Becca Clark and Karen Garcia of the City of Hot Springs Board of Directors were recently recognized by the Arkansas Municipal League (AML) for maintaining their status of Certified Municipal Officials through the AML’s Voluntary Certified Continuing Education Program.
Clark and Garcia were among other certified municipal officials in the state who were honored during the opening night banquet at the AML 2020 Winter Conference, held in Little Rock on February 12-14. They each had previously completed 15 core Level 1 hours in the program, and maintained their certification by earning six continuing education hours of study in subjects such as budgeting, personnel management and methods of effective leadership. To maintain certification, graduates must complete six hours of continuing education workshops each year.
Clark is director of District 3, and she joined the City of Hot Springs Board of Directors on January 1, 2013. Born in Hot Springs, she lived in Colorado and Texas where she managed clients and employees in the travel industry for more than 20 years. She returned to Hot Springs in 2006 and started her full service move management company, which helps homeowners to downsize and relocate.
Garcia, District 5 director, was re-elected in 2018 to serve 2019 through 2022. She has been a lifelong proponent of community service. She volunteers for Head Start, Early Head Start and various other charities in the community, and currently serves on the City’s Airport Advisory Committee and the Henderson State University School of Business Advisory Council. A certified public accountant, she retired from Weyerhaeuser in 2014 after a 27-year career.
The AML Voluntary Certified Continuing Education program continues in 2020 with workshops held throughout the year at the League’s North Little Rock headquarters and in June at the League’s Annual Convention in Little Rock. The League is also expanding its certification program this year, offering Advanced Level 2 workshops for those who have achieved Level 1 status in addition to offering a new Certified Municipal Personnel designation for key municipal personnel such as department heads and finance directors.
The Arkansas Municipal League is a service and advocacy organization for the municipalities of Arkansas. The League offers its programs and services to 500 cities and towns in Arkansas and was created in 1934 to assist cities with information and representation in the public affairs of our state and nation. To find out more, please visit www.arml.org.