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Advanced Institute courses focus on State House, utilities

At the Annual Meeting, eight elected officials graduated from the Municipal Elected Officials Institute of Government.

July graduates of the MEO Institute
July graduates of the MEO Institute include Councilmember Scott Crosby of Mauldin, Councilmember Melvin Fowler of Inman, Councilmember Matthew T. Gooch of Simpsonville, Councilmember Larry Goodson of Mauldin, Councilmember Eddie Lee of Andrews, Councilmember Virginia Moore of Greeleyville, Councilmember James Shirey of Fort Mill and Mayor James R. Wilson of Chapin. Photo/Minette Hand Photography.

These officials are now eligible to participate in the Advanced Institute of the Municipal Elected Officials Institute of Government. This new program graduated its first 28 participants in February. Pendleton Councilmember Sandra Gantt was among them.

"We firmly believe in educating ourselves in order to help our constituents and all of the residents of the town," she said.

Gantt, a Municipal Association board member, added that enrolling in the Advanced Institute helps elected officials keep up with governing changes that constantly affect towns and cities. "We got the basics during the other classes," she said. "This is just adding more substance."

The next Advanced Institute sessions will be offered on October 19.

"Advanced Advocacy and Intergovernmental Relations" will offer participants an insider’s look at how things work at the State House. The class will include a behind-the-scenes tour to show participants how to find their way around the capitol complex, along with information about how House and Senate rules can drive a bill’s progress—or its demise—in each body.

The other course offered in October, "Municipal Utility Policy and Administration," will introduce basic engineering concepts used in operating a utility system. The session will cover the fundamentals of utility policy, administration and compliance requirements, the legal authority municipal utilities have to operate and expand, and information about the environmental regulatory system.

Advanced Institute enrollees must first graduate from the Municipal Elected Officials Institute of Government.

The Advanced Institute courses will be held at the Columbia Marriott on October 19. The Association will offer two additional sessions on January 31, the day before the 2017 Hometown Legislative Action Day.