Weed Heading Local Government Training at the Vinson Institute

Print this article

    Weed Heading Local Government Training at the Vinson Institute

The local government training program at the Carl Vinson Institute of Government has found a new leader in Murray Weed. Weed has taken the reigns of a program whose courses, many of them offered in partnership with ACCG, attract more than 14,000 registrations a year across Georgia.

Weed brings with him a wide range of experience in local government earned from a career serving counties and cities both large and small. In his previous position at the Atlanta law firm of Freeman, Mathis & Gary LLP, he represented county and municipal governments and provided specialized legal advice in all areas of local government and authority matters. He has also worked as an in-house attorney for Lowndes County and for the city of Hapeville and served as mayor pro tem of Peachtree City.

Weed has been a past instructor for the Vinson Institute in training programs for ACCG and the Georgia Municipal Association. He has developed and delivered courses for continuing legal education and served as a police academy instructor. Weed is also a frequent lecturer on the Georgia Open Records/Meetings law.

"We are thrilled to bring someone of Murray’s depth and breadth of experience in local government to this important role for the Institute," said Laura Meadows, director of the Vinson Institute’s training programs. "His broad background of working with local government both from an elected and appointed position, his teaching experience, and his personal commitment to lifelong learning will take the local training programs to new heights."

In addition to the training opportunities for both seasoned and newly elected county officials provided by the Vinson Institute’s program, it also serves county managers, clerks, and other employees at all levels. "The continuing education these courses offer is geared toward helping local government officials and staff excel in their public service to constituents," commented Weed.

Training topics range from leadership development to planning and zoning. The program offers planning retreats to help commissions and other groups build consensus around future initiatives and the Management Development Program, an intensive training program for current and future local government managers and supervisors.