Palm Coast Council Members Cathy Heighter and Theresa Carli Pontieri Graduate from Institute for Elected Municipal Officials Course

City of Palm Coast Council Members Cathy Heighter and Theresa Carli Pontieri recently graduated from the Institute for Elected Municipal Officials, a course from the Florida League of Cities Institute for Elected Municipal Officials (IEMO), a premier educational program designed specifically for Florida’s elected municipal officials.

The IEMO course is the first level of IEMO training which I specifically designed for newly elected officials and those with less than one term in office. The comprehensive 16-hour course provides participants with an intensive academic program focusing on the numerous aspects of municipal government. Topics of the course include:

• Municipal Government Structure
• Revenue Components and Governmental Accounting for Cities
• Intergovernmental Relationships
• Council Relationships

These skills were displayed at the City of Palm Coast’s most recent City Council meeting focused on amending city council policies and procedures. During the meeting, Council Members Heighter and Carli Pontieri demonstrated active listening, conflict resolution, and knowledge of municipal government structure to inform their decisions and come to the decision they felt would most benefit residents.

“I am so grateful to have attended the IEMO training,” Council Member Heighter said. “I’m confident that the skills I have acquired will be put to great use in my role on City Council so that we can continue to make Palm Coast a place where we all love to live.”

Council Member Carli Pontieri added, “The IEMO course was an incredible training experience. I have truly learned so much and am eager to use this information to directly benefit the residents of Palm Coast as we work together to create positive change in our great community.”

Created 30 years ago to educate newly elected officials on the intricacies of municipal government in a cost-effective manner, the IEMO program grew out of a partnership between the Florida League of Cities and the John Scott Dailey Florida Institute of Government. Today, the program offers multiple levels of training, with each designed specifically for municipal officials of all levels. It is the most popular training that the Florida League of Cities offers.

“When you become an elected official, no one explains to you how to do your job, and Florida’s local officials need to have a strong understanding of different aspects of leading a municipality and to ensure they are aware of any changes that could impact their responsibilities,” said Florida League of Cities President Jolien Caraballo, Vice Mayor of Port St. Lucie. “IEMO is the only opportunity statewide to get this caliber of education and to better understand your position. We are proud of the positive impact that the league’s IEMO course has in helping to inform, support, and provide the tools that Florida’s elected officials need to become even better leaders for their municipalities, and I congratulate Council Members Heighter and Carli Pontieri for successfully completing this course.” 

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