MOBILE – Foley has been named a 2018 Certified Municipality by the Alabama League of Municipalities (ALM), a highly regarded honor awarded to cities and towns in which the mayor and all councilmembers have earned the professional designation of Certified Municipal Official. The 2018 Certified Municipal Achievement Awards were presented in Mobile on Tuesday, May 7, during the closing session of ALM’s annual convention.

This designation through ALM signifies that the mayor and all councilmembers have completed a minimum of 40 credit hours of formal training on municipal government conducted or endorsed by ALM via its Certified Municipal Official (CMO) Program. Qualifying municipalities are selected by ALM based on CMO program credit hour records during the previous calendar year and receive an official certificate as well as an annual Certified Municipality digital seal for use on the municipality’s website.

“All CMO graduates spend many hours over several years attending day-long workshops and lectures on the finer points of municipal government,” said Ken Smith, ALM Executive Director. “Earning the CMO designation is a significant accomplishment, so when the mayor and all the councilmembers from a city or town have achieved this professional designation, we believe the municipality should be recognized for their commitment and motivation to become better informed, more effective municipal officials. Certified Municipalities are a standout in Alabama!”

The Alabama League of Municipalities was organized in 1935 and has since served as the recognized voice of the cities and towns in Alabama. Through the years, the organization has steadily grown and now serves more than 450 municipalities. This voluntary membership program brings officials of cities and towns together in fellowship of public service – which strengthens and guides local government in a progressive, responsible fashion. The primary purpose of the League is to promote understanding of municipal government and administration in Alabama and thereby advance the welfare of the people of this state. For more about ALM, visit alalm.org.