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CENTER FOR GOVERNMENTAL TECHNOLOGY

The Center for Governmental Technology (CGT) is a unit within the Enterprise and Community Resource Development program area of the Cooperative Extension Service at Mississippi State University. For some twenty-five years the CGT has been a leader in the development and implementation of educational programs for local government officials.

Through its technical assistance and educational programs the CGT assists local government officials, local units of government, and associations of local government officials in their efforts to improve governance at the grassroots and delivery of services to the citizens of Mississippi. The CGT does not take an advocacy role in the business, legislative, or political affairs of the local governments or local government associations with which it works.

The CGT currently serves the educational needs of the following associations of local government officials: Mississippi Association of Supervisors, Mississippi Municipal Association, Mississippi Association of County Board Attorneys, Municipal Clerks and Tax Collectors Association of Mississippi, Mississippi Chancery Clerks Association, Mississippi Association of County Administrators/Comptrollers, Building Officials Association of Mississippi, Mississippi Assessors and Collectors Association, Mississippi Chapter of International Association of Assessing Officers, and the Mississippi Association of County Engineers. The CGT works with these associations to plan and implement a variety of educational programs, seminars, and workshops.

In cooperation with the State Department of Audit and the State Tax Commission, the CGT manages legislatively-mandated certification programs for county purchase clerks, receiving clerks, inventory control clerks, and tax assessors and manages professional education programs for county supervisors and county administrators. The CGT's Certification Program for Municipal Clerks-Tax Collectors is nationally-recognized. The CGT, in cooperation with the Office of the Secretary of State, conducts a training program for municipal election officials.

The CGT works closely with the PRO-MISS (Promoting Rural Opportunity in Mississippi) Leadership Development Program at Mississippi State University. Through this program, some 125 citizens of Mississippi have received intensive training in principles of leadership, communications, community development, and state and local government.

Technical assistance is provided by the CGT to counties and municipalities in such areas as general management, financial administration, personnel administration, leadership development, economic development, community facilities and services, and solid waste management. Technical assistance is provided on a "time available" basis at little or no cost.

Recent Activities Include the Following:

• Conducted 35 different programs, which varied from half-day workshops to four-day seminars, in 66 separate locations. The combined attendance at these programs exceeded 4,800 local government officials.
• Conducted special orientation programs for newly-elected county supervisors, chancery clerks, and tax assessors, which included distribution of the Center's new publication, County Government in Mississippi: A Handbook for Supervisors.
• Conducted a special county budget preparation workshop for chancery clerks and county administrators.
• Awarded Certified Municipal Clerk designation to 22 City Clerks and Deputy Clerks. Sixty-two municipal clerks and tax collectors and 97 deputies, representing 77 different municipalities, are currently working toward certification.
• Awarded advanced professional designation to 52 Assessor and Appraiser Education Program participants entitling them to annual salary supplements of up to $3,500. Currently, 356 County Assessors and staff members are active in this program with combined salary supplements exceeding $700,000.
• Awarded professional certification to 243 county purchase clerks, receiving clerks, and inventory control clerks.

New Initiatives Include the Following:

• Development of an advanced education/certification program for graduates of the Certification Program for Municipal Clerks and Collectors.
• Development of, in collaboration with the Office of the Secretary of State, a training program for municipal election officials.