Don’t Miss the Summer #MACoCon Academy Core Sessions: Risk Management, Public Information Act

County Fellows of the Academy for Excellence in Local Governance are required to complete 8 Core Courses and 6 Elective Credits – MACo announces 7 Elective Courses to be held at the 2026 Summer Conference.

The Academy for Excellence in Local Governance is a volunteer certificate program for elected and appointed county and municipal officials. The program provides a strong background of necessary skills and knowledge for local government leaders. It was founded by MACo and MML, is facilitated by the University of Maryland’s School of Public Policy, and is sponsored by the Local Government Insurance Trust (LGIT).

Academy Fellows with questions about their transcripts should contact registrar Elizabeth Hinson at ehinson@umd.edu.

2 Core Courses are also being offered at the 2026 Summer Conference.

2026 MACo Summer Conference Academy Core Courses

(All courses will be completely in-person, with no virtual option. Participants must be conference registrants to attend. Need these Cores to graduate and only attending for these courses? Contact Virginia.)

Academy courses are open to ALL conference registrants (register online) – Academy Fellows must complete evaluation forms for each class to earn credit.

Basics of Risk Management

  • Description: One of the main responsibilities of local governments is to protect its residents from risk to themselves and their property. Risk may result from a number of sources, including fire, crime, automobile accidents, harm to the infrastructure, or as a result of waste disposal. This class is designed to sharpen the awareness of officials that local government activities are subject to risks that may result in significant loss. Through learning about steps to reduce and control loss exposure and tools for identifying hazards, government officials can learn how to avoid the consequences of taking unnecessary risk.
  • Speakers: Larry Bohlen, Deputy Executive Director, Local Government Insurance Trust (LGIT)
  • Date/Time: Wednesday, August 12, 2026; 1:15 pm – 2:45 pm

Public Information Act

  • Description: What kind of information should be released to the public upon request? Many difficulties can be avoided by knowing the answer. This class helps officials and staff at all levels understand the requirements of state law governing requests for public records and suggests best practices for handling those requests. The class includes small roundtable discussions using real-life scenarios to further illustrate appropriate responses to requests from the public or the press.
  • Speakers: Alisa Bralove-Scherr, Deputy Public Access Ombudsman, Office of the Public Ombudsman
  • Date/Time: Wednesday, August 12, 2026; 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm

Learn more about MACo’s Summer Conference: