July-September 2011 (Vol. 10, No. 3)
Vinson Institute Facilitates Governor's Competitiveness Forums
The Vinson Institute put rubber to the road for Gov. Deal's Georgia Competitiveness Initiative, facilitating meetings in 12 communities around the state. In surveys and meetings, government and business leaders and the public expressed their ideas for how to make Georgia a hub for innovation and job creation. (more)
Tutorial Unlocks the Mysteries of Millage Rates
In under six minutes, this new tutorial from the Institute's financial management training program breaks down the steps to setting millage rates in local jurisdictions. (more)
Up-and-Coming Legislators Graduate from Leadership Institute
Twenty-one freshmen legislators from the General Assembly graduated from the fourth Georgia Legislative Leadership Institute, a program that prepares state lawmakers for future leadership roles in the legislature. Participants examined how to leverage their personal leadership strengths for success in the legislative setting. (more)
Institute Demographer Projects the Georgia of the Future
Institute demographer Matt Hauer addressed the GeorgiaForward Forum at Callaway Gardens about the changing face, or rather faces, of Georgia. Matt used data from the 2010 Census to talk about how the state's population has and will continue to change over the coming decades. For example, Georgia will see its biggest growth among the youngest and oldest age groups with the working-age population lagging. (more)
Analysts Examine the Impact of DUI Court
Hall County's DUI Court will learn more about its success in preventing repeat drunk driving offenses with the help of a study conducted by the Institute. Examining data about past participants in the jail diversion program, researchers will determine the proportion of them who were arrested again for DUI. (more)
Georgia Magazine Profiles Institute Training
The Vinson Institute's hardworking trainers and their courses—which serve thousands annually—were the topic of an article in Georgia Magazine that described the Institute as "the go-to organization for Georgia's public officials." (more)
GIS Experts Survey the Condition of Georgia's Highways
The Georgia Department of Transportation is getting help from the Institute's geographic information systems experts to survey 346 road segments throughout the state. Using video- and GPS-capturing system, they will record road characteristics such as signage and median type for reporting to the federal Highway Performance Monitoring System. (more)
Institute Welcomes Five to Its Top-Ranked Shanghai Internship Program
Five high-ranking Shanghai government officials arrived at the Institute after having been selected by their government from a pool of 250 applicants. They will spend six months at the Institute learning more about the composition and functioning of U.S. local governments. (more)
New Vinson Fellows Dive into Public Service
Three UGA undergrads have been paired with Institute faculty-mentors from the International Center, local government services, and communications to learn more about the inner-workings of government service through the Vinson Institute Fellows Program. (more)
Institute Case Studies Help Inform Possible Macon-Bibb Consolidation
Leaders and residents of the City of Macon and Bibb County considering consolidation will not have to fly blind into the process with the help of a forthcoming report from the Institute. By studying the consolidations of Georgia's three biggest consolidated governments, the Institute's report will provide insights into what has been successful (and what hasn't) in other communities. (more)
Did You Know?
Robert's Rules of Order grew out of a church meeting in 1863. (more)
