Melissa Hughes, ACCG president and Tift County Commissioner recently appointed Chattooga County Sole Commissioner, Blake Elsberry to serve as the Vice Chair of the General County Government Policy Committee for the 2022-2023 policy year.
“I am excited for this opportunity, and I look forward to working with ACCG’s Legislative Policy team to help all of counties across the state,” Commissioner Elsberry said.
The Vice Chair commitment commences with Elsberry’s active participation in the policy development process and involvement with the ACCG.
As a Vice Chair of an ACCG Policy committee, Elsberry is also a member of ACCG’s Policy Council. During the legislative session, the Policy Council conducts weekly calls to hear briefings from the policy staff, to formulate official ACCG positions on legislation, and to discuss other timely issues impacting Georgia’s counties.
ABOUT ACCG
ACCG is a nonprofit instrumentality of Georgia’s county governments. Formed in 1914 with 19 charter county members, today ACCG serves as the consensus building, training, and legislative organization for all 159 county governments in the state.
With this primary charge, ACCG works to ensure that the counties can provide the necessary leadership, services and programs to meet the health, safety and welfare needs of their citizens.
ACCG objectives, as listed in the bylaws are:
- To develop and maintain an organization structure within which ideas can be presented and a unified policy developed, enabling the Association to speak with a unified voice;
- To ensure that the legal basis of counties is such that public services may be provided in a cost effective manner;
- To ensure that an adequate revenue base for counties is established and defended against special interests;
- To provide county government officials the opportunity to exchange ideas and experience and obtain expert advice;
- To provide Congress and the state legislature with information necessary for the development of sound legislation of benefit to the nation, state and counties.
Georgia’s county governments constitute the direct membership of ACCG. This encompasses 159 counties represented by more than 810 county commissioners. The association’s constituency also includes 400 appointed county clerks, managers, administrators, and attorneys and more than 80,000 full-time and part-time employees. Non-governmental entities, including private businesses and corporations, may also participate in many of ACCG’s activities as ACCG Partners.