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Toolkit for County Officials

On behalf of the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC), welcome to county government, and thank you for serving New Yorkers as an elected or appointed county leader!  As your premier statewide association, NYSAC is committed to providing effective training tools and resources to help you serve your constituents by employing leadership best practices at all levels of county government.  This page provides downloadable guides, training videos, and PowerPoint presentations specifically for the education and training of county officials (elected and appointed). If you are looking for a training topic that is not represented on this webpage, please contact us for access to additional information.

*Please note that most of our videos and presentations are credit qualified for our County Government Institute (CGI) certificate program. If you would like to enroll in our CGI program, please click here for more information on how to earn your certification.

Resource Guides

Training Presentations

Foundations Of County Government

This presentation details the historic and legal foundations of county government in New York State. Learn about the forms and structures of county governments in New York, their authority, duties and responsibilities under state law, and the relationships between counties, the state, and other units of government.

County Organization Report 2023 Refresh

The CO report provides a basic introduction to the historical development and the state statutes in New York that have influenced the establishment of local government in general, and county government in particular. The report examines the provisions of several different methods of administrative organization in New York counties including those with a county charter and those without. Examine charters, local laws, and administrative codes and a general overview of the differences and similarities in county government administrative structure in New York State.

Practical Guide To Leadership

County government in New York State is often invisible and misunderstood. This presentation is designed to help demystify the role and purpose of county government. With the assistance of veteran members, NYSAC has developed practical advice that includes descriptions of roles and responsibilities and statutory requirements for county officials and departments.

Adopting Local Laws

Our Local Laws presentation provides information on:

>Where the authority comes from to adopt a Local Law
>Structural components of a Local Law
>Procedural steps to pass a Local Law
>Examples of Local Laws
>Restrictions of Local Laws

County Government Operations

Learn about how to define your county management team, structure internal and external meetings, conduct daily briefings, process identified issues, and develop monthly department progress reports to manage your county effectively.

Gordon Gee Memo (1)

Review an impactful example from the President of Ohio State University on important leadership issues including how to hire and retain extraordinary staff, understanding the rules of engagement, and other key tips for effective management.

DPW Engineering Goals & Progress 11 2020 (2)

View an example of how a county department develops goals and how they achieve and implement those goals through an example from a Department of Public Works.

County Budget And Finance Finger Lakes Training

Learn about the basic concepts of county budget and finance including information on county revenues, how fiscal trends and revenue forecasts are developed, providing insight on how spending levels are projected, and details on how budget documents are prepared and presented including:

New York State County Budgets
· Budget Officer
· Budget Cycle

A Good Budget Process and a Unified Budget
· Budget Message
· All Funds
· Revenue Estimates
· Expense Estimates
· Surpluses & Reserves
· Discretionary vs. Mandated Spending

Practical Applications
· Guarding the Public Checkbook
· Seven Deadly Financial Sins
· Cutback Pitfalls

County Board Members' Role in the Budget Process

Budgeting in Tough Times

Multi-Year Exercise

Plain English Budget Terminology

Meet The Mandates

A mandate usually requires a county to strictly adhere to rules set by the State that defines the scope, eligibility, frequency of service, amount of benefit, etc. Counties have virtually no ability to control the costs of state mandates. This presentation covers all aspects of the essential issues regarding mandates and their impact on counties.

NYSAC EMS PPTX SFY 25

Wayne County examines their Emergency Management Services (EMS) protocols and goals for public safety.

Wayne County EMS 2024 Strategic Update (2)

View an example of how Wayne County EMS approached strategic planning initiatives.

County Official Training Videos

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