COVID-19 better prepares counties for next unforeseen emergency

Error message
In order to filter by the "in queue" property, you need to add the Entityqueue: Queue relationship.-
County NewsDutchess County, N.Y. Executive Marc Molinaro: Decisive action by county leaders to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus meant the difference between life and death, and the experience will be valuable when counties meet the next crisis.COVID-19 better prepares counties for next unforeseen emergency
-
County News Article
COVID-19 better prepares counties for next unforeseen emergency
Every American has been impacted in some manner by the COVID-19 pandemic; I, myself, have experienced the loss of a loved one, my father, as have hundreds of thousands of Americans. This pandemic confirmed what county governments throughout New York State — and indeed, throughout the nation — have known for years: The best, most effective governance comes from the leaders who are closest to the residents they serve. Throughout the pandemic, while mandates have been handed down from Washington, D.C. and state capitals, local governments — county governments, in particular — have been the boots on the ground, providing immediate guidance and answers to residents’ concerns.
For those of us with years of public service experience, this was not a new notion. Every county has confronted its own emergencies in the past, though nothing nearing the scope of COVID-19. Still, the lessons learned over decades — effective leadership, communication, collaboration chief being among them — well prepared county governments for this unprecedented and ever-evolving pandemic and the response it necessitated.
While governors handed down wide-reaching decisions from Albany and Austin to Tallahassee and Topeka, it was up to more than 3,000 county governments nationwide to interpret these directives, rely on their individual community’s specific needs, and put these plans into action. Decisive action on the part of county leaders to stop the spread of this novel coronavirus — whether that was suspending social gatherings, closing schools or something similar — have meant the difference between life and death. The difficult decisions made at the county level weren’t always popular, particularly as the pandemic has worn on, but county leaders had to make public health and safety their top priorities.
The need for clear, concise, and factual communication has never been more important than during this pandemic. Especially in areas where traditional media outlets have been dwindling for years, such as my own Dutchess County, the importance of keeping our community informed through social media has been elevated. In our county, for example, we innovated by conducting live online video discussions with residents once or twice a week, allowing residents to receive critical updates while allowing them to have their questions answered by local experts. Online events like these allow county leaders to broadcast live to a vast number of their constituents with just a few keystrokes — providing up-to-date information at a moment’s notice and allowing these residents to interact with their leaders, giving them a fuller sense of the situation around them and the decisions being made on their behalf.
Governors often formed the COVID policies that affected millions of residents in their states, but those chief executives were rarely — if ever — available to address the individual concerns of the residents they represent. Rather, it has been the county officials who live among the residents impacted by these actions who have brought real answers to the questions their neighbors raised. The dissemination of information at the local level, though, has only been part of the equation.
Communication among counties has seen a boon during these uncertain times, allowing county leaders to consult with their counterparts next door or across the state to collaborate and bring about their best policies for their respective communities. Every county across the country has its own strengths and weaknesses, potential threats and obstacles which make their community unique. We all, however, have good ideas that can transcend geographic borders and benefit other counties; the ability to share those solutions has been invaluable. From the first day of the pandemic, county leaders throughout New York, for example, have worked to share strategies and best practices to bring about the best outcome for their individual communities. No county has worked its way through this pandemic by itself; rather, we’ve all relied on the assistance of our colleagues in other counties to bring about a larger good.
Every county executive in New York has unique stories to tell, detailing how they responded to the challenges they face; multiply that by 50 states and the individual county perspectives on this pandemic seem endless. One thing is clear, however: Each of us will be judged on the lessons we learned during this unparalleled time. Every story is important, each perspective valuable in its own way.
Sadly, there will be another pandemic that reaches our shores; the only question is when — it might be a year, a decade or a century from now. Though we can’t predict its severity or effect, we can harken back to the lessons learned during COVID-19 and the response of our counties nationwide. County leaders throughout the United States can rightly be proud of the role they played keeping their communities as informed and safe as possible — confident in the knowledge their experiences during COVID-19 have better prepared their counties and this nation for the next unforeseen emergency.
Dutchess County, N.Y. Executive Marc Molinaro: Decisive action by county leaders to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus meant the difference between life and death, and the experience will be valuable when counties meet the next crisis.2021-11-15County News Article2021-11-17
Every American has been impacted in some manner by the COVID-19 pandemic; I, myself, have experienced the loss of a loved one, my father, as have hundreds of thousands of Americans. This pandemic confirmed what county governments throughout New York State — and indeed, throughout the nation — have known for years: The best, most effective governance comes from the leaders who are closest to the residents they serve. Throughout the pandemic, while mandates have been handed down from Washington, D.C. and state capitals, local governments — county governments, in particular — have been the boots on the ground, providing immediate guidance and answers to residents’ concerns.
For those of us with years of public service experience, this was not a new notion. Every county has confronted its own emergencies in the past, though nothing nearing the scope of COVID-19. Still, the lessons learned over decades — effective leadership, communication, collaboration chief being among them — well prepared county governments for this unprecedented and ever-evolving pandemic and the response it necessitated.
While governors handed down wide-reaching decisions from Albany and Austin to Tallahassee and Topeka, it was up to more than 3,000 county governments nationwide to interpret these directives, rely on their individual community’s specific needs, and put these plans into action. Decisive action on the part of county leaders to stop the spread of this novel coronavirus — whether that was suspending social gatherings, closing schools or something similar — have meant the difference between life and death. The difficult decisions made at the county level weren’t always popular, particularly as the pandemic has worn on, but county leaders had to make public health and safety their top priorities.
The need for clear, concise, and factual communication has never been more important than during this pandemic. Especially in areas where traditional media outlets have been dwindling for years, such as my own Dutchess County, the importance of keeping our community informed through social media has been elevated. In our county, for example, we innovated by conducting live online video discussions with residents once or twice a week, allowing residents to receive critical updates while allowing them to have their questions answered by local experts. Online events like these allow county leaders to broadcast live to a vast number of their constituents with just a few keystrokes — providing up-to-date information at a moment’s notice and allowing these residents to interact with their leaders, giving them a fuller sense of the situation around them and the decisions being made on their behalf.
Governors often formed the COVID policies that affected millions of residents in their states, but those chief executives were rarely — if ever — available to address the individual concerns of the residents they represent. Rather, it has been the county officials who live among the residents impacted by these actions who have brought real answers to the questions their neighbors raised. The dissemination of information at the local level, though, has only been part of the equation.
Communication among counties has seen a boon during these uncertain times, allowing county leaders to consult with their counterparts next door or across the state to collaborate and bring about their best policies for their respective communities. Every county across the country has its own strengths and weaknesses, potential threats and obstacles which make their community unique. We all, however, have good ideas that can transcend geographic borders and benefit other counties; the ability to share those solutions has been invaluable. From the first day of the pandemic, county leaders throughout New York, for example, have worked to share strategies and best practices to bring about the best outcome for their individual communities. No county has worked its way through this pandemic by itself; rather, we’ve all relied on the assistance of our colleagues in other counties to bring about a larger good.
Every county executive in New York has unique stories to tell, detailing how they responded to the challenges they face; multiply that by 50 states and the individual county perspectives on this pandemic seem endless. One thing is clear, however: Each of us will be judged on the lessons we learned during this unparalleled time. Every story is important, each perspective valuable in its own way.
Sadly, there will be another pandemic that reaches our shores; the only question is when — it might be a year, a decade or a century from now. Though we can’t predict its severity or effect, we can harken back to the lessons learned during COVID-19 and the response of our counties nationwide. County leaders throughout the United States can rightly be proud of the role they played keeping their communities as informed and safe as possible — confident in the knowledge their experiences during COVID-19 have better prepared their counties and this nation for the next unforeseen emergency.
Hero 1
About Hon. Marcus Molinaro (Full Bio)
Dutchess County Executive and president of the New York State County Executives’ Association
More from Hon. Marcus Molinaro
-
Blog
What have we learned about governing during the pandemic era?
“We now have tools for county governments to continue to engage a larger constituency and improve service delivery to meet their needs, specifically considering using digital interface to engage with residents.” -
County News
Erie County, N.Y. faces deadly ‘Blizzard of the Century’
County staff from Erie County, and elsewhere offered lifelines to snowed-in residents during a December blizzard. -
Blog
Data sharing paramount in modern county operations
Everyone wants data. Everyone needs authoritative data. GIS is the underlying infrastructure for sharing data instantly in your county. -
County News
Moore County, N.C. stabilizes during widespread power loss
After a vandal damaged two substations Dec. 3, Moore County, N.C has managed a widespread power outage, keeping drivers safe on the roads and focusing on transporting residents to shelters or medical care.
-
Basic page
NACo High Performance Leadership Academy
The NACo High Performance Leadership Academy is an online 12-week program that will empower frontline county government professionals with the most fundamental leadership skills to deliver results for counties and communities.pagepagepage<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width:100%" summary="medium-call-out transparent">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td> -
Basic page
Resilient Counties Initiative
The NACo Resilient Counties Initiative builds leadership capacity to identify and manage risk, and prepare counties to become more flexible and responsive to system shocks and stresses. It has a holistic approach to resilience, examining social and economic resilience, sustainability and disaster management.pagepagepage<p>Hurricanes, wildfires, economic collapse, and other disasters can be natural or man-made, acute or long-term, foreseeable or unpredictable.
-
Basic page
cashvest
cashvest® by three+one is a cash management platform that provides new and unparalleled level of liquidity analysis and data services for local, county, school district and college governing bodiespagepagepage<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width:100%" summary="call-out">
<tbody>
<tr> -
Reports & Toolkits
Implementing Infrastructure Investments at the County Level: The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (P.L. 117-58)
As intergovernmental partners, counties play a key role in ensuring the successful interpretation and implementation of the BILReports & Toolkitsdocument100710:00 amReports & Toolkits<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width:100%" summary="call-out transparent jump">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
Contact
-
Dutchess County Executive and president of the New York State County Executives’ Association
Related Resources
-
Blog
What have we learned about governing during the pandemic era?
“We now have tools for county governments to continue to engage a larger constituency and improve service delivery to meet their needs, specifically considering using digital interface to engage with residents.” -
County News
Erie County, N.Y. faces deadly ‘Blizzard of the Century’
County staff from Erie County, and elsewhere offered lifelines to snowed-in residents during a December blizzard. -
County News
Moore County, N.C. stabilizes during widespread power loss
After a vandal damaged two substations Dec. 3, Moore County, N.C has managed a widespread power outage, keeping drivers safe on the roads and focusing on transporting residents to shelters or medical care.
-
Reports & Toolkits
Implementing Infrastructure Investments at the County Level: The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (P.L. 117-58)
As intergovernmental partners, counties play a key role in ensuring the successful interpretation and implementation of the BIL -
Reports & Toolkits
ARPA Impact Report: An Analysis of How Counties are Addressing National Issues With Local Investments
With American Rescue Plan funds, counties are strengthening America’s workforce, addressing the nation’s behavioral health crisis, expanding broadband access, improving housing affordability and building prosperous communities for the next generation. -
Video
Counties testify on creating a more resilient nation
Mecklenburg County, N.C. Commissioner George Dunlap testifies on behalf of NACo before the House Homeland Security Committee’s Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response and Recovery.
More From
-
ARPA Impact Report: An Analysis of How Counties are Addressing National Issues With Local Investments
With American Rescue Plan funds, counties are strengthening America’s workforce, addressing the nation’s behavioral health crisis, expanding broadband access, improving housing affordability and building prosperous communities for the next generation.
Learn More