CLAY COUNTY – District 3 Commissioner James Renninger and District 4 Commissioner Betsy Condon recently received the Advanced County Commissioner Level I designation from the Institute for County Government. They were recognized for their achievement at the Florida Association of Counties Annual Conference and Educational Exhibition in Orange County.

Also, the Florida Association of Counties presented District 1 Commissioner Mike Cella with the Presidential Advocacy Award for his work during the 2022 Legislative Session at the Annual Conference and Educational Exhibition.

The FAC Presidential Advocacy Award recognizes county commissioners who have shown exceptional leadership during the legislative session to advance counties’ legislative agenda and preserve home rule.

Renninger said,The Institute for County Government sponsored by the Florida Association of Counties provides professional training for new county commissioners. Formal training provides the new commissioner with foundational instruction on county government organization and operation as well as concepts which assists in formulating solutions to issues such as affordable housing, opioid addiction, resiliency, and other challenges facing local government. Most importantly is the interaction provided by a congregation of commissioners throughout the state.”

“I am honored to have earned this distinction. Putting in the commitment and hard work to become a better commissioner is a worthwhile endeavor,” Condon said.

Cella received the award for his efforts on the FAC Health, Safety, and Justice Committee, which makes recommendations on public policy to address issues on behavioral and mental health, healthcare and human services, emergency management, and law enforcement, among others. Cella received ACC II certification in 2020, and this is his second time receiving the Presidential Advocacy Award for his work.    

“I was honored to be recognized at the FAC annual conference,” Cella said. “I appreciate the opportunity to work with commissioners from around the state and advocate for our individual counties in protecting the health, safety, and welfare of our residents.”

The ACC I education program was launched in 2006 and commissioners must fully commit to the coursework to graduate from the program. Participants are challenged to act, think and lead during times of uncertainty and adversity.

Alongside commissioners Condon and Renninger, 16 other Florida commissioners earned the designation in 2022 and a total of 285 commissioners have earned the designation since the inception of the program.

The education program is made possible in partnership with the University of Florida/IFAS Extension, which has sponsored this program for the last fifteen years and has offices in all 67 Florida counties.

To learn more about the ACC program and other education programs offered through the Institute for County Government, please visit https://flicg.org.

The ACC I designation signifies the commissioner’s completion of a comprehensive study program designed by ICG. The ACC I education program, consisting of three two-day seminars and 27 hours of total coursework, focused on leadership development with an emphasis on the future of Florida. Commissioners Renninger and Condon received their Certified County Commissioner Designation in July of 2021, making them eligible to take the advanced level training. 

The Institute for County Government’s Executive Director, Eric Pool said, “This program brings together commissioners who are committed to facing Florida’s greatest challenges and allows them to collaborate and grow as they learn new strategies, which they may use to better their communities.”