The UNC School of Government and NCACC partner to offer this crash course on the essentials of county government, where newly elected commissioners are introduced to the basic functions of county government and the role of the governing board.
- From Campaigning to Governing: What A Newly Elected Commissioner Needs to Know in the First 30 Days
Register to attend this free virtual information session that focuses on the top things that an elected official needs to know in the first 30 days. This pre-cursor session to the Essentials of County Government training will take place via Zoom on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, from 8:30-9:30 a.m. Click here to register and receive the Zoom link.
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2025 Course Schedule
In-person trainings will take place over two days from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the following locations:
- January 16-17, 2025 — Craven County
- Riverfront Convention Center of Craven County
- 203 S. Front St., New Bern, NC 28560
- January 23-24, 2025 — Forsyth County
- Winston-Salem Marriott
- 425 N. Cherry St., Winston-Salem, NC 27101
- February 19-20, 2025 — Buncombe County
- Embassy Suites Asheville Downtown
- 192 Haywood St., Asheville, NC 28801
View introduction to course by Kevin Leonard, executive director of the NCACC, and Aimee Wall, dean of the UNC School of Government.
Theme 1
County Government: Roles and Responsibilities
Watch a lively mock board meeting to learn the dos and don’ts of working as a board and transacting business in the public spotlight. Through a series of interactive activities, participants also will learn about the roles and responsibilities of the board and individual board members and will explore the board’s relationship to professional staff. Participants will have the opportunity to build essential communication and relationship-building skills to help you interact more effectively within county government and with the legislature, your constituents and the media.
Theme 2
Budgets, Fiduciary Duty & Financial Condition
What are the top 10 financial management principles every county commissioner should know? What are county funding requirements? What should you expect from your first budget process? How does a board carry out its fiduciary duties? The pre-work will present the basics of budgeting and financial management. During the live session, participants will have the opportunity to engage in small group discussions and learn from more experienced commissioners and county staff about how to approach and respond to common financial issues.
Theme 3
Ethics, Conflicts of Interest and Open Government
The final theme will focus on important limitations on board members and their legal and ethical responsibilities. Commissioners will explore public records and open meetings requirements and learn practical techniques to operate effectively in an open government environment. During the live session, commissioners will also participate in the statutorily required two-hour ethics training.