ACCO Education Committee Meeting
Minutes, ACCO Fall Conference, November 6, 2007
Present were: Mike Thompson, Chairman; Dale Ott, Carter County; Ricky Duncan, Harmon County; Susan Ulrich, Comanche County; Notie Lansford, OSU CTP; Mike Hinkston, OSU LTAP, Doug Wright, OSU LTAP; Steve Carter, Sequoyah County; Steve Hobson, representing Scott Savage from Garfield County; and Linda Herndon, Washington County. Chairman Thompson called the meeting to order at 8:10 AM, called roll and recognized the guests.
Regarding mandatory training for new county commissioners, Mike Thompson reported that at the recent ACCO Board retreat, mandatory training for county commissioners was discussed. He believes the SIG-SIF Board and the ACCO Board have an active agreement to move forward to put in place possible insurance premium reductions as an incentive for new county commissioners to complete a mandatory training program. The progress has been slow.
There was open discussion about the mandatory training. The agreement within the committee was to make every effort to keep the proposal moving forward. It was recommended that an agenda item be put on next month’s SIG-SIF agenda regarding Education Committee concerns.
Discussion on types of training to recommend to the ACCO staff for future conferences was held. Agreement of recommendations included: CPR/First Aid Training, including AED (de-fibulator) operation; Land-fill recovery cost legislation, recommended by Dave Herbert; Various NIMS Training; Notie Lansford recommended a workshop on Composing Job Descriptions; and Implementing Personnel Policy and Procedures. It was recommended the web-link to the FEMA On-Line NIMS courses be added to the ACCO, LTAP, and CTP websites. The link is:
Doug Wright reportedthe Motor Grader Training held in GarfieldCounty recently was a huge success. He said there were about 350 people that attended the 8-hour training, held for four consecutive days. He explained the vendors pay for professional operator instructors that performed demonstrations wearing wire microphones so larger groups of students could participate. OSU has videos of the training available in their library with the basic grader operation techniques.
Wright updated the committee on the LTAP budget. It has been approved by ODOT for this year. Jay Adams is the new ODOT Representative Mike Hinkston and Doug worked with this year. He was very favorable of the $60,000 requested funding. Doug is the acting Interim Director of the LTAP Program, since Mike Hughes announced he is retiring in January, 2008. Mike Hinkston reminded the group the website has the most current training schedule and encouraged everyone to check it.
Notie Lansford reported funding for this year will allow CTP to purchase 18 laptop computers to take on the road for training. He said he will accept requests for recommended uses of the laptops. He encouraged committee members to consider the type of extra training or special speakers and notify him. Some of the six hour CTP courses he suggested we offer at ACCO Conferences include: Economic Development, Role of Officials; Customer Service, and Payroll Procedures. He added the website is the best place to get the most current training schedule.
A Special Meeting of the Education Committee may be necessary prior to the Spring ACCO Conference. If Chairman Thompson recommends it, members will be notified as soon as possible.
Linda D. Herndon, Secretary