Brian P. Westfall, SPHR, IPMA-CP, Allegany County Director of Human Resources and Personnel Services, participated in The Academy for Excellence in Local Governance offered by the Maryland Association of Counties (MACo, www.mdcounties.org) this summer.

The Academy for Excellence in Local Governance is a professional development program designed to train informed and responsible local officials thereby providing Maryland jurisdictions with the leadership needed to meet the challenges of the 21^st century. The Academy is affiliated with the University of Maryland, College Park. Elected and appointed officials may participate in this certificate education program.

The Academy’s objectives are to:

• increase understanding of local government and how it functions
• promote high ethical standards in public service
• provide an informational base for more informed policy making
• develop the capacity of local officials to govern effectively, and
• recognize local officials for their educational efforts.

The Academy for Excellence includes required core courses as well as electives. Core courses offered include open meetings, ethics, basics of risk management, consensus and team building, county financial management, employment issues, conducting effective meetings, and the Public Information Act. Electives offered are service delivery, land use planning, communications, legal and liability issues, technology, human resources and personnel administration, intergovernmental relations, and personal development.

Westfall and his wife, Valerie, reside in Sunset View. Both are active members of the Potomac Council, Boy Scouts of America. They were staff members of the Boy Scouts of America’s 2010 National Jamboree in Virginia and also assisted at Camp Potomac this summer.