Center for Government & Community D e v e l o p m e n t 2013 Annual Report
Contents 3 Welcome 4 Partnerships 6 Educational Programs 8 Certification Programs 10 Emergency Preparedness Training 11 Drinking Water Programs 12 Community Development 14 Staff 2 Center for government & community development
Serving Government, Improving Communities Mississippi s towns and communities may have much in common, but each has unique characteristics. Some have only a few hundred residents and provide just basic services, while many provide the full range of municipal services to populations in the thousands. Manufacturing enterprises are the biggest employers in some municipalities. Others depend primarily on agriculture or tourism. There is, however, one resource available to all Mississippi communities access to community development outreach and local government training programs provided by the Mississippi State University Extension Service. Through the Center for Government and Community Development, universitybased and county colleagues work for positive change through partnerships with communities to address important local issues, concerns, and opportunities. Extension Service center providing professional development programs and technical assistance for Mississippi s elected and appointed local government officials changed from the Center for Governmental Training and Technology to the Center for Government and Community Development, or GCD. The change reflects an increased focus on support for all aspects of local development. Several new Extension faculty members have been added to the center s staff to improve our outreach capabilities. We have also updated and expanded our website, http://gcd.msucares.com/. On the site, you can find information about upcoming educational programs and resources, such as the latest edition of Municipal Government in Mississippi. There have been some changes to our programs during the past year. As of January 1, 2013, the name of the MSU 2013 annual report 3
Working in Partnership for Mississippi The GCD mission of providing Mississippi s counties and municipalities with universitybased educational programs and community development support could not be carried out without partnerships with professional associations and state agencies. The following provide funding and other support: Mississippi Department of Revenue Office of the State Auditor Mississippi Assessors & Collectors Association Mississippi Chapter of the International Association of Assessing Officers Mississippi State Department of Health Bureau of Public Water Supply Mississippi Emergency Management Agency Mississippi Office of Homeland Security Mississippi State Department of Health Mississippi Department of Public Safety Mississippi Board of Standards and Training for Emergency Telecommunications Mississippi Public Service Commission Mississippi Metropolitan Medical Response System Mississippi Civil Defense Emergency Management Association (MCDEMA) Mississippi Municipal League Mississippi 911 Association Mississippi Board of Animal Health 4 Center for government & community development
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Educational Programs In Mississippi, there are about 5,000 elected and appointed local government officials. These men and women have the responsibility for establishing and implementing public policy in the state s 82 counties and 298 municipalities. Mississippi Association of Supervisors Mississippi Municipal League Mississippi Association of County Board Attorneys Each session of the Mississippi Legislature results in new laws and regulations for local government, creating the need for continuing education and technical assistance throughout an individual s tenure in local government service. The GCD is a nationally recognized leader in the development and implementation of educational programs for county and municipal officials. The center s staff also provides technical assistance and specialized publications for local officials. GCD works with local government associations to plan and implement educational programs, seminars, and workshops: Mississippi Municipal Clerks & Tax Collectors Association Mississippi Chancery Clerks Association Mississippi Association of County Administrators/ Comptrollers Mississippi Assessors & Collectors Association Mississippi Chapter of International Association of Assessing Officers Mississippi Civil Defense & Emergency Management Association Mississippi 911 Association Mississippi Association of County Engineers 6 Center for government & community development
2013 Participation in GCD-Led or -Facilitated Educational Programs County Administrators and Comptrollers Winter Meeting 67 Summer Meeting 71 Chancery Clerks Legal Responsibilities Workshop 63 Annual Convention 67 Spring Education Workshop 121** County Assessors/Collectors Certified Appraisers Recertification Program 445 Appraiser Report Writing Workshop 51 International Association of Assessing Officers Course 49 Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice Course 40 Homestead Application Updates Workshop 184 The educational programs and information provided by the MSU Extension Service through the Center for Government and Community Development help supervisors keep up with new laws and regulations. Having the information and technical assistance they provide is important for our resource management. Paul Mosley President Mississippi Association of Supervisors County Board Attorneys Midwinter Continuing Legal Education Seminar 76 Summer Continuing Legal Education Seminar 73 County Supervisors Annual Conference 446* Midwinter Conference 506* Fall County Government Workshop 242* Municipal Clerks February Session 114 May Special Session 54 September Master Academy 21 October Session 118 December Educational Workshop 140 Emergency Management Training Incident Command System/ Incident Management Team 3,727 911/Interoperable Communication 559 Wilderness, Remote/Primary Care During Disasters 256 Whole Community/Hazard Mitigation/Disaster Assessment 233 Mississippi Civil Defense Emergency Management 334 Mass Care/Mass Sheltering Support 202 Local Emergency Planning Committees 175 Local Exercise Support 211 Emergency Alert Exercise 100 *Totals include supervisors, chancery clerks, and other county officials in attendance. **Joint meeting with county administrators and comptrollers. 2013 annual report 7
Certification Programs GCD manages legislatively mandated certification programs for county and municipal officials in cooperation with state government agencies. Annual certification activities include these: Award, in cooperation with the Mississippi Clerks and Collectors Association, the Certified Municipal Clerk designation to municipal clerks, tax collectors, and deputies who complete the exam-based Certification Program for Municipal Clerks and Collectors. At any given time, about 125 municipal clerks, tax collectors, and deputy municipal clerks, representing more than 75 different municipalities, are working toward certification. Award advanced professional designations to Assessor and Appraiser Education Program participants. Each year, about 400 county assessors and staff members participate in this program. Conduct the Master Municipal Clerks Program, an advanced education/ certification program for graduates of the Certification Program for Municipal Clerks and Collectors. Assist the Office of the Secretary of State with implementation of training programs for county and municipal election officials. Conduct workshops for tax collectors in collaboration with the Mississippi Department of Revenue, the Office of the State Auditor, and the Mississippi Assessors and Collectors Association. Award professional certification to county purchase clerks, receiving clerks, or inventory control clerks who successfully complete the Professional Certification Program for County Purchase, Receiving, and Inventory Control Clerks, which is conducted in cooperation with the Office of the State Auditor. 8 Center for government & community development
One of GCD s largest training programs is for county tax assessors. There are more than 500 certified appraisers in Mississippi. Most are county employees and most hold advanced designations: 521 certified appraisers 92 are private appraisers 24 are employed by the state 405 are county employees 80 are elected officials 325 are county staff 71% of certified appraisers hold an advanced designation 68 Assessment Evaluator I (AEI) 81 Assessment Evaluator II (AEII) 221 Mississippi Assessment Evaluator (MAE) During 2013, assessor training sessions taught or facilitated by GCD educators enrolled more than 800 students: 445 people attended legislatively mandated certified appraiser recertification courses in six locations around the state to maintain their assessor licenses. 51 people participated in an Appraiser Report Writing One and Done Workshop. 18 people participated in the International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO) Course 102 Income Approach to Valuation to advance their skills required to estimate the market value of vacant or improved properties by the income approach. 15 people participated in the International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO) Course 600 Principles and Techniques of Cadastral Mapping. This course develops cadastral mapping skills of map maintenance personnel and assessment technicians. 16 people participated in the International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO) Course 601 Cadastral Mapping Methods & Applications that provided advanced skills for map maintenance personnel and assessment technicians in the field of cadastral mapping. 40 people attended a Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice course to learn about updates regarding performance standards for real property, mass appraisals, personal property appraisal, consulting, and business valuation. 184 people attended a special workshop regarding Homestead Application updates with the Mississippi Department of Revenue. Certifications Earned Certified Appraiser Licenses 27 Assessment Evaluator I 16 Assessment Evaluator II 8 Mississippi Assessment Evaluator Designation 11 The Collector of Revenue classes have been very beneficial for our office. We have seen a reduction in the number of phone calls from the county offices. When we receive calls from the county office, they have a better understanding of the question they are asking instead of just a general question. Lisa Chism Director Title Bureau MS Department of Revenue
Emergency Preparedness Education GCD works with the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, the Mississippi Office of Homeland Security, the Mississippi State Department of Health, and the Mississippi Board of Animal Health to provide training, seminars, and workshops for local government and emergency management officials. Services include these: Continuing education and professional development certifications for local emergency managers in partnership with the Mississippi Civil Defense Emergency Management Association. Coordination of certification programs for 911 call center telecommunicators and directors in conjunction with the Mississippi Department of Public Safety s Board of Standards & Training. National Incident Management System training in Incident Command System for elected and appointed local and state officials. Throughout the year, GCD personnel and other trained emergency responders provide a variety of emergency preparedness classes facilitated by GCD. During 2013, enrollment for those classes totaled more than 5,000: Incident Command 3,727 System/Incident Management Team Training 911/Interoperable Communication 559 Wilderness, Remote/Primary 256 Care During Disasters Whole Community/Hazard 233 Mitigation/Disaster Assessment Training Mississippi Civil Defense 334 Emergency Management Mass Care/Mass Sheltering 202 Support Local Emergency Planning 175 Committees Local Exercise Support 211 Emergency Alert Exercise 100 Training courses for the All Hazard Incident Management Team and Incident Command System are key components of preparedness for local emergency responders. The training provided by the MSU Center for Government and Community Development is instrumental in helping us build Harrison County s Incident Management Team. This program builds our capabilities so that ultimately this team can be deployed in times of emergency. Rupert H. Lacy, Harrison County Emergency Management Agency/IMT 10 Center for government & community development
Drinking Water Programs GCD personnel provide technical assistance to private well owners, public water systems, waste water systems, and certified operators of water and waste water systems. Other services include these: Publications on management of private wells Guides to testing water from private home wells Management audits for private water systems System study and review for public water systems GCD also hosts roundtable discussions designed to increase coordination and cooperation among the Mississippi Rural Water Association (MsRWA), public water associations, the state s 82 county emergency managers, and the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA). Individual board officers and their certified water operators represent the water associations of each county at the discussion sessions. Knowledge gained through these learning sessions increases response efficiency during emergencies. While investigating the purchase of a bottled water company, I contacted Mississippi State University for help with understanding the chemical makeup of the aquifer in the area and was put in touch with Jason Barrett with the Center for Government and Community Development. He dealt with all my questions, and if he couldn t answer them, he put me in touch with the people who could. Scott S. Turner Madison County
Community Development GCD provides educational and researchbased resources to strengthen the social, economic, and environmental well-being of communities across the state. GCD personnel help with local issues like these: Community strategic visioning Local governance Leadership development training Community tourism assessment & development Economic & business development Business retention & expansion projects Community profiling Conflict management & resolution Economic impact assessments Planning facilitation Community surveys GCD economic development consultants work directly with local government officials and community leaders to develop strategies for supporting existing businesses and attracting new development based on local resources and needs. They also provide workshops and other support for individuals who have an idea for a new business, but little or no prior business experience. Community Resource Development Agents Community resource development agents are a new Extension resource at the county level. The addition of these agents to county Extension teams is focusing Extension s educational and research-based resources on strengthening the social, economic, and environmental well-being of communities across the state. Community resource development agents work with citizen groups, civic organizations, local economic development agencies, and units of local government to identify and implement programs that address local needs, including these: Leadership development Economic analysis Agricultural business development Community healthcare Business retention & expansion Strategic planning Tourism development Public water system issues 12 Center for government & community development
All MSU Extension Service personnel engage in community development activities as they carry out their mission of improving the lives of all Mississippians through their work with agriculture, consumer education, youth development, and other programs. With the addition of community resource development agents to our county teams, we are focusing additional educational and research-based resources on strengthening communities across the state. These agents have the expertise and resources to help local leaders and citizens make a difference in the social, economic, and environmental well-being of their communities. Gary Jackson, Director MSU Extension Service 2013 annual report 13
Staff Janet Baird Local Government Operations janetb@ext.msstate.edu (662) 325-8256 Rachael Carter Tourism, Economic/Natural Resource Development rachaelc@ext.msstate.edu (662) 325-3141 R. Thomas Ball Emergency Preparedness tomb@ext.msstate.edu (662) 325-1795 Sumner Davis Department Head & Local Government Operations sumner@ext.msstate.edu (662) 325-2426 Center for Government & Community Development Mississippi State University Box 9643 Mississippi State, MS 39762 (662) 325-3141 (662) 325-8954 (fax) gcd@ext.msstate.edu Jason Barrett Public Utilities jbarrett@ext.msstate.edu (662) 325-1788 Hamp Beatty Business Development hbeatty@ext.msstate.edu (662) 325-7367 Jason Camp Local Government Operations jasonc@ext.msstate.edu (662) 325-4030 Debra Evans Office Associate debrae@ext.msstate.edu (662) 325-3141 Anne H. Hilbun Emergency Preparedness anneh@ext.msstate.edu (662) 325-3417 Jeffrey Markham Local Government Operations jmarkham@ext.msstate.edu (662) 325-5960
Patrick Miller Local Government Operations/ Emergency Preparedness patrickm@ext.msstate.edu (662) 325-9720 Bob Ratliff Marketing & Communications bobr@ext.msstate.edu (662) 325-1714 Terence Norwood Leadership Development/ Local Government Operations tnorwood@ext.msstate.edu (662) 325-8329 Sandy Vickers Business Manager sandyv@ext.msstate.edu (662) 325-3141 William Poindexter Local Government Data williamp@ext.msstate.edu (662) 325-1661 2013 annual report 15
Copyright 2014 by Mississippi State University. All rights reserved. This publication may be copied and distributed without alteration for nonprofit educational purposes provided that credit is given to the Mississippi State University Extension Service. Discrimination based upon race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or veteran s status is a violation of federal and state law and MSU policy and will not be tolerated. Discrimination based upon sexual orientation or group affiliation is a violation of MSU policy and will not be tolerated. Extension Service of Mississippi State University, cooperating with U.S. Department of Agriculture. Published in furtherance of Acts of Congress, May 8 and June 30, 1914. GARY B. JACKSON, Director M1965 (1M-01-14)