Four County Officials Receive Honors for Completing County Government Institute

• By: NYSAC
• On: 02/04/2019 09:56:13
• In: Press Releases

The New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC) this week honored four county officials for upholding the pillars of leadership, accountability, and integrity at their graduation ceremony from NYSAC's County Government Institute.

The County Government Institute is an educational program in partnership with Cornell University for county elected and appointed officials to engage in informed, constructive and civil discussions on the current challenges they face as public servants.

“The County Government Institute's comprehensive curriculum prepares county officials with the skills and knowledge necessary to meet the intense demands of local government today,” said NYSAC Executive Director Stephen J. Acquario.

Chemung County Legislator Martin Chalk, Broome County Deputy Clerk Chris Dziedzic, Allegany County Clerk of the Board Brenda Rigby Riehle, and Jefferson County Purchasing Director Mark Sachetti were all recognized at the ceremony held on Tuesday at the NYSAC Legislative Conference in Albany.

"I believe that counties serve a critical role in providing public services in our community. I find NYSAC to be a tremendous resource as we work with the state, said Chalk, who serves the Chemung County Legislature as the Chairman of the Personnel Committee, and as a member on the Budget and Aviation Committees.

"My experience with The County Government Institute has been both worthwhile and fulfilling and has allowed me to understand all of the areas of county government,” said Sachetti, who is also active in the New York State Association of Municipal Purchasing Officials where he is a past President and currently serves on the Executive Board.

"I really enjoyed the workshops and seminars that have been offered with the County Government Institute over the years,” said Dziedzic, who served for five years as the Legislative Analyst for the Broome County Legislature before taking on the position of deputy clerk. He is a graduate of Elmira College and Cornell Law School.

"NYSAC's County Government Institute is a great educational opportunity and tool that helps prepare County Officials to meet the many challenges and complex roles they face,” said Riehle, who began her career with Allegany County in 1992 and became Clerk of the Board in 1998.

The Institute's curriculum includes extensive course work on government ethics, building consensus in a political environment, principles of county budget and finance, and public sector labor/management relations. The courses are supplemented with electives, training sessions, and continuing education courses

Courses are offered at all NYSAC conferences, and regionally throughout the year, to enable county leaders to stay up-to-date on timely issues and opportunities in local government.

“CGI graduates are equipped with the necessary tools to embrace the needs of local government and to serve their constituents to the best of their ability,” said Charles H. Nesbitt, Jr., President of NYSAC.

For more information about the County Government Institute, visit www.nysac.org/cgi.