AAC
PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE
Continuing education contributes to success of elected officials
in Arkansas. Te AAC accomplishes that mission by provid- ing legislative representation at the state Capitol, assistance and research, and training. For newly elected officials, it may seem that the AAC’s largest focus is on legislative advocacy. After all, the General Assembly’s 2019 regular legislative session began at the start of your term and wrapped up only a few short months ago. Tere has been much to discuss about the session, so many of the communications you have had with our AAC staff has centered on the session. But training — or continuing education — for county and district officials is just as much a priority. I can’t stress enough how lucky we are to have such outstanding programming at our disposal. In 2011, the AAC created its in-house continuing educa-
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tion program. Te ACE Continuing Education Program receives high praise from those who attend the sessions, held around the state for six affiliate organizations three times a year. Tose who do not attend the meetings may not realize what they are missing. During each legislative session, the General Assembly
appropriates funds to the Auditor of State to carry out “the responsibilities for maintaining and operating a continuing education and certification program” for county judges, cir- cuit clerks, county clerks, treasurers, collectors and coroners. Te appropriation for the 2019-2020 Fiscal Year was $75,000 for each of those groups (see Act 23 of 2019). Te Arkansas Sheriffs’ Association is charged with train- ing sheriffs, and the Assessment Coordination Department provides continuing education for assessors. Tose agencies receive appropriations to conduct their meetings, as well. Justices of the Peace do not have a formal continuing edu- cation program. However, they reap the benefits of attend- ing the annual AAC conference as well as their individual 75-member annual meeting staffed by AAC — and the first- rate programming provided.
n a nutshell, the Association of Arkansas Counties’ (AAC) mission is to serve as a one-stop shop for county and district officials seeking information, and to work for the improvement of county government
Continuing education meetings
have a propensity to grow stale. But the two ACE Coordinators the AAC has employed since 2011 — Brenda “Emmy” Emerson and Karan Skarda — have strived to offer new ideas, new locations and fresh speakers to keep attendees excited and engaged.
DEBBIE WISE AAC Board President;
Randolph County Circuit Clerk
Karan — and Emmy before her — has taken the educa- tion of our affiliate organizations to a higher level. June is undoubtedly the busiest season for continuing education meetings. Karan will have orchestrated six association meet- ings by the end of June, but her work begins long before the meetings. She searches for appropriate meeting spaces in the counties where our officials would like to meet. She over- sees registration — both for county officials and sponsors/ exhibitors. She works with each group to create and finalize meeting agendas. She’s always on the lookout for new and interesting speakers and activities, and she works tirelessly to resolve any obstacles county officials may experience during the registration process and during the meetings themselves. She wears a lot of hats, and she answers to a large number of county officials. I appreciate her and the effort she puts into our meetings because those meetings are valuable tools in shaping the success of our county officials. Many of the county officials who have excelled in their
careers and within their organizations participate regularly in these meetings. Te meetings offer good information and ac- cess to mentors who are more than happy to lend their time and knowledge to others. Te process of mentoring benefits the teacher as well as the student. So I urge all our county officials to take advantage of the continuing education programs the AAC offers. I have benefit- ted immensely from these meetings, and I know you will too.
Debbie Wise Debbie Wise Randolph County Circuit Clerk / AAC Board President Follow us on Facebook @75ARcounties COUNTY LINES, SPRING 2019 9
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