National Association of Counties * Washington, D.C.            Vol. 32, No. 12 * June 26, 2000

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NACo 2000 Elections Candidates Platform

Understanding Both Urban & Rural Needs

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Commissioner Karen Miller

If I am elected 2nd vice president to represent all counties and all county officeholders, my awareness of local government problems from two perspectives is a definite asset I feel I can bring to the NACo leadership. Hailing from “the Heartland” – the very pulse of America – affords me the unique opportunity of understanding the diversity between urban and rural needs.

My home county serves as a perfect example because it is dramatically changing from rural to urban. Located on I-70, the nation’s main economic and tourism corridor, Boone County has the University of Missouri, 3M, Quaker Oats, Lowe’s and Home Depot, a large regional airport, mall sprawl, medical complexes, and the state cancer center. Surrounding the City of Columbia, however, is the vast unincorporated area of the county, which is larger, by population, than the majority of incorporated cities in the state. Boone County’s unincorporated area is chiefly agricultural with fire protection districts, soil conservation programs, and university extension services.

My activities at the national level have further increased my awareness of governing challenges at both ends of the spectrum.

As past vice chair of the Transportation & Telecommunications Steering Committee and current chair of its Highway/Highway Safety Subcommittee, I have come to understand the metropolitan dependence on transit mobility, problems with traffic congestion/mitigation, and the heavy reliance on telecommunications networks.

Over the years, I received three presidential appointments to the NACo board of directors. These were minority appointments designed to afford representation for the rural segment of our country.

Also, from 1996-97, I served as a member of the Rural Renaissance Task Force that recommended establishment of the Rural Action Caucus.

So to all of you, I want to explain that life in my Missouri microcosm mirrors all of yours in the American macrocosm where, despite our diversity, counties share common responsibilities. As long as the population remains so widely distributed in some areas and so concentrated in others, basic services must be delivered accordingly. Counties were created to allow access to government, and this principle will override any action I take as a NACo executive committee officer.


Using Technology to Lessen the Gap …
Because our national association was founded on the premise of representing all county governments in Washington, I truly believe that our very diversity can work to our advantage. An ongoing and genuine exchange of dialogue between urban and rural groups will spark ideas. Nothing in this world is done on such a large scale that it cannot be drawn down and adapted to a smaller frame of reference.

Technology is constantly changing our lives and, perhaps, now more so than ever. I firmly believe that information and interconnectivity can lessen the urban/rural gap.

My interest in telecommunications is all pervasive. Particularly with the promise of the high-tech advancements of the 21st century, we face challenges, yet wonderful opportunities, to rejuvenate urban America and cultivate and develop rural America.

Interconnectivity is the key.

As recently as five years ago, several Missouri counties had only one fax machine and it was located in the sheriff’s office. In this type of situation, staying in touch with other elected officials meant relying on a deputy’s delivering the fax to the designated recipient. Since then, we’ve come a long way. The Secretary of State’s office has provided a computer and Internet access to every county clerk/election authority. Larger 1st-class counties, like mine, were happy to receive an add-on to networks already in place. Smaller 3rd-class counties, like my father’s on the Missouri/Iowa border, accepted the computer with great appreciation.

In the coming years, information and interconnectivity will equal power.

If we can communicate easily with each other, we can learn easily from each other – what works and what doesn’t for local government service delivery.

“E-government” is the next Internet frontier. It provides a cost-efficient means of operating the people’s business.


Maintaining and Enhancing the Prosperity of Local Communities …
Sustainability is another key tenet of my platform.

Safeguarding what we have – our infrastructure, facilities, and institutions – and then improving upon them is a priority.

As the current chair of NACo’s Sustainable Leadership Team, I have devoted considerable time to exploring opportunities for maintaining the prosperity of local communities.

I am also very proud to be one of 25 county officials in the country who has been appointed to serve on the Advisory Committee to the Joint Center on Sustainable Communities, a combined effort between NACo and the U.S. Conference of Mayors to act as a clearinghouse for best practices, ordinances, and intergovernmental cooperation.

These national resources have already proved to be invaluable in my own area. Boone County and its nine entities have embarked on the task of creating an integrated countywide plan, a wonderful opportunity for growing in the direction our constituents desire.


Reaching Out to Non-Member Counties …
The National Association of Counties is a member-driven organization.

In my home state, for instance, there are 114 counties. Despite all of NACo’s efforts, there are still a few Missouri counties who say they can’t afford to belong to NACo or don’t understand the value of national membership.

While membership in Missouri has dramatically increased in the past few years, the budgetary restraints of some non-members are real and it’s tough to argue that point. But the question of worth, the value of belonging, is another matter. That we can deal with!

To encourage non-member counties to join, active members need to share their NACo experiences. A prime example is the tangible savings counties realize from utilizing the cooperative contracts. Most importantly, membership recruitment efforts should be conducted simultaneously with the county budget cycles in each state. If computers, office supplies, furniture, etc. are in the proposed budget, providing the governing body with comparative data to prove the real dollar savings highlights the value of NACo.


Continuing Education with a Peer-To-Peer Travel Program …
I would like to explore the possibility of supplementing international travel with a domestic hands-on training initiative, an idea that was sparked by Kaye Braaten at the WIR conference in May. A former NACo president, Kaye was escorting an international delegation from China on a tour of America. She remarked to me, “If only our people could have this opportunity!”

NACo is a continuing education organization. Every profession in the world has one. I propose that we evaluate the practicality of an educational “Peer-To-Peer Travel Program,” one that is oriented in the U.S. The international exchange has been very valuable for our counties who are trying to access the global marketplace. However, many elected officials, particularly those in rural areas, have a difficult time with day-to-day operations and the ever-growing demand for services. These people could glean great benefits from a hands-on training experience right here in the United States.

NACo is full of members who are leaders; all of whom I believe would welcome the opportunity to share their successes with their peers around the country. Another positive outgrowth of the program is that it could bring the NACo staff and leadership even closer to the people who are its members.


Taking on the “Quality-of-Life” Issues …
All of what I have said thus far pertains largely to “in-house” issues. There are other things, however, that may be a bit more outside NACo’s immediate control, but they are not things that are impervious to its influence.

I seek election as the 2nd vice president in an effort to improve the quality of life for the American citizenry. The issues that I find are particularly important in undertaking this task are sizeable:

• Simplifying the tax collection system to deal effectively with the “e-commerce” problem and the subsequent preservation of the local tax base.
• Preventing the circumvention of local control.
• Seeking equitable block grant funding formulas for county governments.
• Improving our transportation infrastructure.
• Protecting our land use and environmental policies.

Committing to the Job …
A colleague of mine recently told me about an impressive statement made by Mike Stewart, a former NACo president who attended one of Missouri’s annual conferences nearly a decade ago. Stewart said, “The world is run by those who show up!” NACo needs people in leadership positions who attend meetings, who are accessible, and who are approachable. “Leadership reduces uncertainty,” said Stewart. “And we get certainty by coming and listening and talking and being instructed.” He said the people who do the planning and who try to get us from this point to that point must be fully committed to the job.

From Middle America, with an understanding of the urban/rural diversities, I am a candidate for NACo 2nd vice president who has strong convictions. I feel I have the energy to do the job, the commitment to follow through, and the willingness to involve all of you by listening to your concerns.

I am very excited about my candidacy.

As a cost-effective means of conducting my campaign, I prepared a video that was mailed to each of your state delegations so you might be better informed of my qualifications and my involvement with county government on the local, state, and national levels.

I have also visited with hundreds of you via e-mail, as well as personally at NACo’s March Legislative Conference in Washington and the Western Interstate Region Conference in Boise, and have appreciated the many kindnesses extended to me by county officials across the country.

I ask now that you give me the opportunity to serve on the NACo leadership committee.

Come July 18, I would be truly honored to be elected as your 2nd vice president.