All appointees and staff involved with local planning and zoning must complete orientation training as well as receive at least three hours of continuing education training each year. A convenient option for fulfilling the continuing education requirement is taking on-demand courses.
An approved facilitator must present the on-demand courses in a group setting. The facilitator will certify attendance and provide participants with a certificate that must be filed annually with the city clerk. Individuals cannot take these on-demand classes on their own if they want to have the training count toward their continuing education responsibility.
Failure to meet the training requirement can have serious consequences. An appointed official can be removed from office, and a professional employee can be suspended or dismissed. It could also be grounds for a legal challenge of official actions taken by a board or commission.
Municipal Association
Three of the SC Municipal Elected Officials Institute of Government on-demand courses satisfy the continuing education requirement.
- Freedom of Information Act in SC
(1.5 hrs.) - Municipal Governance and Policy
(1.5 hrs.) - Municipal Economic Development
(1.5 hrs.)
For information about accessing the courses and for group viewing options, contact Urica Floyd, the staff associate for distance learning, at 803.933.4754 or ufloyd@masc.sc.
SCMIT/SCMIRF
Members of the Association's two insurance programs, the SC Municipal Insurance Trust and the SC Municipal Insurance and Risk Financing Fund, have access to additional on-demand courses. The courses are available through LocalGovU, Risk Management Services' training partner. Five courses are approved to satisfy the continuing education requirement.
- Ethical Behavior for Elected Officials (.5 hrs.)
- Ethical Behavior for Local Government (.5 hrs.)
- Meeting Management
(.5 hrs.) - Parliamentary Procedures
(.5 hrs.) - Running an Effective Board Meeting
(.5 hrs.)
Contact Venyke Harley, loss control manager, at vharley@masc.sc or 803.933.1210 with questions or to access these courses.
APA
In addition, the American Planning Association has on-demand resources available through its website.