State and Local Government Programs
Iowa State University Extension State and Local Government Programs reach public officials in all 99 Iowa counties and in a majority of the state's 950 incorporated cities every year.
Through joint efforts with such organizations as the Iowa League of Cities and the Iowa Municipal Finance Officers Association, ISU Extension has helped hundreds of city clerks complete the educational work necessary for certification by the International Institute of Clerks.
The Municipal Clerks Institute operated by ISU Extension has been in existence for more than 20 years and remains the largest of similar programs in the United States and Canada. The program, which brings participants to Ames each summer for in-depth training, leads to the Certified Municipal Clerk designation. Three week-long sessions over a three-year period are required to complete the certification process. City officials who want additional training also can participate in the Academy of Advanced Education.
While the Clerks Institute is the most structured of Extension's state and local government programs, regional meetings are held each year, often cosponsored by Extension partners such as the Iowa League of Cities or the Municipal Finance Officers Association. Training also is offered at annual meetings of many of the partner organizations.
Other special programs include training for township trustees and township clerks and mayor/council orientation sessions after each election. Orientation and facilitation sessions also have been conducted for members of the Iowa Association of School Boards and the Iowa State Association of Counties.
At the state level, staff from State and Local Government programs participate in the Institute for Public Leadership.
