SACRAMENTO – The California State Association of Counties (CSAC),
the voice of California’s 58 Counties at the state and federal
levels, announces its 127th Annual Meeting titled
Lighthouse of Leadership. The meeting will take place in
person from November 29 to December 3, 2021, in Monterey,
California.
The CSAC Annual Meeting allows California County leaders and
policy makers at the local, state and federal levels to come
together and discuss best practices, engage in professional
development opportunities and address critical policy matters
that impact the lives of more than 40 million Californians. The
meeting will also include the annual election and installation of
officers for 2022.
SACRAMENTO–The California State Association of Counties (CSAC),
which represents all 58 California Counties, issues the following
reaction to Governor Newsom’s initial broadband project list.
In several parts of California, some businesses and families just
want broadband access. Period. Not even fast or comprehensive -
just basic access comparable to what many other Californians
already have. Residents in 18 different regions of California can
give thanks for something extra this holiday season as
California’s Counties applaud Governor Newsom’s swift action to
begin work on an open-access middle-mile broadband network.
“The list of 18 projects announced today reflects both
the geographic and population diversity within the digital
divide, and California’s Counties look forward to more project
announcements in the future that prioritize unserved and
underserved residents,” said CSAC 1st Vice President and
Siskiyou County Supervisor Ed Valenzuela. “This quick action,
occurring just a few short months after the middle-mile network
funding was authorized, bodes well for its timely completion, and
is thanks in part to the close collaboration between the
Department of Technology, CPUC, and Caltrans.”
The Employee Relations policy area falls under the jurisdiction
of the Government Finance and Operations (GFO) Policy Committee
and is responsible for all issues related to public employment
and retirement. Specific issues areas are pension benefits and
pension system administration; labor relations; issues regarding
county negotiations with employees; workers’ compensation; and
other risk management issues facing public employers.
It’s November in Mammoth Lakes, and we’re breathing a deep sigh
of relief with the early season snowfall after weeks under the
smoke from the KNP Complex
Fire this summer and fall.
We’re lucky. This fire did not bear down on our town like last
year’s Creek Fire, and
recent storms signal that we have made it through this year’s
wildfire season unharmed. But what about next year?
The long-term threats and impacts of catastrophic wildfire are
real, leaving us and far too many rural communities to question
our ability to survive, much less thrive.
There is some hope on the horizon. The state of California is
taking substantive action toward wildfire resilience and not a
moment too soon. Our changing climate coupled with decades of
fire suppression and minimal investment in forest management has
created the perfect environment for the largest, most destructive
fires that our state has ever seen.
