More than 500 newly elected municipal leaders from across Georgia participated in specialized training and development through the University of Georgia early this spring, setting a record for the Newly Elected Officials Institute. Sessions were held in Athens in late February and in Tifton in March. The Newly Elected Officials Institute offers training required by Georgia law for all mayors and city council members. Coordinated by the UGA Carl Vinson Institute of Government and the Georgia Municipal Association, the Newly Elected Officials Institute fulfills state-required training and covers topics including ethics, human resources, municipal finance, planning and zoning, open meetings, open records, local government law, and parliamentary procedures.