Alva Review-Courier -

Alfalfa County Commissioner Nate Ross recently achieved Basic accreditation through the County Training Program (CTP). The CTP is part of the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service at Oklahoma State University (OSU).

The CTP is mandated by state statute and authorized under the Commission on County Government Personnel Education and Training.

Commissioner Ross completed a minimum of 63 hours of instruction to earn his Basic certificate. Commissioner Ross was honored at the 2023 Association of County Commissioners of Oklahoma Fall Conference, held recently in Norman.

The Association of County Commissioners of Oklahoma, in partnership with CTP, instituted a voluntary certification program in 2000, with an initial basic level of certification. The association adopted an advanced level of education in 2001 and in 2005 added an advanced II level. Each successive level has classes that are required, along with additional courses taken at the discretion of the participant to meet the number of hours required. Since the program's inception, more than 485 commissioners and deputies have successfully achieved one or more certification levels.

Coursework for commissioners and their deputies encompasses subjects such as budget process, county purchasing procedures, basic accounting, effective work skills, tax roll correction, excise board training, and more. The program also contains courses on the use of the Oklahoma Statutes; the Open Meeting Act and Open Records Act; and a variety of courses on supervisory skills. Instructors from OSU teach these classes at various locations throughout the state, including on the university's campuses in Stillwater and Tulsa.

In addition to county commissioners, the OSU staff also conducts dozens of classes each year for other county officer certification/accreditation programs. Many of the courses, which are usually taught in a classroom setting for 25-50 people, are attended by representatives from each of the elective and appointive departments of county government. Some classes are offered asynchronously online, allowing participants to complete the course at their own convenience.