NCACC's Nolen completes County Administration Course

Outreach Coordinator Lisa Nolen became the latest staff member to graduate from the County Administration Course at the UNC School of Government. During a graduation ceremony on April 16, Nolen joined 27 county officials receiving certificates. More than 1,300 city and county officials have completed the course since it began in 1964.

Course instruction covers local government law, organization and management, finance and budgeting, employment law and administration, planning and regulation of development, and the delivery of specific county and city services. The course is roughly 150 hours in length and involves the participation of more than 60 instructors – including NCACC Deputy Director Patrice Roesler.

More staff notes: Executive Director David F. Thompson addressed Orange County department heads during a strategic planning meeting on April 15. He provided a preview of the legislative short session and the kinds of financial impacts that counties might experience, and shared some anecdotal reports about how other counties are coping with the budget crisis. … Deputy Director Patrice Roesler attended a meeting of the Institute for Emerging Issues Business Committee on Infrastructure on April 28. The committee is exploring possible approaches to increasing public-private partnerships in North Carolina to help finance the state's extensive infrastructure needs. … Director of Government Relations Kevin Leonard provided an overview of the upcoming short session to the Wake County Board of Commissioners on April 12. … Leonard traveled to Currituck County on April 16 to meet with several northeastern county managers, who meet monthly. … Thompson and Leonard met April 22 with Stan Meiburg, acting regional administrator for EPA Region 4 in Atlanta, to discuss air quality and the potential impacts on counties if the EPA lowers the NAAQS standard. … Legislative Counsel Jim Blackburn provided a legislative preview and discussed the ongoing issues surrounding the implementation of the combined property tax/vehicle registration system on April 21 at the spring meeting of the North Carolina Tax Collector's Association, an NCACC affiliate organization. … Leonard and Blackburn discussed solid waste legislation from a county perspective at the North Carolina chapter of the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) Technical Spring Conference in Buncombe County. … Policy Advocate Anthony Allen attended the National Public Administrators Forum in Guilford County from April 26-28. The event focused on transforming the connection between community and government. Public administrators from across the country attended this event, which included workshops on transparency in government, sustainability, leadership growth and development, and health and wellness initiatives. … Allen attended a jail summit in Cumberland County with county, state and academic officials April 30 to discuss the increasing population in county jails and options to relieve this overcrowding. … Communications Director Todd McGee was a guest on Viewpoints, a daily afternoon program on WJNC-AM 1240 in Jacksonville, on April 29 to discuss efforts by Onslow and New Hanover counties to pass a referendum on the quarter-cent sales tax. … Assistant Communications Director Jason King attended the first day of the N.C. City-County Communicators (NC3C) Conference in Cabarrus County on April 28. Presentations focused on engagement through social media and new technologies.