Publications
ACCG has produced several publications to assist counties in their day-to-day operations on a variety of topics. Each publication is routinely updated to ensure that timely and accurate information is available for county use.
Handbook for Georgia County Commissioners
The Handbook for Georgia County Commissioners is a comprehensive reference guide to county government. The Handbook contains hard-to-find statutory authority, best practice tips, maps, tables, and most importantly, information that will assist in the day-to-day operations of the county. ACCG is currently creating new content for the Handbook. All new chapters will be made available online. No hard copies of the Handbook will be produced. Links to new chapters and existing chapters can be found here.
ACCG Guidebooks
ACCG Guidebooks are available for download. The guidebooks cover topics from county constitutional officers to local option sales tax to assist counties in their day-to-day operations on a variety of topics. Each publication is routinely updated to ensure that current and accurate information is available for county use.
Publications
- The Arbitration Handbook for Annexation Land Use Disputes
- Charting a Course for Cooperation and Collaboration
- Constitutional County Officers Guide
- EMS Regionalization Study
- Salary Guide: Guide for Computing County Official Salaries
- A Guide to Local Government Construction Projects
- Handbook for Georgia County Commissioners
- Identity Theft Program
- LOST Guide
- Meetings Organization and Public Access for Counties
- Model Emergency Management Ordinance and Agreements
- Open Meetings/Open Records Guide
- Parliamentary Procedure for Counties: A Guide and Model Ordinance
- SPLOST Guide
- Populations Acts
- Local Constitutional Amendments
2023 County Officials Salary Guide
The 2023 Salary Guide for County Officials is now available for calculation of salaries (as of January 1, 2023) for county commissioners, coroners, magistrates, probate judges, sheriffs, superior court clerks, tax commissioners, and other officials. Please review the general principles on pages 4 and 5 for an overview of the process.
Significant information for 2023:
- While in most years the state COLA is stated as a percentage, this year the state awarded a COLA in a flat dollar amount of $5,000, which for most county officials will be applicable January 1, 2023. The state granted the same $5,000 COLA to certain officials such as superior court judges; some counties have local legislation tying county officials’ salaries to superior court judges’ salaries.
- Legislation effective January 1, 2021 updated the base salaries for probate judges, sheriffs, superior court clerks, and tax commissioners. Those revised base salaries incorporated prior COLAs from 2007 through 2019, plus adding a 5% increase to the base salaries. As a result, only the 2020 and 2023 COLA are added to the updated base salaries. The same legislation also made similar increases to various statutorily required supplements for those particular county officers. Legislation passed by the General Assembly in 2021 updates the base salaries for magistrates as of January 1, 2022. Those revised base salaries incorporate all prior state-awarded COLAs from 2007 through June 30, 2022, plus adding a 5% increase to the base salaries. As a result, only the 2023 COLA is added to the updated base salaries. The same legislation also made similar increases, effective May 4, 2021, to the statutorily required supplements for persons serving as clerk of magistrate court.
If you have any questions about how salaries should be calculated, please contact your county attorney.
Previous Salary Guides
EMS Regionalization Study
A study by ACCG prepared for the Georgia Department of Community Health State Office of Rural Health. Published in 2016, the report asses the feasibility of regionalizing EMS systems in Georgia.