Blog

National County Government Month (NCGM), an annual celebration of county government that takes place each April, is just around the corner.  Since 1991, the National Association of Counties (NACo) has encouraged counties across the country to take this opportunity to actively promote county services and programs, shining a light on the important role we play in our communities. This year is notable because it’s the 25^th anniversary of NCGM.

2-1-1 San Diego/Imperial recently celebrated the grand opening of the 2-1-1 Connections Center, the state-of-the-art facility equipped with incubator space to foster greater collaboration among community partners to create new and improved ways to better serve the community and expand a 2-1-1 person-centric model.

One of the best things about my job as CSAC’s communications coordinator is the people I get to meet. We are in the process now of producing videos to celebrate the recipients of our 2015 Challenge Awards. These are all programs that exemplify best practices, innovation, and effective delivery of vital county services.

Invariably, the people who design and implement these programs are smart, hardworking, forward-thinking people who are committed to doing what they do better. They are heroes to the people who need the services they provide. And then once in a while, you get to meet a real hero.

Imagine you are sitting on the cusp of an historic event – one that is unfolding slowly but with mighty force, and one that will last well past your lifetime. Imagine you have people in your communities who are desperately trying to tell you about these changes, and what they have to say is numbing, impossible to embrace. This is the story of climate change in 2016 – and with it, California’s long-term drought. 

In San Mateo and Santa Clara counties more than one third of the 2.5 million residents are immigrants with nearly 50 percent of the workforce being foreign born and over 240,000 “lawful permanent residents” eligible to become U.S. citizens. Though a large, vital part of the community, immigrant groups are often underrepresented in public processes. To help address this, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties are partnering with the community to support immigrant integration and have recently created offices of immigrant affairs.

Last week, President Barack Obama signed into law a long-awaited surface transportation reauthorization bill that was approved by overwhelming margins in both the House and Senate. The legislation will provide five years of highway and transit program funding to States and local governments.  The Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act represents the first time in a decade that Congress has cleared a long-term highway bill.

There is a lot to be thankful for in California Counties as we approach this holiday season. Obviously, we still have issues to deal with, problems to solve, people to care for and, as always, budgets to worry about. But we also have a lot to be grateful for as we get into the holiday and the CSAC Annual Meeting close behind. I want to take a few minutes to enumerate a few things I am especially thankful for as Executive Director of CSAC.

The Beacon Program, from the Institute for Local Government, honors local leadership in addressing climate change and celebrates cities and counties efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save energy and adopt policies and programs that promote sustainability. 

Facing new challenges is nothing new for our 58 counties. It might be a natural disaster, such as a wildfire, flood or the drought; or it could be a new policy instituted by the state or federal government, such public safety realignment or the Affordable Care Act. CSAC’s annual Challenge Awards program – which recognizes the most innovative, cost-effective programs developed by our counties – regularly shows that county officials and staff are up to the task.