The 2023 Legislative Leadership Conference is One Week Away!
The Legislative Leadership Conference (LLC) is officially one week away. County officials across the state will connect on October 11 - 13 at the Jekyll Island Convention Center in Glynn County for the Association's fall policy conference. During LLC, counties will vote to approve the 2024 ACCG Policy Agenda and receive updates on legislative issues that impact local governments. Voting delegates must be present during the Business Session on Thursday, October 12 to cast a vote on the 2024 Policy Agenda and Legislative Priorities.
Important: Voting delegate credentials can be picked up onsite at the voting delegate booth near registration on Wednesday, October 11 from 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. and on Thursday, October 12 from 7:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. You must have your credentials to vote.
ACCG Policy Council Proposes 2024 Policy Agenda & Legislative Priorities
The ACCG Policy Council voted on September 7, 2023, to recommend the Proposed 2024 Policy Agenda and Legislative Priorities. Please review the Proposed Policy Agenda and Legislative Priorities prior to the Legislative Leadership Conference. To make an amendment to any of the Policy Objectives within the Proposed Policy Agenda, you will need to complete an amendment form and get signatures from four other commissioners – each from a different county. The amendment form can be found here and amendment requirements are included below.
Amendment Requirements
Amendments to the Policy Agenda and resolutions may be proposed from the Membership under the following conditions:
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Proposed amendments or resolutions must be in writing on an ACCG Amendment Form;
- Proposed amendments or resolutions must be co-signed by a total of five (5) commissioners that are each from a different county in good standing; and
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Completed, proposed amendments or resolutions must be submitted to President Henry Craig (hcraig@baldwincountyga.com) and Clint Mueller (cmueller@accg.org) prior to the start of the Business Session.
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ACCG Needs Your Help - Adopt the Mental Health Model Resolution
In recent years, ACCG and Georgia’s counties have played a critical role in making significant changes to mental health reform. As the mental health crisis persists, it is incumbent upon Georgia’s county officials to continue partnering with state officials to devise solutions for all who call the Peach State home. ACCG is encouraging every county to adopt a resolution urging the Governor and General Assembly to continue efforts to reform and improve mental health services for the citizens of Georgia. Click here to download the model resolution.
ACCG asks for this to be adopted by Friday, December 8, 2023, prior to the start of the 2024 legislative session. Once your county has adopted the resolution, please notify Administrative and Policy Coordinator Tottianna Davis by emailing a copy of the signed resolution to tdavis@accg.org.
Click here for a special message from ACCG President & Baldwin County Commissioner Henry Craig on the importance of this effort.
The First Round of 2023 Fall Regional Meetings Takes Place this Month
ACCG is hitting the road in a few weeks for the first set of fall Regional meetings. Join us at the meeting of your choice to discuss hot legislative issues and other topics impacting county government, connect with ACCG, and to network with your peers from surrounding counties. Registration is now open. Please contact your county clerk to register.
For meeting dates and locations, click here.
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Georgia Housing Task Force Holds Second Meeting
Georgia’s Housing Access and Affordability Task Force held its second meeting in Macon-Bibb County on September 25. This task force, made up of members from ACCG, the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA), the home builders and realtor associations, along with other stakeholders, continues to meet during the interim to develop legislative and local government recommendations for addressing the state’s housing affordability challenges. The last meeting of the task force will take place in Augusta-Richmond County on October 24.
The second meeting’s informative agenda may be found here.
Pictured: Laura Mathis, Executive Director of the Middle Georgia Regional Commission, facilitating a Housing Task Force group exercise on local government infrastructure needs for new housing.
Joint Legislative SDS Study Committee Gets Underway
The legislative Joint Study Committee on Service Delivery Strategy (SDS) met twice, on Sept. 18 in Atlanta (Fulton County) and on Oct. 3 in Valdosta (Lowndes County). During the first meeting, ACCG Director of Governmental Affairs Clint Mueller and ACCG General Counsel Larry Ramsey provided a joint presentation with the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) on the history of SDS law, negotiations, and challenges in Georgia. During the second meeting, Clint and Larry suggested improvements to the law, including a revised dispute resolution process; having local governments’ Comprehensive Planning, SDS and Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) negotiations all take place within a given year; and several other possible revisions to statute. While differences remain, ACCG and GMA continue to work together on possible changes to the SDS and LOST laws.
View the first meeting’s testimony and deliberations here. The meeting begins at the 16:19 mark. The recording of the second meeting, which took place on October 3, can be found here.
Click here for the joint ACCG/GMA PowerPoint presentation from the first study committee meeting. |
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ACCG Connects with Other Southern State County Associations
The Conference of Southern County Associations (CSCA) held its 2023 annual conference on Sept. 12-15 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Each year, ACCG staff gathers with staff from other southern state county associations to exchange legislative experiences and strategies; provide an update on organizational activities and improvements; and discuss how to better serve counties. Most of CSCA states face the same legislation that Georgia experiences, with the hottest 2023 topics including state preemptions on local government, property tax reform, housing affordability and accessibility, mental health reform, criminal justice funding, and more.
To view CSCA states’ top 2023 legislative issues arranged by topic, click here.
Pictured: ACCG’s Director of Governmental Affairs Clint Mueller facilitating the CSCA 2023 Legislative Update session.
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Georgia’s BEAD Program Volume 1 Now Available
The Georgia Technology Authority (GTA) is assisting the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget (OPB) to expand broadband and access to highspeed, reliable internet across the state of Georgia. GTA has provided the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Initial Proposal Volume 1.
For information about the program and Volume 1, please click here.
Georgia Makes Workforce Housing Grants Available
Georgia’s Rural Workforce Housing Initiative, under DCA’s OneGeorgia Authority, has issued a notice of funding availability to make grants and loans available to assist local communities with housing development to address a shortage of housing stock that impacts the workforce economy. Examples of funding activities include essential community infrastructure needed to support new housing development, land acquisition, and construction finance for workforce housing.
Fiscal Year 2024 submission deadlines are as follows:
- October 13, 2023, for December award announcement
- January 12, 2024, for April award announcement
- April 12, 2024, for June award announcement
2023 Georgia Funders' Forum Workshop: Accessing Funds for Water Projects
The Georgia Funders’ Forum is hosting a free Accessing Funds for Water Projects workshop on Thursday, October 19 in Columbus, GA. The workshop will provide access to managers of various state and federal financing programs. Participants will learn about the benefits and approaches to Asset Management, how to access traditional funding sources, as well as newer sources of funding that have resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic.
More information on the workshop can be found here.
DCA Accepting Applications for 2024 CHIP Grants
Funding is now available for the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) 2024 Community HOME Investment Program (CHIP) grant. Approximately $12.5 million is available in CHIP grant funds for local government, nonprofit, and public housing authority applicants to provide housing rehabilitation of owner-occupied single-family homes, and new construction and reconstruction of affordable single-family housing units for sale to income eligible home buyers. Applications must be submitted by Wednesday, January 31, 2024, at 11:59 p.m.
To learn more about CHIP grants, click here.
2024 Annual Base State Revolving Fund and BIL Supplemental Pre-Application Window Now Open
The Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) has opened the 2024 Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) Annual Base and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Supplemental Funding call for projects period. Pre-applications will be accepted until Wednesday, January 31, 2024.
Click here for more details on the revolving fund programs.
Georgia Counties that Own, Operate, or Maintain Traffic Control Devices and Traffic Management Systems Must be Members of Georgia 811 by January 1, 2024
Effective January 1, 2024, counties that own, operate, or maintain traffic control devices and traffic management systems must have joined Georgia 811 and begin locating these devices and management systems when other utilities excavate within the public’s right-of-way. Depending on their contracts/agreements with the Georgia Department of Transportation, counties may also be required for locating traffic control devices and management systems on state roads within their jurisdiction, thus also requiring membership with Georgia 811. Please contact your DOT district traffic engineer to determine who is responsible for these facilities.
Click here for important information on this new state requirement.
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NACo Issues Local Housing Affordability Report
The NACo Housing Task Force has issued its 2023 “Advancing Local Housing Affordability” final report. This national task force, launched in 2022 and made of county officials, was charged with identifying county-led policy, practice, and partnership solutions to addressing America’s housing affordability crisis. It also explored intergovernmental partnership opportunities that support housing solutions between federal, state, and local officials along with private, nonprofit, and other community organizations. This toolkit is aimed at helping counties address local housing affordability challenges.
Click here to view the toolkit.
New Norfolk Southern Grant Programs Available for Local Governments
Norfolk Southern recently launched two new grant programs, the Safety First Grant and Thriving Communities Grant, for communities where the corporation operates. Both grant programs were designed to support entities that promote safe and sustainable operations, develop the local work force, and build strong, resilient communities.
Click here to learn more about each grant program and to see if your community is eligible for funding.
Federal Zoning Reform Funds Available Now
A new federal grant program is now available to help local governments develop and implement policies that create sustainable housing options by breaking down barriers to zoning reform. The program was created and funded as part of the $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill passed at the end of last Congress. The Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing Program (PRO-Housing) grants provide technical and support assistance to communities who are interested in increasing housing supply and lowering housing costs in both rural and urban communities. The application deadline is due October 30, 2023.
The RO-Housing grant supports communities who are taking steps to remove barriers to affordable housing development, such as:
- Barriers caused by outdated zoning, land use policies, or regulations;
- Inefficient procedures;
- Gaps in available resources for development;
- Deteriorating or inadequate infrastructure;
- Lack of neighborhood amenities
- Challenges to preserving existing housing stock such as increasing threats from natural hazards, redevelopment pressures, or expiration of affordability requirements.
For more information and eligibility, please click here.
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Get Ready for the 2023 ACCG Legislative Leadership Conference |
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ACCG is YOUR county association. We are here to advance all 159 Georgia county governments. Please feel free to contact a member of the policy team if they can assist in any way.
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