EXCELLENT WORK. Work has begun in selecting the recipients of the first statewide Excellence in Public Service Awards co-sponsored by the Vinson Institute and Georgia Trend magazine. The awards are intended to recognize outstanding public service (state and local) and, in doing so, bring attention to the field as a career option for today's young people. Link
SATISFACTION GUARANTEED. The Institute's Survey Research Unit is helping the City of Atlanta survey its citizens on a wide array of service-related issues as part of the administration's focus on accountability. Link
ON-SCREEN ACTION. The Vinson Institute's second annual film series will kick off in October with the A&E original movie The Crossing, which revisits George Washington's legendary surprise attack on the British Army's German mercenaries. All the films and programs shown during the series will deal with an issue related to the path to, or in some cases from, political power. Link
ECONOMIC WOES. One in four Georgians cites the economy and jobs as the most important issue facing the state, according to the most recent Peach State Poll. This is a switch from March, when concern for the war in Iraq took top billing. Link
NEW WEBSITE FOR MANAGERS. The Georgia City/County Management Association has a new website being maintained by the Vinson Institute. The site is intended to be a one-stop resource for managers, with both association updates and useful professional information. Link
MONEY MANAGEMENT. To help local governments keep track of every dollar during tough financial times, the Governmental Training, Education, and Development Division (GTED) is offering special sessions to help officials better understand their financial statements. Link
FINANCE TRAINING TRACK. Finance course officially online; state and local financial management course curriculums released for 2003-2004. Link
INTERNATIONAL OUTREACH. Attempts to establish governmental services at the local level in such countries as Kenya and Tanzania are hampered by a lack of capacity among the officials to carry out the activities relegated to them. The Institute's International Center for Democratic Governance is discussing training options with various academic units in those countries. Link
ANNUAL REPORT ONLINE. 2002 was a busy outreach year for the Vinson Institute, a highlight of which was its 75th anniversary. In light of budget reductions, the Year 2002 Annual Report is being presented exclusively online. For those familiar with the Vinson Institute and to newcomers, the report will serve as a good introduction to well-established services and as an update on new initiatives. Link
IF YOU PLAN IT THEY WILL COME. Hall County citizens interested in being better informed about the planning and development process for their community took part in a first-of-its-kind program organized and facilitated by the Vinson Institute. Link
WE DELIVER. The various local governments within Jackson County aren't waiting for state-required deadlines but are voluntarily carrying out a comprehensive review of their service delivery agreements with the help of the Vinson Institute. Link
REGIONAL RELATIONS. Regional council directors come together for training and networking at the 2003 conference of the SouthEastern Regional Directors Institute (SERDI). The Institute acts as administrator for the group, and it has proven to be a valuable partnership for both organizations. Link
COLUMBUS INVESTS. Community and Regional Development Division faculty are working with a special community investment task force charged with studying and eventually making recommendations to revitalize a significant area of South Columbus. Link
CHILD PROTECTION. Participants in the Community Partnerships for Protecting Children initiative are testing a new accountability framework to help them maximize their work program. Link
CRIME DATA ANALYSIS. Local law enforcement officials may be able to improve their crime data expertise with the help of new web-based applications developed by the Vinson Institute. The prototype can provide real-time visualization of crime patterns. Link
ON THE FRONTIER. Are there still frontiers to be discovered in Georgia? Frontiers in the Soil: The Archaeology of Georgia uses an entertaining and informative approach to explain how archaeologists go about their work and highlights significant archaeological sites in the state. An important addition to the Institute's civic education program. Link
OUTSTANDING OUTREACH. Joe Whorton, Institute associate professor, is named Georgia Key Citizen by the Georgia Municipal Association. Link
Warning: include(../../../bottom.php) [function.include]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /srv/www/htdocs/publications/newsworthy/vol2no2/index.php on line 58
Warning: include() [function.include]: Failed opening '../../../bottom.php' for inclusion (include_path='.:/usr/share/php5:/usr/share/php5/PEAR') in /srv/www/htdocs/publications/newsworthy/vol2no2/index.php on line 58