V.G. Young Announces Leadership Class

Texas Cooperative Extension’s V.G. Young Institute of County Government has announced the members of the second class of the Commissioners Court Leadership Academy. The class includes 11 members from 10 Texas counties.
“The program provides advanced leadership training to county judges and commissioners through a series of educational activities around the state and in Washington, D.C.,” said Rick Avery, director of Texas Cooperative Extension’s V.G. Young Institute of County Government, a part of The Texas A&M University System.
The CCLA class members are:
Johnny Belicek, Jackson County Commissioner
Mike Brown, Tom Green County Judge
Jon Burrows, Bell County Judge
Neil Fritsch, Calhoun County Commissioner
Roger Galvan, Calhoun County Commissioner
David Magness, Rockwall County Commissioner
Fred Nardini, San Patricio County Commissioner
Duane Peters, Brazos County Commissioner
Byron Ryder, Leon County Judge
Charles Simmons, Nacogdoches County Commissioner
Tab Thompson, Erath County Judge
Every February some 500 to 600 officials attend an annual conference that Extension already conducts for commissioners court members.
“The Academy will build on that experience,” Avery said.
Participants are required to commit to 16 days of seminars during the Academy’s 18-month time frame. This includes three three-day sessions in Texas and a seven-day session in Washington, D.C.
The Commissioners Court Leadership Academy is a program that builds advanced skills and knowledge in pursuit of four objectives:
 To increase knowledge of the origins and varying systems of county government and the interrelationship of local, state and national government systems.
 To develop communication and interpersonal skills to more effectively communicate ideas and work with community members, colleagues, the media, and other elected officials.
 To enhance personal leadership and decision-making skills to better represent and lead constituents, counties and associations.
 To improve the ability to serve as an advocate for county issues at all levels of government.
Sessions for the class will be:
Seminar 1: Austin, April 17-19, 2007
Seminar 2: Corpus Christi, October 24-26, 2007
Seminar 3: Washington, D.C., April 26-May 2, 2008
Seminar 4 :College Station, August 27-29, 2008
For more information on the program, visit the Institute Web site at http://vgyi.tamu.edu.
By Marsha Broesche, Extension Assistant