Crenshaw County Commissioners Merrill Sport, Michelle Stephens and Chris West recently joined an elite group of county officials by completing 50 hours of training from the Alabama Local Government Training Institute on the basic responsibilities of the county commission.

They will be honored for this accomplishment during an Awards Ceremony on Thursday, Aug. 18, during the Association of County Commissions of Alabama’s 83rd Annual Convention.

The program emphasizes budgeting, personnel matters, planning, and road and bridge responsibilities. This unique educational program began in 1994 as a mandatory program for first-time county commissioners by act of the Alabama Legislature.

Classes are supervised by the ALGTI board of directors, composed of county officials with ACCA, educators and members of the Alabama Legislature.

“Continuing education for our county officials will always remain one of the Association’s priorities for our membership,” said ACCA Executive Director Sonny Brasfield. “As with any organization, the sharing of new ideas and information is the best way to grow and prosper. The involvement of county employees and officials only enhances our efforts to improve county government and the services it provides at the local level.”

The Association of County Commissions of Alabama is a statewide organization representing county government in Alabama.

The organization promotes improved county government services in Alabama, offers educational programs for county officials and their staff members, administers insurance programs for county governments and employees, offers legal advice and represents the interest of county government before state and federal organizations and agencies.

The activities of the Association are governed by a Board of Directors composed of three officers, past presidents and representatives elected from 12 Alabama districts.