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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

RxSafe Marin is Saving Lives from the Opioid Epidemic

Gregg Fishman

RxSafe Marin is Saving Lives from the Opioid EpidemicMark Dale became an activist in Marin County after one of his sons almost became a statistic in the opioid epidemic. “I actually identified eight individuals who passed away: six students and two adults that were drug-related or drug driven,” said Dale. “And that’s what really woke me up. I opened my mouth because if my son had cancer, we’d be talking about it, but because there was a drug-dynamic around my son, most families just zip their lip. And that’s not good. The silence has been killing us.”

The County Voice

Got a Minute?

Graham Knaus

We know how busy everyone is, and how overloaded we all are with information. Our mobile devices keep us plugged in 24-7, and just deciding what is important and what isn’t can be a chore. We also know that attention spans are getting shorter, not longer. There are a lot of reasons for that, not all of them comforting perhaps, but they are well documented. At CSAC, we know that if we really want to reach people we have to be concise in our communication.

The County Voice

Collaborative Yolo County Program is Turning Around At-Risk Youth

David Liebler

Collaborative Yolo County Program is Turning Around At-Risk YouthMeet Katery. Eighteen months ago, Katery was a classic at-risk youth. She would often skip school and had no plans to continue her education beyond high school – if she graduated at all. She had been in trouble with the law, having been arrested for assaulting a police officer.

Now Katery’s on track to graduate a year early and is preparing to start taking classes at the local community college. She is also starting to talk about planning for a career. Quite a turn-around for an individual who at one time saw working in the fields as an adult her only option.

The County Voice

Nevada County Streamlines the Building Permit Process

Gregg Fishman

Nevada County Streamlines the Building Permit ProcessNestled in the heart of California’s Foothills and awash with Gold Country history, Nevada County might not seem like a hotbed of building and construction. However, with many old, historic homes, and more people wanting to live in the bucolic landscape of the Foothills, Nevada County has more than its share of both new construction and remodeling activity.

The County Voice

Meet CSAC’s New President Leticia Perez: Motivated by Public Service

Leticia Perez

Meet CSAC’s New President Leticia Perez: Motivated by Public Service

I have served as a Kern County Supervisor for six years now, but I think I’ve been in “public service” since I ran for my sixth-grade class presidency. It was a much closer race than I thought it was going to be, and I took away two important lessons from that experience. First, in politics, you can’t take anything for granted. Second, I will absolutely listen to you with respect and an open mind and I will expect the same courtesy from you.

The County Voice

The CSAC Institute Opens in North State

Leonard Moty

The CSAC Institute Opens in North State“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”
Benjamin Franklin

​With Benjamin Franklin’s wisdom echoing across the centuries, I want to invite my county colleagues across California to make an investment in your own future by enrolling in courses offered by the CSAC Institute for Excellence in County Government. There are classes available in several locations around the state and I am pleased to tell you that the newest campus is located right here in beautiful Shasta County.

The County Voice

Humboldt County Tackles Recidivism by Giving Inmates a Plan – and Hope

David Liebler

Humboldt County Tackles Recidivism by Giving Inmates a Plan – and Hope

Vanessa Vrtiak’s passion and commitment light up a room – even if that room is a cell block in the Humboldt County Correctional Facility.  As a Programs Coordinator for the Sheriff’s Office, Vanessa is focused on helping inmates break the cycle of recidivism. It’s no easy task, but one to which she is committed no matter how many times they find themselves back behind bars.

The County Voice

Reflecting on 2017, Anticipating 2018

Matt Cate

What a year 2017 has been! It is going to be history soon, and as we approach the holidays and the New Year, I am reflecting a little bit on the year that was.  For CSAC, it was truly an exceptional year—in some very good ways, and also some very difficult ways as more than a dozen California counties suffered devastating losses this year due the unprecedented wildfires.

The County Voice

County Outreach – A Top Priority Here at CSAC

David Liebler

A few weeks ago I had the privilege of spending the afternoon in the Humboldt County Jail. Now before you start spreading rumors, I should let you know I was there to learn about an innovative county program for inmates that is aimed at breaking the cycle of recidivism. The individual behind the program is Vanessa Vrtiak, whose passion and commitment fills the room. Visiting our member counties is the best part of my job. And I know many of my colleagues feel the same way.

The County Voice

Backpacks for Foster Youth: Making a Little Magic at CSAC’s Annual Meeting

Graham Knaus

There’s not much that Counties do that’s more heart-wrenching than having to remove a child from an unsafe or abusive home. Sometimes it is the only recourse and the foster care system provides a necessary bridge for that child. Due to the difficult and chaotic nature of these situations, the transitions do not typically happen as part of a plan or schedule. The child often leaves behind clothing, basic necessities and other personal items, and it may be some time before they can replace those items.

The County Voice

Mendocino Firestorm: The Meaning of Public Service

Carre Brown

In the early morning of October 9, the worst firestorm in California’s history erupted. During those first few hours, fires claimed all of the lives lost in my District, District 1 of Mendocino County. At the same time fires broke out in Sonoma, Napa and Lake Counties. We knew we would be alone with limited resources to battle this blaze.

The County Voice

Homeless Doesn’t Have to Equal Hopeless

Eileen Richardson

What we know: homelessness is complex, homelessness is personal, and homeless solutions must be individualized.

Of the nearly 118,142 men, women and children struggling with homelessness in California (nearly half of all unsheltered people in the country in 2016), it’s obvious that the causes of homelessness and poverty span more than one particular issue. Loss of employment, mental health, limited affordable housing, substance abuse and system gaps, all play a role and are at times, co-occurring, which only adds to the complexity.    

The County Voice

If We Do This Right: SB 231 and Rainwater

Senator Robert Hertzberg

CSAC supported SB 231 and Governor Brown signed it into law in October of this year. Click here for our letter of support.

I have spent years studying how California can augment reliance on local water supplies, as concern over the drought reverberated statewide in communities I visited. As Chair of the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee, I have committed myself to tackling the tough issues that will allow us to use and reuse free rainwater and decrease our dependence on costly imported water.

The County Voice

The County Family Gives During Difficult Times

Matt Cate

This has been an incredibly difficult year for a lot of people. From hurricanes in The Gulf to the wildfires here in California, natural disasters have taken dozens of lives and tens of thousands of people have lost their homes, possessions and their way of life. I would be remiss in not mentioning the human tragedies of the recent shootings in Texas and Las Vegas as well. There is no way words can explain those events—or the impact they have on the victims and their families, but, that is precisely why they weigh so heavy on the human experience.

The County Voice

ILG Supports Counties in Engaging Diverse Communities

Hang Tran

There are many ways to measure “diversity” but California consistently ranks as one of, if not the most diverse state in the nation—with literally dozens of ethnicities represented in the population. While this is more apparent in some parts of the state than others, local governments should consider the ethnic and cultural diversity of their communities when they are planning and implementing public outreach and engagement efforts.

The County Voice

Defining Success, CSAC Style

DeAnn Baker

How do you define “success?” Here at CSAC, 2017 has been a very successful year for some obvious reasons — and some that may be less so. Perhaps the most important and hardest to quantify is the incredible success we achieved this year while fostering relationships with legislators, the Administration and our stakeholders on all sides of the tough issues.

The County Voice

Firestorms: A Supervisor Speaks from the Heart

James Gore

Hello from Ground Zero.

On behalf of Sonoma County, and in camaraderie with my fellow Supervisors in Napa, Mendocino, Lake, Solano, Yuba, Butte, Nevada, Orange and Fresno counties affected by these firestorms, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for the outpouring of support we’ve received from the CSAC family. CSAC President Keith Carson called me personally and pledged the full support of CSAC, and that promise has been followed up on with abundant action. CSAC Executive Director Matt Cate drove out last week to tour the devastation in my District, and brought with him ideas, support and well wishes from both CSAC and the Finance Corporation.  Thank you! 

The County Voice

Don’t Make a U-Turn on Fixing California’s Roads

Hasan Ikhrata

This blog entry was originally published in the Orange County Register.

There is no tomorrow when it comes to fixing our roads, highways and bridges, which is why a misguided effort to repeal Senate Bill 1 — a historic measure to invest more than $5 billion a year in transportation improvements across the state — must itself be put to rest.

The repeal initiative, filed recently with the state attorney general, would require voter approval of all gas tax and vehicle fee increases after January 1, 2017.

The County Voice

Ventura County Summer: Not Just a Day at the Beach

Randi Kay Stephens

Eight Ventura County youth had a unique experience this past summer through a special collaboration between the County and the Oxnard Union High School District. The two agencies collaborated to establish a pilot program of “Summer at the County.” The students participated in a 120-hour paid program that included an internship in a county department, as well as leadership training, tours of county facilities, and learning from public officials and guest speakers. 

The County Voice

58 Counties Sharing the Vision

Keith Carson

The days are getting shorter, students are back in school and the California legislative session is over. That means it is time to plan to attend the CSAC Annual Meeting. Our theme this year is “Sharing the Vision” and the Annual Meeting is both a chance to reflect on the past year for our association, and to point us to new goals and new directions for the future.

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County Of The Week:
Siskiyou

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