Calhoun County Clerk receives Clerks Masters from UGA program

MORGAN – Amanda Milner, better known as “Mandie,” took the next step in her position as Calhoun County Clerk in February.

The clerk completed her Clerks Masters Education Management Development Program through the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government. This means she completed 60 hours of coursework and instruction along with other requirements.

The program includes three key components: 10 courses, peer networking and a final project. The goal is to give certified city and county clerks the opportunity for supervisory, management development and professional growth.

Milner has served as the Calhoun County Clerk for the Board of Commissioners for 14 years. She received her Georgia Clerks certification in 2019.

She said getting the Masters certification was just the next step in the program, adding that there was a lot to take away from the coursework despite Calhoun County being a sort of oddity in size compared to some of the other cities and counties represented by clerks in the program.

Calhoun County has a population of about 5,500 in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. It’s a rural southwest Georgia county made up of Arlington, Edison, Leary and the county seat, Morgan.

“It’s hard to find similar places or people that have similar problems because we’re so small,” she said. “There’s not many counties that are much smaller.”

Milner said she learned how to handle different aspects of the clerk position – responsibilities and expectations as well as how to handle different situations a clerk may encounter.

“I deal with so many different people and have to know how to handle those roles effectively,” she said.

Public speaking was another part of the program, which Milner joked is not her strong suit, but the coursework pushed her out of her comfort zone and better prepared her for her role in Calhoun County.

She said she gained a larger appreciation for the intricate relationship with local governments and the communities they serve.

“There are so many different management strategies that you can use to improve and help give advice,” she said.

Milner said the role of a clerk often goes unnoticed.

“We are the clerks,” she said. “The commissioners are the ones making the decisions, but we’re really way more involved than we get credit for because we’re the ones that are involved in day-to-day operations. I don’t know many full-time commissioners in our area.”

Milner handles financial aspects and is manager of day-to-day operations. She said she serves as the mediator between the commissioners and the departments like the Roads Department, Sheriff’s Department, Superior Court, the 911 Center, and more.

“Usually we are able to filter out the problems, get them resolved before they actually manifest into needing commissioner involvement,” she said.

Milner said she is also the mediator with citizens as well. People call in, and she handles the problems. She said she loves to help the citizens of the county.

“When people have concerns, I enjoy being able to be part of making it a bit better for them,” Milner said. “People feel like they are being seen and heard.”

Staff Photo: Lucille Lannigan[email protected]