ACCG Welcomes New Associate Legislative Director Shaun Adams

Please join ACCG in welcoming the newest member of our policy team, Shaun Adams.  Shaun comes to ACCG most recently from the Georgia Senate Judiciary Committee where he served as legal counsel, conducting research and assisting the committee chair with questions regarding proposed legislation. 

He had three legislative summaries published in the Spring 2010 Atlanta’s John Marshall Law Journal: Senate Bill 10: Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Act; House Bill 251: Quality Basic Education Act; Intra-District School Choice; and House Bill 927:  Public Schools Disciplinary Tribunals; Bullying; Expand Definition.   

As an ACCG Associate Legislative Director, Shaun will handle economic development and transportation issues as well as oversee federal advocacy efforts. 

Shaun holds a Juris Doctor degree from Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School and a Bachelors in Science in Sport Management from Florida State University. Shaun and his wife, Kristen, live in Gwinnett County and have a son, Rylan.

Contact Shaun Adams at sadams@accg.org or 404.522.5022 ext 133.

 

 

 

New Bond Requirements for Superior Court Clerks

Effective July 1, 2012, O.C.G.A. Section 15-6-59 (as amended by HB 665; Act 599) increases the required minimum amount of the Public Official’s Bond for the Clerk of Superior Court from $25,000 to $150,000. 

For the 105 counties that participate in ACCG’s Property & Liability  insurance program, no action will be required.  The ACCG-IRMA coverage document provides bond coverage to the extent required by State or local law, therefore coverage provided by ACCG-IRMA is automatically increased to the newly required amount. There will be no additional charge for this added coverage. 

If your county does not participate in the ACCG-IRMA program, you should contact your local agent to confirm that you are in compliance with the new law.

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For more information on ACCG Insurance Programs contact Ben Pittarelli at 404.522.5022 or bpittarelli@accg.org

 

 

 

 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently issued a new framework to help local governments meet their Clean Water Act obligations. The Integrated Municipal Stormwater and Wastewater Planning Approach Framework assists EPA regional offices, states, and local governments to develop voluntary storm and wastewater management plans and implement effective integrated approaches that will protect public health by reducing overflows from wastewater systems and pollution from stormwater. In developing the framework, the EPA worked in close coordination with a variety of stakeholders, including publicly owned treatment works, state water permitting authorities, local governments, and nonprofit environmental groups.

EPA's framework outlines new flexibility to pursue innovative, cost-saving solutions, like green infrastructure, and will help communities as they develop plans that prioritize their investments in storm and wastewater infrastructure.

The framework also highlights the importance of controlling and managing releases of storm and wastewater into the nation’s waters. When wastewater systems, many of which are aging, overflow they can release untreated sewage and other pollutants into local waterways. These overflows can carry a variety of harmful pollutants that can threaten communities’ water quality, including bacteria, metals, and nutrients, and can contribute to disease outbreaks, beach and shellfish bed closings, and fishing or swimming advisories. Stormwater discharges can also contain many of these pollutants, and municipalities are often faced with difficult choices about how to direct their funds to solve the most critical problems first.

The framework document is available on EPA's website, where the agency will also provide practical examples of how local governments are implementing this approach, as they become available.

More information can be found here.