OSU County Training Program

2015

OSU – County Training Program

CERTIFICATION POLICIES

COUNTYCLERKSANDDEPUTIES

APPROVED AND ADOPTEDBY:

THE COUNTYCLERK ADVISORY BOARD

AND EXECUTIVE BOARD

OKLAHOMACOUNTYCLERKS &

DEPUTIES

Accreditation/ Certification Policies

FOR

COUNTY CLERKS AND DEPUTIES

Revised 2015

Revised2013

Revised2010

Revised2009

Revised2008

Revised2007

Approved and adopted by

CountyClerkAdvisoryBoard

APPROVED AND ADOPTEDBY:

THE COUNTY CLERKADVISORYBOARD Sharon Shoemake, Grady County Clerk

Lori Hendricks, WagonerCounty Clerk.Jennifer Mortazavi, CreekCounty Clerk

AnnHartin, Marshall County Clerk Tahasha Wilcots, SeminoleCountyClerk

Kathy McClure, MajorCounty Clerk Shelley Reed, Woods County Clerk

County Training Program,Oklahoma StateUniversity

OklahomaCooperativeExtension Service

TABLE OFCONTENTS

OklahomaStatutesfor theCountyTrainingProgram………………………………4

Policiesfor theCountyClerk Certification Program………………………………….7

BasicCertification Program …………………………………………….…………………….9

Advanced IAccreditationProgram………………………………….………………………11

Advanced IIAccreditationProgram………………………………………………………...13

CourseDescriptions………………………………….……………………………………………14

ContinuingEducation ………………………………….…………………………………………18

Formto Request ContinuingEducation Credit…………………………………………19

OVERVIEW

TheOklahoma CountyClerkCertification Programwas initiated in the early 1990’s with aBasic Certification Programthatconsisted ofseven courses. OnJuly13, 2000, the Executive Board of the County Clerks Association ofOklahoma adoptedan AdvancedCertification Programto complement the Basic Programand to provide an opportunityforallmembers to continuetheirtrainingand education inlocalgovernmentoperations. OnJuly8, 2004, the CountyTrainingProgram AdvisoryBoard forthe CountyClerks accepted,andthe Executive Board of the CountyClerks Association ofOklahoma approved, anexpanded planwhich contains aBasic,Advanced Iand Advanced IIcertification program.

Effective January 1, 2015, the County Clerk Advisory Board, upon approval of the County Training Program, expanded the County Clerk Certification Program to include an Accreditation Program. The Accreditation is the confirmation the individual has attended the required course hours and has successfully completed the post-course exercise. Certification is confirmation that the individual attended the required course hours.

Those participants that have completed the Certification Program prior to January 1, 2017 will be eligible to receive an Accreditation Certificate by successfully completing the post-course exercise for all required classes. Those persons wanting to add accreditation in this manner must submit their completed post-course exercisesno later than January 1, 2017.

STATUTORYREQUIREMENTS

TheCommission on CountyGovernmentPersonnelEducationandTrainingwascreatedby Statuteon May11, 1982tooverseethe CountyTrainingProgram.UnderOklahoma SunsetLaw, the “Commission:” is reviewed everythree to six years.

Commissionon CountyGovernment PersonnelEducationandTraining

There is hereby re-created, to continue until July 1, 2015, in accordance with the provisions of the Oklahoma Sunset Law,the Commission on CountyGovernmentPersonnelEducation and Training, hereinaftercalledthe"Commission".The Commission shallbecomposed of the followingfive (5)members:ThePresident ofOklahoma State Universityordesignee;the State Auditorand Inspectorordesignee; theDirectorofthe Oklahoma Departmentof Transportationordesignee;the Chairman oftheOklahoma TaxCommission ordesignee;and thePresidentofthe Oklahoma County Officers Association or designee. 19 O. S. Section130.1

DutiesofCommission

Theduties ofthe Commission shallbe:

To overseea professionaldevelopmentprogramfortraining Oklahoma countycommissioners, county clerks, countytreasurers, countyassessors, courtclerks, theirdeputiesand employees,excise board members, candidates for county office and any other personsthrough theCooperative Extension ServiceatOklahoma State University;
To provide guidanceto the Cooperative Extension Servicein designing curriculato be used ineducationalprograms and materials;
To identifyneeds and setprioritiesforresearchto beconductedin cooperation withtheCooperative Extension Serviceinareas relevantto the studyand improvementofOklahoma county governmentand itsfunctions andto acceptgifts and grants for such purposes;
To cooperate with the advisoryboardsauthorized inSection 130.4 of this titlein determiningtheeducationalneeds ofcountyofficials and theiremployees so thattheycan performtheirdutiesand responsibilitiesefficiently and professionally;
To contract with the Cooperative Extension Service atOklahoma State Universityto administerpersonneleducation and trainingfor countiesand otherpoliticalsubdivisions.

19 O. S. Section130.2

Member designees, quorum, and travel

The Commission shall meet within sixty (60) days after the effective date of this act. The President of Oklahoma State University or his or her designee shall serve as chair of the Commission. After the first meeting, the Commission shall meet as it deems necessary or when called by the chair or by any three members. Three members shall constitute a quorum and no official action shall be taken by the Commission unless there is a quorum present.

The representative of the County Officers Association shall be reimbursed for mileage and per diem in accordance with the State Travel Reimbursement Act when attending Commission meetings or other activities associated with his or her duties. Other Commission members shall not be reimbursed.

19 O. S. Section130.3

Advisory Boards

The Cooperative Extension Service isherebyauthorized to create advisoryboardsastheydeem necessary. Membersofsuch advisory boards shall beappointedbythe Cooperative Extension Serviceand shall include, but shall notbe limitedto, countygovernment officials and appropriate state agencyrepresentatives. Such advisoryboards shall assistin developingeducational programsandmaterialsfor trainingcountygovernment officersand their employees. 19 O.S. Section130.4

Certain County Officialsto Participatein Training Programs andEducational Seminars

Eachcountycommissioner, countyclerk, countytreasurer,and court clerk holdingoffice on the effective date ofthisact and those elected thereafter andthedeputiesofsuch elected countyofficers shall be required to participate in the appropriatetrainingprogramsand educational seminarsrelevant totheir positionsand dutiesconducted pursuant to Sections130.1through 130.7 ofthistitle. In addition,county sheriffs and county assessorsmaybe required to attend the trainingprograms specified inthis section. 19 O. S. Section 130.7

OBJECTIVES

TheCountyClerk Certification Programisdesigned for OklahomaCountyClerksand their deputies.Theobjectivesofeach education andtrainingprogram developed and administered bytheCooperative Extension Serviceat OklahomaStateUniversity, asauthorized bytheCommission, in consultation with the advisoryboards, shall include, but shall not belimited to:

Encouragingtheprofessional development ofthegroupsofcountyofficialsand theiremployeesgoverned bythisact byprovidingeducational programsand referencematerialson job-relatedtopicson atimelybasis;
Improvingthe efficiencyofcountygovernment operationsbyprovidingtechnical assistanceintheadministration of mandated duties;
Improvingthetechnicalskillsofcountyemployeesbyprovidingtechnical trainingin theoperationand maintenanceofconstructionequipment and machinery; and
Servingasareferenceand resource center for countyofficials.

19 O. S. Section130.5

POLICIESFORTHECOUNTYCLERKCERTIFICATION PROGRAM

Training Participants

Accordingto 19 O.S. Section 130.2, theCommission on CountyGovernmentPersonnelEducationandTraininghas thefollowingduty:

Tocontract withtheCooperative Extension Service at OklahomaState Universityto administer personneleducation andtraining for counties and other political subdivisions.

Theprecedingstatutedefines theparticipantsin theeducationandtrainingprogram to be countyemployees or those contractedto do work for thecounty. All CountyClerks inthe StateofOklahoma, whether appointed or elected tooffice, and CountyClerks Deputies are regarded as participants inthetrainingprogram.

EmployeeTransfers

When a countyemployeetransfersfrom anotherdepartment,thecoursescompleted and credit hoursaccrued in theothercountycertificationprogram that are applicableto the CountyClerk Certification Program will be countedtowardstherequirementsfor the CountyClerk Certification Program.

Examination/Exercise

County Clerks and their deputies have the option to complete a post-course exercise after each course to obtain accreditation credit for the course work. Participants receive the post-course exercise at the class and are required to submit the exercise to the County Training Program instructor within two weeks or make other arrangements. The exercise can be faxed or mailed. Participants are required to score 80% or more to obtain a passing grade.

ProgramCertificates

The CertificationCertificate is confirmation that the individual has attended the required course classes. Upon successful completion ofthe certificationrequirements for Basic, Advanced I, and Advanced IICertificationPrograms, thecandidatefor certification will receiveacertificate which will beawarded at the annual springeducational trainingschool. Thecertificatefor the BasicCertification Program willbe awardedbeforetheAdvanced ICertification Program certificate.Thecertificate for Advanced ICertification Program will be awarded beforethe Advanced IICertificationProgram certificate. Ifan individual completes certification requirements afterthespringeducationaltrainingschool and requests aprogram certificate, thecertificatewill beawarded onlyafter approval by boththeCountyClerk ExecutiveBoard and OSU-CTP.

Program Accreditation

The Accreditation certificate is confirmation the individual has attended the required course hours and has successfully completed the post-course exercise. Upon successful completion of the course hours and successfully passing the post course exercise for Basic, Advanced I, and Advanced II Certification Programs, respectfully, the candidate for certification will receive an Accreditation certificate to be awarded at the annual spring educational training school. The Accreditation for the Basic Certification Program will be awarded before the Advanced I Certification Program certificate. The certificate for Advanced I Certification Program will be awarded before the Advanced II Certification Program certificate. If an individual completes certification requirements after the spring educational training school and that their program certificate be awarded before the next annual school, the certificate will be awarded only after approval by the County Clerk Executive Board and OSU-CTP.

Transcripts

Transcripts will beprovided annuallyfor all CountyClerk officesatthespringeducational trainingschool. County Clerks will notify OSU-CTP ofanychangesor additionsinCountyClerk personnelinorder to maintain currentinformation.

Circumstancesnotcovered bythe above eventsmaybepresentedto theCountyClerkAdvisoryBoard for consideration.

BASIC CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

EffectiveJanuary 1, 2006

BasicProgram

TheBasicCertification Program includesthefollowingcourses:

Course1 FundamentalsofAdministration (1 day/6 hours)

Course2 PurchasingProcedures(2 days/12 hours)

Course3 BasicAccounting(2 days/12 hours)

Course4 Budget Process(2 days/12 hours)

Course5SupervisorySkillsI(2 days/12 hours)

Course6 StatuteReferenceLegislativeProcess(1½ days/9 hours)

Course7 Land Records(2days/12 hours)

CountyClerksand First Deputiesmustcompletecourses1-7 to earna certificate.

Other Deputiesmustcompletecourses2, 3, 4, 6and 7 to earn acertificate.

Ifadeputyhasreceived basiccertification bycompletingCourses2,3,4,6 &7,and then isappointed orelected asCountyClerk, Course1 and Course5must be completed beforeaCountyClerk certificatefor thebasiccertificationisawarded.

Certificatesare awarded annuallyat thespringeducational trainingschool.

TheBasicProgram certificatewill beawarded first beforetheAdvanced I Program certificate.

BASIC PROGRAM

EffectiveJanuary 1, 2017

TheBasicCertification Program includesthefollowingcourses:

Course1 FundamentalsofAdministration (1 day/6 hours)

Course2 PurchasingProcedures(2 days/12 hours)

Course3 BasicAccounting(2 days/12 hours)

Course4 Budget Process(2 days/12 hours)

Course5SupervisorySkillsI(2 days/12 hours)

Course6StatuteReferenceLegislativeProcess(1½ days/9 hours)

Course7Land Records(2days/12 hours)

Course 8Open Meeting (1 day/6 hours)

Course 9 Public’s Right to Know (1 day/6 hours)

CountyClerksand First Deputiesmustcompletecourses1-9 to earna certificate.

Other Deputiesmustcompletecourses2, 3, 4, 6,7 ,8 and 9 to earn acertificate.

Ifadeputyhasreceived basiccertification bycompletingCourses2,3,4,6 &7,and then isappointed orelected asCountyClerk, Course1 and Course5must be completed beforeaCountyClerk certificatefor thebasiccertificationisawarded.

Certificatesare awarded annuallyat thespringeducational trainingschool.

TheBasicProgram certificatewill beawarded first beforetheAdvanced I Program certificate.

To Earn Basic Accreditation a post-course exercise must be successfully completed by earning a score of at least 80% for each required class.

ADVANCED I CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

EffectiveJanuary2013

Required CoursesHoursOthers to choose for discretionary coursesHours

SA& I Forms6EconomicDevelopment/RoleofOfficial6

Duties and Responsibilities12Interviewing for Success 6

Open Meeting Law6Documentationand FileBuilding6

Public’s Right to Know6Communication Skills6

SupervisorySkillsII12

TitleVII:Federal Statutes6

Required Course Hours30Equalization Board6

Payroll Booksand Reports6

BuildingYour Budget6

PublicSpeaking6

Discretionary Courses…Tax Roll Corrections6

Must complete minimum 30 hoursDuties/Responsibilities of Councils Commissions/Boards/Trust 6

TOTAL HOURS REQUIRED60ManagingPersonnel in AT-Will-Org12

Computer Basics6

MorePowerful WritingSkills6

ChangeManagement6

Excise Board Training6

County Clerks and deputies must complete 30 hours of required courses and 30 hours of discretionary courses to earn a certificate.
Certificates are awarded annually at the spring educational training school.
The Advanced I Program certificate will be awarded first before the Advanced II Program certificate.
Payroll was changed from 9 hour class to 6; Customer Service was added January 4,2007.
Economic Development: Role of County Officials; Interviewing for Success; Documentation and File Building were added to the Discretionary Courses January 8, 2008.

ADVANCED I CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

EffectiveJanuary2017

Required CoursesHoursOthers to choose for discretionary coursesHours

SA& I Forms6EconomicDevelopment/ RoleofOfficial6

Duties and Responsibilities12Interviewing for Success 6

Excise Board Training6Documentationand FileBuilding6

Payroll6Communication Skills6

SupervisorySkillsII12

TitleVII:Federal Statutes6

Required Course Hours30Equalization Board6

BuildingYour Budget6

PublicSpeaking6

Discretionary Courses…Tax Roll Corrections6

Must complete minimum 30 hoursDuties/Responsibilities of Councils Commissions/Boards/Trust 6

ManagingPersonnel in AT-Will-Org12

Computer Basics6

MorePowerful WritingSkills6

ChangeManagement6

TOTAL HOURS REQUIRED60

Other new courses developed in the future will be added to this list to choose from to meet the minimum elective hours.

County Clerks and deputies must complete 30 hours of required courses and 30 hours of discretionary courses to earn a certificate.
Certificates are awarded annually at the spring educational training school.
The Advanced I Program certificate will be awarded first before the Advanced II Program certificate.
Payroll was changed from 9 hour class to 6; Customer Service was added January 4,2007.
Economic Development: Role of County Officials; Interviewing for Success; Documentation and File Building were added to the Discretionary Courses January 8, 2008.
To Earn Basic Accreditation a post-course exercise must be successfully completed by earning a score of at least 80% for each required class.

Advanced II Certification Program

Effective January 2013

Advanced IIProgram

Required Courses:HoursOtherstochoosefordiscretionarycourses:Hours EconomicDevelopment RoleofOfficials 6

Basic Mapping12Interviewing for Success 6

Cash Flow Management6Documentationand FileBuilding6

Overview of County Gov’t6Communication Skills6

Customer Service6SupervisorySkillsII12

TitleVII:Federal Statutes6

Required Course Hours30Equalization Board6

BuildingYour Budget6

PublicSpeaking6

Discretionary Courses…Tax Roll Corrections6

Must complete minimum 24 hoursDuties/Responsibilities of Councils Commissions/Boards/Trust 6

ManagingPersonnel in AT-Will-Org12

Computer Basics6

MorePowerful WritingSkills6

ChangeManagement6

Excise Board Training6

(effective January 2017 Excise will not be a discretionary course)

TOTAL HOURS REQUIRED54

Other new courses developed in the future will be added to this list to choose from to meet the minimum elective hours.

County Clerks and deputies must complete 30 hours of required courses and 24 hours of discretionary courses to earn a certificate.
Certificates are awarded annually at the spring educational training school.
Discretionary courses taken in Advanced I cannot be duplicated to receive certification in Advanced II.
Six (6) hours ofcontinuingeducationcreditsarerequired each year to remain in good standingin thecertification program.
On October 30, 2003, theCountyClerk ExecutiveBoardapproved theacceptance oftheUnit 6 mappingcoursein lieu oftheBasicMappingCoursein theCounty Clerk Advanced Certification Program.
Payrollwas changedfrom9hourclass to6;CustomerServicewas added– January 4, 2007.
EconomicDevelopment: RoleofCounty Officials;InterviewingforSuccess; DocumentationandFileBuildingwereaddedtotheDiscretionary Courses– January8, 2008.
ReducedTotalHoursofAdvancedIIto54hours;reducedDiscretionary Coursesto 24 hours- July8, 2009
Effective January 1, 2017 to earn an Advanced II Accreditation a post course exercise must be successfully completed by earning a score of at least 80% for each required class.

Description ofCourses

CountyClerk Certification Program ~~ CountyTrainingProgram

19 O.S. §§ 130.3-130.7

Oklahoma StateUniversity~~ July, 2004

Established Courses

Fundamentals ofAdministration – This courseis required for Treasurers, CountyClerks, and CourtClerks. It is composed ofsix hours ofinstruction including group process technique, construction of cause/effect diagrams, and work-flow analysis. (6 hours)
Purchasing Procedures – This two-daycoursecovers in detail all ofthe procedures that arerequired to befollowed under Oklahoma’s PurchasingAct. EachchapterofthePurchasingHandbook is covered, regular updates on legislative changes aregiven alongwith advicefromtheAuditor’s staff, and the class is enhanced bytheuseofnumerous casestudies derived fromactual happenings in Oklahomacounties. (12 hours)
BasicAccounting – Thefundamental principles ofaccountingand bookkeeping arecovered inthis two-daycourse. Theclass beginswith adefinition of accountingandmoves forward through financialillustrations and acasestudythat is applicableto countygovernment. Participants in this coursegainagreater understandingofhow to use accountinginformationto assist withplanning, control, andevaluation. (12 hours)
Budget Process – Two days oflearninghow theEstimateofNeeds and Financial Statementarecompleted. Sources ofrevenues, plus reportingof revenues andexpenditures, arecovered. Statutoryguidelines/requirements for appropriations andestimatingavailablerevenuesarepresented. Practical hands-on exercises areused throughout thecourse. (12 hours)
Supervisory Skills I – This two-daycourse covers thefundamentals of managingothers. Thecourseis offered to countyofficers, deputies and employees, and is partof theRoads Scholar program. It provides auniqueforum for the exchangeofideasaboutmanagementin alocal government setting. (12 hours)
StatuteReferenceandLegislativeProcess – A hands-on coursewhere students bringsets ofstatutes to theclass. A textbook illustrates how thestatutes areorganized,their historyis outlined,and the abbreviation/footnotesystem is covered. A quick studyof the courtcasereferencesystem is given and students aretaught to find and readcourtcases and judges’ decisions. Theclass has been expanded to oneand one-halfdays, with theseconddaybeingdevoted to a discussion ofhow alaw isenactedin theOklahomalegislature. (9 hours)
Land Records – Each ofthedozens oftypes of documents filedin theCounty Clerk’s Officedealingwith thetitleoflandis covered and explainedin this two- daycourse. A brieftimeis also devotedto legal descriptions,an exerciseis performed on plattingtracts, and students actuallylearn how to usethetractindex bydoingtheir own indexingofplatted and unplanted landentries. (12 hours)
TaxRoll CorrectionBoard – Covers theduties and responsibilities ofcountyofficers and boards in correctingthetax roll, focusingon erroneous assessment, clericalerrors, omitted property, court cases, andboard decisions. (6 hours)
BasicMapping – Similar toathree-daycourserequired bylaw for Assessors, this course details how land is plattedand surveyed and how this informationis appliedtomappingof tracts. Figuringacreage, determininglengths and various measures arejustafew ofthe things covered in this verypracticalcourse.Everyonein the courthouseshouldhold this information. (12 hours)
Cash Flow Management – Theprimary focus ofthis coursedeals with thedetailed planningofcountyexpendituresand expected deposits. Emphasisis placed on theadditional efficiencies and interest earnings that maybe acquired as aresult ofcareful planningby everyonein countygovernment.The coursematerial has natural ties tocountyaccounting and budgeting. Examplesand casestudies used inthis coursearedrawn fromactual countyexperiences. (6 hours)
Communication Skills – Whetheryou aredealingwith co-workers or customers, writing letters, oransweringthetelephone, you spend most ofhour days communicatingin oneway or another, even non-verbally. This coursewill provideyou with thetools that you can useto beasuccessful and effective communicator. You will learn what communication is, how wecommunicate, and what you can doto ensurethat your communication is direct and understandable, and receives results. Wewill also discuss listening– an important partof communicating.Wewill discuss what causes conflict, how you might avoid it, and what you can do when faced with unpleasant situations and people.(6 hours)
ComputerBasics – This courseprovides an introductionto theMicrosoft (MS)Windows98 OperatingSystem, MS Word 2000 word processor and Excel 2000 spreadsheet software. Students areprovided hands-on experiencein acomputer laband will learn how to effectivelyusemanyofthefeatures oftheseproducts. (6 hours)
Duties and Responsibilities oftheCounty Clerk – The courseis designed to review thedutiesand responsibilities oftheCountyClerk using theCountyClerk’s Handbook as the text.This courseincludesshortlectures provided byCountyClerks and deputies, small group discussions ofprepared questions andissues that ariseduringthecourseofthediscussion.(12 hours)
Payroll Books and Reports – The coursecovers theofficial hiringofan employee and the steps, forms and reports that need tobefollowedandsubmitted to thecountyclerk. Topics covered arepersonnel files, I-9, Garnishments, childsupport, etc. (6 hours)
Public’s Right to Know – A one-daycoursethat covers Oklahomalaws and procedures in dealingwith publicrecords, their definition, required availability, and countyofficers’ responsibilityin handlingrequests fromthepublic. (6 hours)
StateAuditorand InspectorForms and TheirUse – This one-daycourse examines allcategories of forms prescribed bytheStateAuditorand Inspector’s Officeforusein the CountyClerk’s Office. Duringthis course, discussion groups answer questionsrelatedto each form, discuss theforms and presenttheir suggestions to the entire class. Added as webinar in 2014 (6 hours)
Supervisory Skills II – This two-daycoursetakes thesubject mattercovered in SupervisorySkills Ito amorein-depth level that actuallydeals with specifictypes of situations. Proceduresfor handlingemployee evaluations, theinterview process, and record keepingarejustthreeofthetopics coveredin this course. (12 hours)
Open Meeting Law – This course examines thehistory, importance,types, and purposes of meetings. Emphasis is placed on open meetinglawand meetingprocedures. (6 Hours)
TitleVII: Federal Statutes – Course covers TitleVIICivil Rights Act and will deal withdiscrimination,harassment, quid-protypeI & II, sexual harassment andhostile work environment. An actual casestudyofan alleged sexual harassment suit will be investigated duringthe afternoon ofthe course.(6 hours)
Change Management – In today’s environment, priorities and structurecanchangeovernight.With development ofnewchallenges, people areexpectedto conform. Sometimeschangeis implemented without consideringtheimpactitmayhaveon people’s attitudesand performance. Employees go through different emotional states when changeis implemented, and our actions on how wemanagethechangehaveagreat bearingon how quicklythe organization will get backto normal. Managingchangedeals withthedifferent aspects of change and how wecan implement changewithaminimumamount ofdisruption to employees, theorganization and ourselves. (6 hours)
Equalization Board – This courseis designedto give each CountyBoard ofEqualization member an overview ofthe assessment process andsomeinsight into the ad valorem tax system. Further, this coursedescribes theresponsibilities oftheCountyBoard of Equalization inthis system. (6 hours)
PublicSpeaking – This courseteaches aperson how to tamethefear ofspeakingin public. Thesubject matter will cover skills that can beusedto become confident and powerful while speaking. Preparation, organization, analyzingtheaudience, deliveryand visual aids area few ofthespecifictopics.Actual practicein frontofagroup is an important partofthis worthwhile session
ExciseBoard Workshop – Theworkshop willcover:(1) thebudget process– timetable and roleofeachcountyofficer and department head,with emphasis ontheexciseboard’s role; (2) sources and usesof general fund dollars and thelegal guidelines suchas priorityof funding; (3) statistics showingwhat counties around thestateare doing; and (4) how theexciseboardis to estimate theamount of funds availablefor appropriationat budget time. Anotebook ofmaterial willbeprovided. Therewillalso beplentyoftimefor questionand answer. This workshop is offered everyother year. (3 hours)
OverviewofCounty Government– Thecountygovernmentteam (as wellas the public) wins when eachplayer has afundamental understandingoftheir role, theroleofeach teammate, andthewaytheyshould work together.Mission ofthis one-daycourseis toreview theprimary functions ofcountygovernmentand duties ofelected andnon-elected officials incarryingout thosefunctions. (6 hours)
Building YourBudget–How does acountyofficial or department head estimate the costs associatedwithcarryingout their duties?This one andone-halfdaycoursereviews fundamentals ofbuildingadepartmentbudget, short-termandlong-term. Specific county examples will be examined. (6 hours)
Duties & Responsibilities ofCouncils, Commissions, Boards Trusts– Local government bodies operateundertheseheadings. This one-daycoursedescribes the characteristics ofand legal authorityfor each, as well as examples ofhow eachis beingused in Oklahoma. (6 hours)
ManagingPersonnelin an At-WillOrganization– This courseincorporates theold HiringFiringmaterial with much new information. Sincehiring, directing, discipline andtermination areall partof doingbusiness, conductingthem in alegaland effectivefashion is crucial intoday’s world oflawsuits. This coursediscusses importantareas to help protect managers and supervisorsfromdamaging, expensive legal actions.(Recommended for Department Heads and Supervisors )(12 hours)
CustomerService– (New courseto bedeveloped) Knowing your customers and serving your customers isan important function for everycountyoffice. Thiscoursewill assistyou in identifyingand respondingto your internal customers usinglistening, problem- solvingand conflict-management skills. In turn, youwill learnhow to usetheseskillsto becomemorecustomer-oriented andassist your officeinprovidingqualitycustomer service to external customers. (6 hours)
Grammar Skills –TheGrammar Class will cover theimportanceof good grammar, understanding thefundamentalsof grammar,and developingmore powerful writing. Theclass will includelots ofhands-on practical exercises. (6 hours)
InterviewingforSuccess–Two basicthoughts necessarywhen interviewingare:
Requirements for thejob
Who is best qualified to performrequirements

Thosemakingthese decisions must bewell-versed in both to beaqualified job interviewer. Thebest person has to “fit”thejob. Courseparticipants construct jobprofiles,and bycourse conclusion participants will understand howto conduct alegalinterview in order to select best qualifiedcandidates to fill positions. (Recommended for Department heads and Supervisors) (6 hours)