Essentials of County Government
- Asheville, NCDecember 15 - 16, 2022
- Cary, NCJanuary 12 - 13, 2023
- OnlineJanuary 18 - 20, 2023
Newly-elected County Commissioners
Congratulations on your successful election as a county commissioner! The UNC-Chapel Hill School of Government and the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners have partnered to offer you a crash course on the essentials of county government. In this course, we will introduce newly-elected commissioners to the basic functions of county government and the role of the governing board. In short, we are here to help you successfully transition from campaigning to governing.
What to Expect
In person: The program will run approx. 9am-4:30pm on Thursday-Friday
Online: The program will run approx. 9am-1:30pm on Wednesday-Friday
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 learn about the roles and responsibilities of the board and individual board members and explore the board’s relationship to professional staff. Participants 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.
Finances, Budgets, and Fiduciary Duty. What are the top-ten 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? Participants have the opportunity to engage in small group discussions and learn how to approach and respond to common financial issues.
Ethics, Conflicts of Interest, and Open Government. Finally, the course will focus on important limitations on board members and their legal and ethical responsibilities. Commissioners explore public records and open meetings requirements and learn practical techniques to operate effectively in an open government environment. Commissioners also participate in the statutorily-required 2-hour ethics training.
The North Carolina Association of County Commissioners provides cost offsets for county elected officials to attend LELA courses. For information on this discount click here.
- Asheville, NCDecember 15 - 16, 2022DoubleTree-Biltmore
115 Hendersonville Rd
Asheville, NCView Scholarship InformationThe North Carolina Association of County Commissioners provides cost offsets for county elected officials to attend LELA courses. For information on this discount click here.
View Cancellation PolicyCourse participants who cancel their registration on or before December 07, 2022 will receive a full refund. No refund will be made for cancellations on or after December 08, 2022, but you will receive a transferrable credit to be used within 12 months. Click here to view the School’s full cancellation and refund policy.View Hotel InformationHotel Information: We have negotiated a special rate in the room block HERE. Book by November 19, 2022.
$225.00Registration and payment for this course grants access for a single attendee. In order to register a group of attendees, please register each person individually. If you have questions, please contact our registration office at registration@sog.unc.edu or 919.966.4414. - Cary, NCJanuary 12 - 13, 2023Embassy Suites
201 Harrison Oaks Blvd
Cary, NCView Scholarship InformationThe North Carolina Association of County Commissioners provides cost offsets for county elected officials to attend LELA courses. For information on this discount click here.
View Cancellation PolicyCourse participants who cancel their registration on or before January 04, 2023 will receive a full refund. No refund will be made for cancellations on or after January 05, 2023, but you will receive a transferrable credit to be used within 12 months. Click here to view the School’s full cancellation and refund policy.View Hotel InformationWe have negotiated a special rate in the room block HERE. Book by December 12, 2022.
$225.00Registration and payment for this course grants access for a single attendee. In order to register a group of attendees, please register each person individually. If you have questions, please contact our registration office at registration@sog.unc.edu or 919.966.4414. - OnlineJanuary 18 - 20, 2023View Scholarship Information
The North Carolina Association of County Commissioners provides cost offsets for county elected officials to attend LELA courses. For information on this discount click here.
View Cancellation PolicyCourse participants who cancel their registration on or before January 10, 2023 will receive a full refund. No refund will be made for cancellations on or after January 11, 2023, but you will receive a transferrable credit to be used within 12 months. Click here to view the School’s full cancellation and refund policy.$225.00Registration and payment for this course grants access for a single attendee. In order to register a group of attendees, please register each person individually. If you have questions, please contact our registration office at registration@sog.unc.edu or 919.966.4414.
Course Materials
Session 1: Mock Board Meeting
- No Materials
Session 2: Building and Managing Relationships
Session 3: Government Transparency
- Not available yet
Session 4: County Finance Top 10
Session 5: Budgeting
Session 6: Financial Oversight and Internal Controls
Session 7: Ethics
