Georgia County Government - May/June 2008 - (Page 8)

PRESIDENT continued from page 7 big challenges of the day will always rivet our attention, but we can serve the public more effectively if we also heed what might be on the near horizon. None of us is alone, however. Th rough ACCG and its myriad programs designed to help us, including the policy process, the ACCG Training Programs, our regular meetings and the legislative process, we have the resources we need to create progress and be the best commissioners possible. Our association is among the most respected in the nation, and as your president I hope to encourage every one of you to be much more active members of ACCG. If you have not been as active as you could, you are urged to join the policy committee that interests you most, and come to all the association’s meetings. You will discover, as I have, that you will be amazed at the scope of issues covered, and the resources you will take back home to your community. When you become more involved with ACCG, you will want to do more – not only within the association, but also within your community. As president of ACCG, I am proud of, and support, the many important initiatives the association has put in place to further the status and effectiveness of county government in Georgia. Newer programs like the Georgia Civic Awareness Program for Students, and another initiative to further county efforts to acquire greenspace, hold enormous promise. I would also like to see our association strengthen its working relationship with the Georgia Municipal Association, and continue working closely with special initiatives of our national counterpart, the National Association of Counties (NACo). As a member of NACo’s Human Services and Education Committee, I am a natural advocate of NACo’s priorities including helping youth aging out of the foster care system, and to become involved in preventing the sexual exploitation of children. These are priorities of NACo, and Fulton County Commissioner Nancy Boxill outlines the latter program in this issue. I urge my fellow commissioners to stay apprised of national issues affecting counties through NACo, and to get involved in this association to the fullest extent possible. Like ACCG, NACo’s advocacy on counties’ behalf is there for our edification, and taking advantage of membership in both these groups can make all the difference in your community. In closing, I’d like to share my vision that, while our constituents are counting on us to take care of some very big issues, which are high profi le and well covered by the media, those without a strong voice and less media attention are also there, depending on you. Seeing the community as a whole is the key to meeting all these needs. While it may be impossible to do everything for everybody all the time, with the assistance of ACCG and each other, we are able to continually expand our vision, and with this, our ability to perceive all the needs in our communities. Please call on me for any assistance, any problems you wish to discuss, and you will fi nd me accessible and ready to listen. Thank you for this remarkable opportunity to serve you in the coming year as ACCG president. ■ Global Expertise. Local Delivery. planning design engineering Stantec provides a complete range of design and consulting services to effectively meet our clients’ speciﬁc project needs. From initial planning stages to design and construction management, we offer our clients a complete and creative process. Providing professional services in: Environmental Management Environmental Infrastructure Surveys/Geomatics Macon (478) 474-6100 Planning & Landscape Architecture Urban Land Engineering Transportation Atlanta (678) 432-3810 AD-CA-WSA-2008MAR31-P1V1 One Team. Inﬁnite Solutions. 8 GEORGIA COUNTY GOVERNMENT http://www.stantec.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Georgia County Government - May 2008

Georgia County Government - May 2008 Contents President’s Message County Matters ACCG 2008 Annual Meeting: Highlights County Focus: Clayton County Negotiating a Professional Service Firm Contract: Part 3 Counties Get Involved in Efforts to End Sexual Abuse of Children Smart Growth Scorecard Gives Communities a Way to Grade New Developments Wireless Technologies Critical for First Responders Research Corner: The ACCG Policy Process RDCs Assist the USS Georgia Flag Project Extension News: Animals Take Spotlight in Disaster Planning Georgia’s Grand Old Courthouses: Grady County NACo News: Green Initiative Launches Searchable Database Insurance News: ACCG Announces New Inmate Medical Savings Program County Parade Index of Advertisers

Georgia County Government - May 2008

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