As part of our Legislative Conference last week, CSAC had the pleasure of recognizing 15 county officials who earned their credentials from the CSAC Institute for Excellence in County Government.  To receive a credential, an individual must earn 30 credits, which amounts to 60 hours of coursework. That’s a lot of time and commitment, but graduates have found the Institute to be a very valuable experience as they learn lessons and tools they put to use back in their counties.

With each passing semester, the Institute continues to grow in popularity and depth. Take a look at the numbers since the first class was held in February 2009:

• 40 — Number of county officials who have earned a credential.
• 57 — Number of counties represented at Institute courses.
• 73 — Number of courses taught.
• 788 — Number of county officials who have attended an Institute course.
• 1,569 — Number of Institute classroom students.

We expect these numbers to grow this summer and fall with our new schedule of courses that was just released last week. During the next six months, the Institute will hold 19 courses that fall into three main areas of instruction: Leadership and Management, County Governance, and Policy Development. Four of the courses will be held in conjunction with the CSAC Annual Meeting in San Francisco. All of the other courses will be taught at the CSAC Conference Center in Sacramento. The Institute is also open to the concept of bringing a course to your county if there is enough interest.

CSAC congratulates the individuals who graduated from the Institute last week.  Earning a County Supervisor Credential were: Butte County Supervisor Steve Lambert, Sutter County Supervisor Stanley Cleveland, and Tehama County Supervisors Dennis Garton and Robert Williams. Earning Senior Executive Credentials were Terri Daly, El Dorado County Chief Administrative Officer; Wendy Tyler, Trinity County Deputy County Administrative Officer; Shawne Corley, Sutter County Assistant County Administrator; Alison Lehman, Nevada County Director of Social Services; Wendy Hartman, Yuba County Planning Director; Stephen Monaghan, Nevada County Chief Information Officer; Connie Juarez-Diroll, San Mateo County Legislative Coordinator; Brynda Stranix, Yuba Sutter Economic Development Corporation President and Chief Operating Officer;  Kevin Mallen, Yuba County Community Development Director; Leanne Link, Shasta County Business and Support Services Branch Director, Health & Human Services Agency; and Michele Harris, First 5 Solano Deputy Director.

For county officials, the CSAC Institute continues to provide an opportunity to learn, grow and achieve.