NACo’s Large Urban County Caucus (LUCC) and Rural Action Caucus (RAC) have launched a national awards program to recognize outstanding individual leadership and governance.
Through a highly competitive application process, each year the Caucus Courthouse Award program will honor two elected county officials, one urban and one rural, who have improved the lives of their citizens by going well beyond their established duties as county leaders.
“As our nation moves forward in these testing times, good governance is most important as we attempt to meet the public safety, economic, environmental and technological challenges facing America’s counties,” said Javier Gonzales, NACo president. “As a nation we are fortunate that so many county leaders have long since understood this, and have the inquisitiveness to develop often difficult but needed solutions.”
Soon after the April 29, 2002 deadline, a blue-ribbon panel will judge each applicant on his or her innovation in design, quantitative analysis, community involvement, transferability and community constituent testimonials.
“Earning a Caucus Courthouse Award will offer those county leaders who have done stellar work with little or no national recognition, an opportunity to showcase their very best,” said Chuck Hall, SIEMENS senior manager and the program’s corporate sponsor.
To be eligible for the Caucus Courthouse Award, an applicant must be an elected county official from a county that is a current NACo member in good standing. Activities must have been in existence prior to Jan. 1, 2002, but not earlier than Jan. 1, 1998.
Those who earn a Caucus Courthouse Award will receive a $5,000 scholarship to present to a high school senior of their choosing, a hand-crafted, engraved crystal sculpture and national recognition at NACo’s Annual Conference in New Orleans, La. on July 12–16.
Rural Action Caucus members should contact Eric Ciliberti, NACo associate legislative director, and Large Urban County Caucus members should contact Shawn Bullard, NACo associate legislative director, at (202) 393-6226 for additional information
