Wilkes County Commissioner Donna Hardy accepts her certificate from Dr. Steve Wrigley of the Carl Vinson Institute at UGA. Donna Hardy, Wilkes County Commissioner, was honored at an awards ceremony in Savannah for completing the nationally recognized Certified Commissioners Advanced Program.

Dr. Steve Wrigley, Director-Designee of the Carl Vinson Institute of Government at the University of Georgia, distributed the certificates to the 11 program graduates. He congratulated them on their commitment to providing better leadership and service to their citizens.

Co-sponsored by the ACCG and the University of Georgia's Carl Vinson Institute of Government, CCAP continues the training efforts of county officials who have already completed the Commissioners Training Program. The goal of both programs is to enhance local governments' ability to provide public services responsibly, efficiently and cost-effectively.

To receive CCAP certification, officials must complete 48 hours of instruction, participate a leadership seminar and complete an individual project summary report. This is in addition to 48 hours of instruction required for certification in the Commissioners Training Program.

Since its inception in 2001, almost 250 county officials have been certified in the advanced program.