The Department of Community Affairs (DCA) recently provided notice to their county contacts and to ACCG that the 2018 Government Management Indicators (GOMI) Survey and 2018 Wage and Salary Survey have both gone "live" on the DCA website. The due date for both of these surveys is June 30, 2018. The GOMI Survey is a mandatory requirement provided for in O.C.G.A. § 36-81-8. The Wage and Salary Survey is a voluntary survey, however, the information contained within this survey is the most popular research request that ACCG receives from counties each year. As such, it is strongly encouraged that your county participate.

In terms of what type of information is collected through these surveys, GOMI collects data on county operations, including financial management practices, service delivery arrangements, public facilities provided, and planning efforts. This information is helpful in identifying trends in county operations. The Wage and Salary Survey collects data on the pay range, number of full time employees, and the number of hours worked each week for over 160 different local government jobs. Information from the survey is used to produce printable reports that can be used by counties.

The 2018 GOMI Survey can be accessed at: https://apps.dca.ga.gov/secured/dcasurveys/gomisurvey/login.aspx

The 2018 Wage and Salary Survey can be accessed at: https://apps.dca.ga.gov/secured/dcasurveys/wagesalary/login.aspx

If you need assistance in accessing these surveys, please contact DCA at DCA.Research@dca.ga.gov for assistance.

Photo was provided courtesy of Sumter County. From left to right: Andrew May and Timothy Estes, Director of Parks & Recreation

Prior to interning with Sumter County’s Human Resources Department, Geology major, Andrew May, was not very familiar with the operations of county government at all. However, throughout his internship, May learned immensely about the operations of county government and how closely all aspects of county government must work and depend on one another for success.

During the course of his internship, May was responsible for assisting the Mapping Department in any way that they requested, which ultimately culminated in him working to map and document all of the features of the Sumter County Sports Complex and creating a database of information pertaining to that area. May credits this experience as his most significant success during his internship, noting that it was important and beneficial, in that, he was able to create these maps, recognizing their potential uses in the future.

For May, the best part of the internship experience was the hands-on learning opportunity that he gained with the ArcGIS software. May also thoroughly enjoyed working with the excellent people of the Mapping Department and having the opportunity to complete a project that would be beneficial to the community.

Ultimately, May greatly advanced his skills with the ArcGIS software, Pathfinder Software, and Trimble GPS units, knowledge that will strongly benefit him in his future as a geologist. To future interns, May advises them "to not be afraid to ask questions, work hard, [and] don’t complain." When asked if there was a career in county government for May in the future, he answered that there wasn’t at this time, as he plans on completing a Master’s program. However, he is open to the prospects of working in county government in the long run.

For more information on the GCIP, please visit the ACCG Civic Affairs Foundation website at http://www.civicaffairs.org.

The Georgia Smart Communities Challenge (supported by ACCG) is a first-of-its-kind opportunity for four winning communities of any size in Georgia to receive funding and support that enables those communities to envision, explore, and plan for their "smart" future. Communities will be given up to $50,000 in seed funding, community networking opportunities, and access to additional, unique resources to execute their projects. These unique resources include additional funding to work with Georgia Tech research partners, connections to industry experts, and access to technology solutions provided by our provider-partners.

Georgia Smart’s next event is an all day Workshop and Expo at the GTRI Conference Center in Atlanta on April 9, 2018. This event is an opportunity for communities to learn more about the Challenge and the future of Smart Communities in the State of Georgia and at Georgia Tech. Numerous technology solution providers will be in attendance at the Expo to showcase smart technologies and services and to forge partnerships with communities.

Register for the free Workshop and Expo here.

Get the full agenda here

More details on the Smart Communities Challenge can be found here: http://smartcities.gatech.edu/georgia-smart

The Center for State and Local Finance is offering a three-day course in operating and capital budgeting at Georgia State University. This course provides the tools needed to effectively plan and develop the budget using strategic plans and priorities. During the course, participants will develop and implement a performance management system that is integrated with the organization’s budget, develop and integrate a capital improvement plan into the budget, and understand how to use cost analysis to evaluate projects, among other topics.

Dates: May 16-18; Deadline: May 2; Fees: $500

Fees include course content, instructional materials, and light breakfast/snacks. CPEs are available, and certificates of completion will be awarded at the conclusion of each course. For details and registration information, visit http://cslf.gsu.edu/training/operating-capital-budgeting/