On the Move - Sept. 19, 2016

In the News

• The PILT briefing on Capitol Hill, Sept. 8, sparked media coverage in the Arizona Republic, “Here’s what Arizona gets from federal government instead of property taxes,” in WXTL news, “Leon County Officials Urge Congress to Renew Federal Public Land Program,” in the Reno Gazette, “Program that provides millions to counties again facing expiration,”  and in Route Fifty, “Chafing Over Federal Land Control on Display as County Leaders Visit Capitol Hill.”

• An op-ed, "Preserve PILT for people and parks," by Mariposa County, Calif. Supervisor Kevin Cann supporting permanent funding for the PILT program also appeared in The Hill, an online and print newspaper popular with Capitol Hill lawmakers, staff and the White House.

 

NACo Officers, County Officials

• Transportation Steering Committee Chair Peter McLaughlin, Hennepin County, Minn., represented NACo and the county view at a meeting, Sept. 16, with the Government Accountability Office about ways to improve the Department of Transportation.

• The Federal Aviation Administration appointed Commissioner Robert Boyd, Riley County, Kan., and Mayor Ed Lee, San Francisco city and county, to the FAA’s Drone Advisory Committee (DAC).  The DAC will provide the FAA with advice on key drone integration issues by helping to identify challenges and prioritize improvements. Boyd also testified, Sept. 8, before the House Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax and Capital Access hearing, “Struggling to Grow: Assessing the Challenges for Small Businesses in Rural America.”

• NACo Immediate Past President Sallie Clark spoke at the National Institute of Corrections Large Jail Network Meeting in Aurora (Arapahoe County), Colo., Sept. 7.

• Commissioner Cindy Bobbitt, Grant County, Okla., speaking on behalf of NACo, presented the county perspective on rural transportation, Sept. 7, at the National Working Summit on Rural Transportation in Denver, Colo.

NACo Staff

• The Association of Public Data Users has presented its 2016 APDU Data Viz Award in the Private Firms category to Emilia Istrate, NACo research director.  The award recognizes top visualizations that use publicly available data. Istrate led the team — Nicholas Lyell, Anne Powell and Chris Franco — that developed and launched NACo’s online County Explorer data map. Istrate also represented NACo at the American Community Survey (ACS) Data Users Group Steering Committee meeting, Sept. 13, as a newly appointed member to the national committee.

• NACo Legislative Director Deborah Cox briefed attendees on federal policy issues at the Association of Minnesota Counties Policy Conference, held in Alexandria (Douglas County)  Sept. 15–16.

• Linda Langston, NACo strategic relations director, represented NACo at the FEMA National Advisory Council meeting, Sept 13–14 in Crystal City (Arlington County), Va.  Langston next hit the classroom, Sept. 15 at the National Emergency Training Center in Emmitsburg (Frederick County), Md. where she presented the local elected perspective in disasters at a FEMA Capstone class.

Coming Up

Travel plans kick up a notch for officers and staff representing NACo at state association meetings. See if someone is coming to yours.

• Andrew Goldschmidt, director of membership marketing, New York State Association of Counties Fall Seminar, Sept. 19–21; Association of Indiana Counties annual conference, Sept. 26–29; and the Maine County Commissioners Association annual conference, Sept. 29–Oct.1

• Alex Koroknay-Palicz, membership coordinator, Wisconsin Counties Association annual conference, Sept. 18–20

• Zach George, membership associate, New Hampshire Association of Counties annual conference, Sept. 21–24

• Linda Langston, director of strategic Relations, Idaho Association of Counties, annual conference, Sept. 26-28