map showing the watersheds of each site. Shapiro believes his most significant success was his watershed map, which took him weeks to complete. Although several issues arose during this project, he was able to resolve those problems with the assistance of his supervisors.

Shapiro’s favorite part of the internship experience included fish sampling and field work, which he believes taught him the most during his internship. Seeing the whole process from collection to testing gave him additional insight into the work the lab performs. This position not only gave him a way to apply his existing skills, but also to improve them.

To future interns, Shapiro said it is a great place to work and the coworkers are great people who are always willing to help. The main piece of advice he has revolves around effective time management. When asked if he has a future in county government, Shapiro answered yes.

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

Every year, counties are required to file an immigration report with the Department of Audits and Accounts (DOAA). The reporting period for the 2018 report is December 1, 2017 through November 30, 2018 and the deadline 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.

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.govor 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 Here.

Applications and grant packets have been distributed via email to every county and can be found on the Foundation’s website. 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 or 404-522-5022.

Georgia State's Center for State and Local Finance will offer two courses for public finance leaders this winter. All courses are offered at newly reduced prices, and registration is open now.

  • Forecasting:This course covers revenue forecasting for government jurisdictions.
    • Jan. 24-25; Deadline: Jan. 9; Cost: $350
  • Operating and Capital Budgeting:This course focuses on costs and plans related to capital projects.
    • March 13-15; Deadline: Feb. 27; Cost: $500

Fees include course content, instructional materials, and light breakfast/snacks. CPEs are available, and certificates of completion will be awarded at the conclusion of each course.For details and registration information, visit cslf.gsu.edu/training.

Have a large group or need customized training? Email the center at cslf@gsu.edu, and our staff will get back you to regarding your needs.

 
The Georgia Local Government Personnel Association (GLGPA) recently held their Fall Conference at Chateau Elan in Braselton, Georgia November 13-16, 2018.  During the conference employees from four county governments were presented their Level I Certifications as a Certified Human Resources Manager (CHRM).  To achieve the CHRM certification each person completed 12 classes and a self-directed learning project.  

We would like to congratulate the following:
Pamela Turner, Human Resources and Payroll Clerk for the Ben Hill County Board of Commissioners
Linda Butler, Human Resources Specialist for the Bulloch County Board of Commissioners
Cindy Mallett, Human Resources Director for the Bulloch County Board of Commissioners 
Linda Woodson, Human Resources Manager and County Clerk for the Dooly County Board of Commissioners
Glenda McDonald, Code Enforcement Officer for the Randolph County Board of Commissioners

The GLGPA certification program is the only program in the State of Georgia whereby local government employees may become certified in the Human Resources field.  It is sponsored by GLGPA in conjunction with the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) and the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) and is administered by The University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government.  
Mauldin & Jenkins
East West Bank
Georgia Transmission Corporation
 
ACCG, Georgia's County Association
191 Peachtree Street NE, Suite 700
Atlanta, GA 30303
phone: 404-522-5022 | fax: 404-525-2477 | ACCG.org

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