Essentials of Municipal Government

Asheville, NC
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January 15 - 16, 2026
Wilmington, NC
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January 22 - 23, 2026
Rocky Mount, NC
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February 12 - 13, 2026
Greensboro, NC
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February 19 - 20, 2026
Chapel Hill, NC
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February 26 - 27, 2026

The School of Government Center for Public Leadership and Governance, in partnership with the North Carolina League of Municipalities, offers Essentials of Municipal Government, our biennial school for newly elected municipal officials.

This course will help those newly elected to office successfully transition from campaigning to governing. On the campaign trail, you make speeches and shake hands; you make commitments and promise good things for your citizens. Once elected, you take an oath of office to uphold the laws and the Constitution of our state and our nation; the scope of your responsibilities can seem daunting. In this two-day course, you will learn the following:

The fundamentals of municipal government law, authority, and practice
The core functions, structure, and purpose of municipal government
The role of the elected body and your role as one of its members
The legal and ethical duties of elected officials and staff
The exemplary habits of a high-performing governing board, which include building positive relationships with staff and external partners who influence life in your communities

Essentials of Municipal Government provides an excellent opportunity for incumbents to learn about newer elements of laws affecting municipal governance. It also fulfills the mandatory Ethics training requirement. All participants will gain a deeper appreciation of the value of governing at the municipal level and the importance of developing the skills and behaviors that lead to effective local government leadership. Participants especially appreciate getting to know other elected officials from across their regions and learning from each other’s experiences.

Who should attend the course: We encourage your newly elected officials to attend with their municipal manager. Municipalities with strong clerk relationships would also benefit from attending together.

This engaging course includes roleplay, small-group discussions, peer-to-peer insights, and practical tips and tools for navigating the municipal governing environment. Dates and locations for the upcoming program cycle are:

January 15–16 - Asheville
January 22–23 - Wilmington
February 12–13 - Rocky Mount
February 19–20 - Greensboro
February 26–27 - Chapel Hill

When available, find hotel information for each location under the “Registration” tab.

LELA Level: Local elected officials become members of the Local Elected Leaders Academy upon completion of Essentials of County/Municipal Government. This is a 101-Level course in the Local Elected Leaders Academy. Elected officials who attend this class will earn 12 credits toward Practitioner recognition.

Asheville, NC
Dates
January 15 - 16, 2026

LocationMountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC), Education Building
121 Hendersonville Road
Asheville, NC 28803

View Cancellation Policy
Course participants who cancel their registration on or before January 07, 2026 will receive a full refund. No refund will be made for cancellations on or after January 08, 2026, 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 Information
Hotels in the Asheville Area.pdf

$355.00

Registration 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.
Wilmington, NC
Dates
January 22 - 23, 2026

LocationThe Warwick Center at UNCW
601 College Road
Wilmington, NC 28403

View Cancellation Policy
Course participants who cancel their registration on or before January 14, 2026 will receive a full refund. No refund will be made for cancellations on or after January 15, 2026, 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 Information
Hotels in the Wilmington Area.pdf

$355.00

Registration 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.
Rocky Mount, NC
Dates
February 12 - 13, 2026

LocationRocky Mount Event Center
285 NE Main Street
Rocky Mount, NC 27801

View Cancellation Policy
Course participants who cancel their registration on or before February 04, 2026 will receive a full refund. No refund will be made for cancellations on or after February 05, 2026, 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 Information
Hotels in the Rocky Mount Area.pdf

$355.00

Registration 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.
Greensboro, NC
Dates
February 19 - 20, 2026

LocationThe Colonnade at Revolution Mill
1000 Revolution Mill Drive
Greensboro, NC 27405

View Cancellation Policy
Course participants who cancel their registration on or before February 11, 2026 will receive a full refund. No refund will be made for cancellations on or after February 12, 2026, 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 Information
Hotels in the Greensboro Area.pdf

$355.00

Registration 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.
Chapel Hill, NC
Dates
February 26 - 27, 2026

LocationUNC School of Government
Knapp-Sanders Building
400 South Road
Chapel Hill, NC 27514

View Cancellation Policy
Course participants who cancel their registration on or before February 18, 2026 will receive a full refund. No refund will be made for cancellations on or after February 19, 2026, 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 Information
Hotels in the Chapel Hill Area.pdf

$355.00

Registration 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.

Essentials of Municipal Government Agenda DEC24 (pdf, 78 KB)

For all registration questions, resetting passwords, or login issues please contact:

Dale Zuckert

Assistant Registrar

919.966.4414

registration@sog.unc.edu

For questions regarding course details, including location, schedule, materials, and continuing education credits, please contact:

Sofia Lawrence

Program Associate, Management, Administration, and Leadership Group

slawrence@sog.unc.edu

Lead Faculty

Elliot Stoller

Assistant Professor of Leadership and Governance

eistoller@sog.unc.edu

Patrice Roesler

Manager of Elected Official Programming, Center for Public Leadership and Governance

proesler@sog.unc.edu