Commissioners receive certification

    County commissioners Tara Simmons and Chuck Wright have completed all of the necessary training requirements to be recognized as Certified County Commissioners.
     Simmons is serving as chair of the commission in 2024.
       The Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) Lifelong Learning Academy is a recognized training program that focuses on citizen engagement, economic and community development, revenue and finance, leadership development, social issues, public safety, county operations and management, and intergovernmental relations.
      The UGA Carl Vinson Institute of Government-designed curriculum includes 66 hours of core certification courses that, once completed, awards county officials the title of “Certified County Commissioner.”
    Upon completing core certification, commissioners may work on specialty certifications, providing even more in-depth courses designed to be flexible in order to provide training on current issues and best practices.         Continuing education is an investment that returns dividends in the form of better-informed decisions by county officials who pursue excellence through learning.
     “We are thrilled and thankful that Chair Simmons and Commissioner Wright are now recognized as Certified County Commissioners”, said county administrator Christian Hamilton.
     “Their dedication to excellence in leadership is abundant in their completion of over 66 hours of coursework designed to directly benefit the constituency here in Stephens County,” he said.
     Core curriculum courses include County Government 101, County Government Finance, County Government Law, Economic Development, Ethics, Human Resources, Leadership Institute, Property Appraisal and Taxation, and Public Health and Safety.
     For more information, contact county clerk Samantha Turner at 706.886.9491 or at scclerk@stephenscountyga.gov.