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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

Forum Helps Ensure Safe Drinking Water Across California
Placer County Taps Into Statewide Expertise for Workshop, Trainings and Collaboration

Forum Helps Ensure Safe Drinking Water Across California
Sara Floor

Mark Twain is often credited with saying “whiskey’s for drinking and water’s for fighting.” Certainly, in drought prone-California, water is a complex and contentious issue. And according to Wesley Nicks, Placer County Environmental Health Director, nothing is more critical, more imperative than safe drinking water for California’s communities.

The County Voice

Introducing the CSAC Support Hub for Criminal Justice Programming

Introducing the CSAC Support Hub for Criminal Justice Programming
Amalia Mejia

County criminal justice leaders have a new destination for evidence-based programming support and technical assistance, called the California State Association of Counties (CSAC) Support Hub for Criminal Justice Programming.

The County Voice

Sacramento County Program Helps Detained Youth Learn to Regulate Their Emotions

Sacramento County Program Helps Detained Youth Learn to Regulate Their Emotions
David Liebler

Two special rooms within the Sacramento County Youth Detention Facility are having a strong, positive impact on the residents. They are called “multi-sensory de-escalation rooms,” and the County is the first juvenile detention facility in the United States to open such a program.

These de-escalation rooms provide a safe environment where the facility’s residents can calm down and regulate their feelings without use of force or being put in isolation. This is a skill that can serve them well when they are back in the community.

The County Voice

CSAC Staff Focus on County Advocacy in Action

Sara Floor

Reading the news, looking at maps and watching survivor interviews can only convey a fraction of the horror of escaping a California wildfire. Driving the twisty country roads and standing in the center of a valley imagining the hills on fire provides the true impact of a devastating wildfire. CSAC staff members are committed to getting out of the office and experiencing what is happening in California counties first hand. And at least once a year, we try to visit a county and learn about a policy issue as an entire staff.

The County Voice

Inyo County is Taking the Initiative with At-Risk Youth

Inyo County is Taking the Initiative with At-Risk Youth
David Liebler

When you sit down and talk with Inyo County’s Rehabilitation Specialists about the impact they are having on local youth, they are modest in their response. But their success is anything but modest. Formerly classified as juvenile correction counselors who worked inside Juvenile Hall, these specialists now work out in the community and are playing a pivotal role in the Inyo County Juvenile Services Redesign Initiative’s success at helping turn around the lives of youth before they end up in the adult correctional system.

The County Voice

A CSAC Vision For California

Lisa Bartlett

Every year brings a new set of challenges that create lasting impacts on communities. As leaders, we have the responsibility to create solutions that will resolve our current issues while effectively planning for the future. Over these last few months, California counties have come together through the California State Association of Counties (CSAC) to identify our strategic priorities for this year. I am impressed by the level of responsiveness and hard work that we’ve collectively put into crafting CSAC’s 2019 priorities.

The County Voice

Transforming Communities, Transforming Lives

Virginia Bass

Recently, I had the honor to represent CSAC and Humboldt County at the 27th Annual Empowerment Congress Summit, hosted by Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas. I attended the conference with my fellow CSAC Officers 1st Vice President Lisa Bartlett, Orange County, and Immediate Past President Leticia Perez, Kern County, as well as Executive Director Graham Knaus.

The County Voice

Boosting the Green Economy in Alameda County

Boosting the Green Economy in Alameda County
Whitney Alderson

In a twelfth floor conference room overlooking the serpentine shoreline of Lake Merritt in Oakland, Sarah Church sits down and takes a drink from her reusable, stainless-steel water bottle. Church works for Alameda County in the Office of Sustainability where she and colleague Karen Cook collaborate with the County’s Procurement Department to advance the county’s Sustainable Purchasing Program – an impressive initiative that has grown over two decades to become one of the leading green procurement efforts in California local government.

The County Voice

Renewing the California Dream for a New Generation

James Gore

I was excited to attend the inauguration of our 40th governor of California, Gavin Newsom, with CSAC Executive Director Graham Knaus. I have had the chance to spend time with Governor Newsom when he served as California’s Lieutenant Governor. From disaster relief efforts to the California Economic Summit, our paths have crossed quite a bit and we have many common contacts, so it was with much anticipation that I followed his campaign.

The County Voice

A Great Professional Development Opportunity for Our Rural Counties

Larry Lees Bill Goodwin

As public agencies working to meet the needs and complexities of our communities, it’s not okay to be good enough. We need to be better than that. We need to strive to be the best we can be – and that requires ongoing professional development training.

The County Voice

Collaborative Shasta County Program Providing a “New Lease on Life”

Collaborative Shasta County Program Providing a “New Lease on Life”
David Liebler

“It really is restorative justice at its finest.” That’s how Shasta College’s Robert Bowman describes a local collaborative program that is changing lives.

Created in 2013 by Shasta County and the local community college, the Shasta Technical Education Program-United Partnership (STEP UP) was designed to provide formerly incarcerated community members with educational opportunities that result in employment.

The County Voice

CSAC is Ready for the Challenges That Lie Ahead

CSAC is Ready for the Challenges That Lie Ahead
Virginia Bass

Here’s to a new year!

I have looked forward to this year when I serve as CSAC President because I am excited about what it will bring. It’s a year that promises to be challenging, but I’m confident it will be ultimately rewarding on a number of levels.

For starters, we enter the year with strong and dedicated leadership at the Officer, Executive Committee and Board of Directors levels. Combine that with an aggressive, talented staff, and we are ready for the rollercoaster ride that lies ahead.

The County Voice

Connecting the Unconnected

Greg Cox

This article originally ran in County News, the NACo newspaper, on December 10.

When I first got involved in NACo more than 15 years ago, I never would have thought that I would be serving years later as NACo’s president. As I lead NACo into the future, I have enjoyed partnering with my colleagues in the 3,069 counties, parishes and boroughs across America to determine how best to reach out and serve residents in our communities.

The County Voice

You Say Goodbye and I Say Hello

David Liebler

When outgoing CSAC President Leticia Perez was addressing the Association membership at last week’s Annual Meeting, she talked about how she found every-other-year of the conference to be bittersweet. That has nothing to do with the quality of the conference, but rather because it was a time to bid goodbye to colleagues who are leaving office.

The County Voice

Counties Need to Take Leadership Role in State’s Complete Count Efforts

Bruce McPherson

Like many counties throughout California, Santa Cruz County is getting ready for the 2020 Census.

This Census comes at a time when government services play an increasingly important role in our residents’ lives. Housing affordability, stagnant wages and rising poverty all weigh heavily on the prosperity of people in Santa Cruz County. Nearly one-third of our residents now receive County services of some kind.

The County Voice

Common Sense, Facts & Logic Prevail in Defeat of Propositions 5 & 6

Graham Knaus

Last night’s election results declared victory for CSAC and our coalition partners as two of the most damaging ballot measures in decades for county infrastructure, services and programs were defeated. Voters made their choices known and rejected Proposition 6 (attack on road and bridge safety) and Proposition 5 (property tax erosion) handily. Let me express my sincerest appreciation and gratitude for your commitment and dedication that earned this successful outcome for all 58 counties. 

The County Voice

The California Cannabis Authority Gains Momentum

Cara Martinson

In a small conference room in Yolo County last week, a number of County Supervisors, Treasurer Tax Collectors and Auditor-Controllers from around the state gathered together to talk pot. More specifically, they gathered together to talk about the numbers – cannabis permits, state cannabis licenses, tax proceeds, and how they are going to use this data to better regulate cannabis businesses in their jurisdictions.

The County Voice

Del Norte County’s Neighbors Helping Neighbors Program Prepares Communities for a Disaster

Del Norte County’s Neighbors Helping Neighbors Program Prepares Communities for a Disaster
David Liebler

It’s a warm autumn day in rural Del Norte County. Beyond the ripple of the nearby serene Smith River, the only sound you hear is an occasional bird. It’s a scene out of a postcard. No wonder the nearby residents of the tiny communities of Hiouchi and Gasquet are proud to call this area home.

The County Voice

There’s a Strong Spirit of Innovation in the Sacramento County Probation Department

David Liebler

When it comes to developing innovative, successful programs, Sacramento County’s Probation Department is on a roll.

Much like the San Francisco Giants recent run of winning World Series in even-numbered years, the Sacramento County Probation Department is following a similar trend by taking home CSAC Challenge Award honors in 2014, 2016 and now 2018. CSAC spotlights the most innovative programs created by California Counties each year through our awards program.

The County Voice

Rebuilding Your Life After a Devastating Fire Takes More Than Wood and Nails

Rebuilding Your Life After a Devastating Fire Takes More Than Wood and Nails
Brian Fies

Take your keys out of your purse or pocket and hand them to me.

Your house is mine now. Whatever you did when you left home this morning is the very last memory you’ll have of it and everything you own. You probably locked the door behind you without a thought, certain you’d be back soon. Wrong. You’ll never see it again. Maybe I’ll take your car, too.

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