NCACC
P.O. Box 1488
Raleigh, NC 27602-1488
Tel: (919) 715-2893
Fax: (919) 733-1065
E-mail: ncacc@ncacc.org

Best Practices in Local Government

Do disagreements have a tendency to turn ugly at your board of commissioners meetings? How do some boards manage to keep their arguments civil and off the front pages of the newspapers?

Your county leaders want to start a Web-based county government education initiative for youths. Are there any good Web sites out there to use as an example?

As a new department head, you’ve never had to give a television interview before, but a camera crew is coming to your office tomorrow. Are there any tips on how to prepare?

Answers to these questions and more are linked below as part of a collection of best practices compiled by Lydia Varn, a student in N.C. State University’s Master of Public Administration program who completed her internship with the Association on July 27.

Varn’s research is the starting point in what is to become a clearinghouse of best practices in county governments in North Carolina and across the country. Her report will also be available for distribution at the NCACC’s Annual Conference.

Varn worked closely with two of the Association’s strategic goals teams on tasks that involved sharing best practices in public information and media relations, and board leadership and development. She also identified best practices in continuing education for county commissioners and developed a workshop titled “Are you ready to be certified?” for the 99th Annual Conference. The workshop highlights training programs in Georgia and Maryland that provide a set course curriculum and offer certifications to county commissioners and officials.

View the complete report as one file here (PDF - 301K).

Section A: Best Practices in Public Information and Media Relations (PDF)
Includes:

  • Public Information in Mass Media: Television
  • Public Information in Mass Media: Internet
  • Public Information in Mass Media: Reaching N.C. Children
  • Public Information Events and Programs
  • Best Practices in Media Relations
  • Making contact: The media wants your story
  • Making contact: Getting your story out to the media
  • Best Practices in Brief

    • Summary of Findings

    Appendix A: (PDF)

  • Questions to Ask When a Reporter Calls Worksheet
  • Media and Reporter Contact Information Worksheet
  • Crisis Communication Response Worksheet

    • Section B: Best Practices in Board Leadership and Development (PDF)
    Includes:

  • Advice from Scholars: Articles on Board Leadership
  • Best Practices from County Leaders in North Carolina
  • Consultants and Presenters in Board Development
  • Leadership Resource Library

    • Summary of Findings

    Appendix B: Checklist for Local Governing Boards (PDF)
    Appendix C: Effective Board Building: Creating and Maintaining a High Performance and Satisfying Governing Board (PDF)

    Section C: Best Practices in Continuing Education (PDF)
    Includes:

  • Statewide Training Programs for New County Commissioners (Georgia, Maryland, Pennsylvania)
  • Additional Developments and Potential Best Practices
  • Board Training from Other Associations and Groups

    • Summary of Findings

    Appendix D: Full Report on Education and Training Programs for County Commissioners (PDF)