By Jeremy Ratner

LakeCounty (Ill.) Commissioner Angelo Kyle took the reins as NACo president and Oakland County (Mich.)

Commissioner Eric Coleman joined NACo’s Executive Committee as the new second vice president, July 21, at the end of the 69th Annual Conference in Maricopa County (Phoenix).

Photo by David Hathcox

New NACo President Angelo Kyle swears in the new NACo Executive Committee for 2004-05. Pictured are: (l-r) Kyle; President-elect Bill Hansell, commissioner, Umatilla County, Ore.; First Vice President Colleen Landkamer, commissioner, Blue Earth County, Minn.; Second Vice President Eric Coleman, commissioner, Oakland County, Mich.; and Immediate Past President Karen Miller, commissioner, Boone County, Mo.

During the conference, county officials heard national speakers, including Interior Secretary Gale Norton; Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R-Ariz.); Washington, D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams; Newsweek chief political correspondent Howard Fineman; Bishop T.D. Jakes; FranklinCovey Executive Dr. Blaine Lee and noted economics professor Dr. Richard Florida.

Conference delegates also approved new legislative policy for the association, attended committee meetings, discussed common issues with fellow county officials, voted on bylaws changes, participated in workshops and celebrated the achievements of their peers.

NACo released two surveys during the conference: a new study on housing affordability, titled Paycheck to Paycheck: Wages and the Cost of Housing in the Counties, 2004; and Government by the People: A National Survey of County Elected Officials, which surveyed 500 county officials from across the nation on their views about politics, the economy and other pertinent issues.

Norton opened the conference on Sunday, July 18 and stressed the importance of cooperative efforts between federal, state and local officials in land-use planning and environmental decision-making.

“So much success can occur when local people and local knowledge are involved,” Norton said. She noted that Department of Interior agencies will examine how they can strengthen the role of counties.

Rep. Hayworth and members of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors welcomed attendees on Sunday with brief remarks.

Newsweek’s Fineman spoke on Sunday about the upcoming presidential election. He predicted that the election will be a “close race.” He also noted that county government is “where the rubber meets the road in American public life. Counties are where the work gets done.” Mayor Williams, who is also the National League of Cities’ first vice president, addressed the attendees as well.

Monday’s general session included remarks from Bishop Jakes, pastor of the Potter’s House in Dallas County. Jakes inspired the crowd with a motivational presentation giving delegates key points to help them achieve their goals. “If you can see the invisible, you can do the impossible,” he said. FranklinCovey’s Lee also motivated general session attendees on Monday.

SIEMENS presented the 2004 Caucus Courthouse Awards on Monday. The winners were Gwinnett County (Ga.) Commission Chairman Wayne T. Hill and Jasper County (Wyo.) Commissioner Anna Ruth Crampton.

Florida, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, addressed attendees on Tuesday about the importance to economic development of attracting and keeping the “creative class” in your county.

The county officials also elected a new slate of officers for the association. Kyle was elected president; Umatilla County (Ore.) Commissioner Bill Hansell was elected president-elect; Blue Earth County (Minn.) Commissioner Colleen Landkamer was elected first vice-president; and Oakland County (Mich.) Commissioner Eric Coleman was elected second vice president. Boone County (Mo.) Commissioner Karen Miller became immediate past president.

Conference delegates adopted policy for NACo. Among the issues covered by the policy are rural affairs, health, finance, and labor and employment.

Throughout the conference, county officials participated in workshops on a variety of topics, including Outsourcing IT: Challenges and Lessons Learned, From Sticks to Bricks: Keys to Developing Affordable Housing, Homeland Security Funding: Its How You Spend It That Really Counts, The Air We Breathe: How the New Non-attainment Designations Will Affect You and Is America’s Overweight Population Costing Your County. Other workshops included presentations about economic development, criminal justice, communications, energy and governance.