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The County Voice

A place where CSAC, county officials and stakeholders can voice their thoughts on governance and issues that impact California’s 58 counties.

The County Voice

While Our Office is Reopening, CSAC was Never Closed

David Liebler

It’s Thursday, June 4, and I am sitting in my office at CSAC for the first time in 79 days. Executive staff has gone above and beyond to ensure the office is clean and safe. Guidelines based on State and CDC recommendations have been developed; physical changes have been made to ensure each staff member has his/her own workspace. Staff on-site are being staggered to reduce the numbers on any given day. Even those on hand are taking the necessary precautions – wearing masks, washing hands repeatedly and social distancing.

The County Voice

Vulnerable Populations and Emergency Response: Lessons from COVID-19 Counties Can Use Right Now to Prepare for the Next Crisis

Vulnerable Populations and Emergency Response: Lessons from COVID-19 Counties Can Use Right Now to Prepare for the Next Crisis
Sara Floor

Alma Bowen could write the book about communicating to diverse communities during emergencies and natural disasters. A 9-1-1 operator in Sonoma County for more than 17 years, she channeled her experiences during the North Bay fires in 2017 into a non-profit called Nuestra Comunidad. Reflecting on her experiences over several years, Bowen shares how having a trusted community partner has helped the Sonoma County region forge inroads with its non-English speaking community, and recommends tips other counties can use.

The County Voice

2020 Election in Focus

Geoffrey Neill

Voting is the cornerstone of our representative democracy. The ongoing disruption of COVID-19 means the Presidential election in November will look quite a bit different from previous years, so county registrars—planners by nature—have had a wrench thrown into their process. County supervisors and other community leaders can be a big help making sure their local registrar of voters has everything they need to make the elections run smoothly.

The County Voice

Santa Cruz County Pilots CSAC Support Hub Juvenile Hall Analytics Tool

Diana Medina

In 2019, the CSAC Support Hub for Criminal Justice Programming developed and piloted an analytics tool for juvenile hall facilities utilization with Santa Cruz and Santa Barbara Counties. Using this analytics tool, Santa Cruz County is now examining how COVID-19 has impacted juvenile hall bookings, lengths of stay, and alternatives to detention to improve community intervention programs in the future.

The County Voice

Not Your Typical May Revise

Graham Knaus

2020 has become a year of perpetual disruption and change. From the initial onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the statewide “stay at home” order, to a $6 billion budget surplus vanishing into a deficit estimated in the “tens of billions,” one thing’s for sure: The COVID-19 pandemic means the May Revise state budget scheduled for this Thursday will be uncharted territory for California.

The County Voice

Recognizing County Service

Sara Floor

Celebrated annually during the first week of May since 1985, Public Service Recognition Week honors those who serve our nation as federal, state, county and local government employees. As direct service providers administering many state and federal programs, California’s counties and their employees play huge roles both in our everyday lives and during emergencies like COIVD-19 when we need services the most.

The County Voice

CSAC Observes

CSAC Observes
Sara Floor

One proven and popular communications strategy is to connect your message to a scheduled event or observance. Like promoting heart disease screening around Valentine’s Day, it’s a strategy we use regularly at CSAC because it helps get your message out to a wider audience. In reviewing the social media posts and videos created during the COVID-19 crisis, I realized we’ve had a remarkable number of regularly-scheduled observances that uniquely relate to current events and California’s counties.

In the last six weeks, CSAC has observed:

  • National Doctor’s Day on March 30
  • Census Day on April 1
The County Voice

Property Tax Payment Option Benefits Property Owners and Counties, Even During COVID-19

Sara Floor

Property taxes have been in the news as of late as many of those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic worried how to meet the twice-annual deadline, the most recent being April 10.

But of the numerous articles that ran, one important success story was missed. The CSAC Finance Corporation rolled out its Easy Smart Pay property tax payment program in Kings County in time for the April 10th deadline to allow a one-time online payment option during a time of crisis. 

The County Voice

CSAC Institute Focuses on County Leadership and Adaptive Change Amid COVID-19 Crisis

Bill Chiat

We are in times that hardly could have been anticipated. Yet we hope the practices, tools and knowledge gained through CSAC Institute for Excellence in County Government courses have helped county executives, elected officials and managers better respond to the challenges.

The County Voice

Counties Matter — Honoring Your Heroic Work During This Time of Crisis

Lisa Bartlett

Each April, the National Association of Counties (NACo) celebrates National County Government Month. This year’s theme – “Counties Matter” – could not be more appropriate given the COVID-19 crisis that has placed counties on the front lines, not only here in California but across the nation. While now is not the time for celebration, it is a time to honor our counties for the incredible work they are undertaking to protect our residents.

The County Voice

Top Five Ways To Make the Most of “Stay at Home”

Sara Floor

California is a doing a remarkable job of heeding the statewide “Stay at Home” directive to flatten the curve and slow the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). While these orders are temporary, for many they’re likely to have lasting impacts. To help, we’re counting down the top five ways to make the most of this situation, contribute to the public good and prepare for a brighter future.

The County Voice

California Strong

Lisa Bartlett Graham Knaus

Life has changed drastically for all of us in the past week. We’re working from home, often on laptops, meetings are now being conducted by tele- or video conference, and the phrases “social distancing,” “shelter in place” and “stay at home” are part of our community vocabulary. It’s a frenetic time as we work to get information, craft solutions, advocate, share best practices and do our best to protect our citizens. It’s also a time when we see the best in humanity.

The County Voice

California Counties Rise to the Challenge of COVID-19

Graham Knaus

Disasters have come in many forms over the past couple of years. After adjusting to the unprecedented events of devastating wildfires and public safety power shutoffs, California’s Counties are now rising to the occasion of a worldwide public health emergency with the coronavirus (COVID-19).

The County Voice

San Diego County’s Online Marriage Appointment System Vows Excellent Customer Service

San Diego County’s Online Marriage Appointment System Vows Excellent Customer Service
Sara Floor

Planning a wedding is stressful — planning a wedding if you live out of town can be even more so.

For years, happy couples who wanted to get married in San Diego County had to arrange their marriage license and ceremony appointments in person, at one of the County’s five Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk locations, or by telephone during local business hours.

The County Voice

Humboldt County Takes Code Enforcement of Cannabis to New Heights

Humboldt County Takes Code Enforcement of Cannabis to New Heights
David Liebler

Humboldt County has taken its code enforcement of illegal cannabis grows to new heights – thousands of miles above the Earth to be exact. It’s a state-of-the-art strategy being employed by the County Planning and Building Department to identify unpermitted cannabis cultivations.  Now instead of sending staff into the depths of the 4,000-square-mile county to come across grows that are not in compliance, all it takes is a click of the mouse to review current satellite footage.

The County Voice

Marin County Confronts Institutionalized Racism by Focusing on Equity

Brent Ainsworth

CSAC thanks Marin County for this guest blog post and their efforts to improve equity in the county.

We have quite the national reputation in Marin County. Sometimes we’re playfully teased as a den of decadence and jeered for our prevailing liberal extremism. At the county government offices, we’ve heard it all.

Good-natured ribbing aside, one of the worst hits to Marin County’s image is not funny at all.

The County Voice

People Are the Heart of Information Security in Marin County

People Are the Heart of Information Security in Marin County
Sara Floor

When you think about it, county government agencies collect and retain a staggering amount of personal information. From voter registration and marriage licenses, to property tax information, your county knows almost as much about you as the IRS.

The County Voice

GDP Stats Shed Light on CA County Growth

The following blog post is offered by Jeannine Aversa, Chief of Public Affairs and Outreach at the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Ever wonder about the size of your county’s economy? Whether a particular industry category is in a slump or a boom? County officials in California and across the country now have access to those answers and more, thanks to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA).

The County Voice

The First in the West – Humboldt County’s Prescribed Burn Association Teaches the Value of Fire

The First in the West – Humboldt County’s Prescribed Burn Association Teaches the Value of Fire
David Liebler

On a crisp and clear morning late last year, around 20 volunteer firefighters, landowners and community members gathered on a plot of land outside of the small rural community of Kneeland in Humboldt County. They listened intently to detailed instructions on how to safely burn 20 acres of private property that gradually rises on a hill before them.  The volunteers gathered to learn how to successfully undertake a prescribed burn.

The County Voice

California’s Counties Empowered to Address Homelessness

Lisa Bartlett

“The Empowerment Congress Summit is a great example of how elected officials, community leaders and stakeholders from across the state can come together to share innovative ideas and work together to solve the most challenging issues of our communities in peril.”

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