ACCG, Georgia’s County Association, awarded county officials with certificates for completing requirements in the Lifelong Learning Academy. Commissioner Melissa Bradford was honored for successfully completing the core requirements in the Lifelong Learning Academy. Commissioner Robert Goff was honored for successfully completing the Revenue and Finance requirements in the Lifelong Learning Academy.
ACCG and the Carl Vinson Institute of Government at the University of Georgia have collaborated for more than two decades to provide county officials with supplemental training and educational tools in the Lifelong Learning Academy. With abundant courses to choose from, every county official has a tailor-made learning experience that allows them to excel in specific areas of expertise, said officials.
“County officials are faced with many challenges and ever-evolving circumstances under which they must govern Georgia’s local communities,” said Dave Wills, ACCG’s executive director. “The Lifelong Learning Academy was created to help them navigate those challenges. I commend county leaders such as Commissioner Bradford and Commissioner Goff who take full advantage of educational opportunities to further their knowledge on how to better serve their communities.”
The Lifelong Learning Academy was created with input from county commissioners who identified courses based on the issues and decision-making challenges regularly faced by county officials. 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, said officials.
Commissioner Bradford said, “I am honored to receive this certificate. The Life Long Learning Academy has helped me understand ways to better handle county business and given me the necessary tools to do my very best as I serve our community.”
“It is an honor to serve the citizens of Dade County," said Commissioner Goff. "ACCG’s Lifelong Learning Academy is a very important element in the process of serving in county government. Issues, laws, and circumstances change constantly. The L.L.A. is the best tool to keep local governments abreast of those changes.”