July 15, 2021

County leaders from across the country were able to connect both in-person and virtually at the NACo Annual Conference in Prince George’s County, MD that wrapped up on Monday, July 12. California leaders were well represented at the various policy committee meetings, workshops, and task force meetings. In addition, CSAC officers were able to take advantage of the proximity of the conference site to Washington, DC to engage directly with key Biden Administration officials on top federal advocacy priorities. Some highlights of the conference include:

• NACo adopted the two CSAC-sponsored policy resolutions. One was related to low income housing tax credits (in partnership with Mono County Supervisor Kreitz and CWDA) and the second to use of Federal Highway Administration emergency relief funds (in partnership with Santa Cruz County Supervisor Friend).
• CSAC officers discussed federal advocacy priorities with representatives of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs (including Director Julie Chavez Rodriguez), Department of Interior, Department of Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service (including Chief Vicki Christiansen), and the White House National Security Council.
• A few California Supervisors had meet and greet opportunities with Vice President Kamala Harris and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.
• Mary Jo McGuire, Commissioner from Ramsey County, MN, was elected NACo Second Vice President.
• New NACo President Larry Johnson, Commissioner from DeKalb County, GA, included numerous California leaders in his presidential appointments:
  • Kings County Supervisor Craig Pedersen as Chair of the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Policy Committee.
  • Fresno County Supervisor Nathan Magsig as Chair of the Finance, Pensions and Intergovernmental Affairs Policy Committee.
  • Sonoma County Supervisor James Gore as Chair of the Programs and Services Committee.
  • Butte County Supervisor Debra Lucero as Chair of the Resilient Counties Advisory Board.
  • Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger as at-large member of the NACo Board.
  • Orange County Supervisor Lisa Bartlett as at-large member of the NACo Board.
  • Vice Chair Appointments – Debra Lucero (Arts and Culture Commission; Environment, Energy and Land Use; Rural Action Caucus), Curt Hagman (Community, Economic and Workforce Development; International Economic Development Task Force), David Haubert (Community, Economic and Workforce Development), Diane Dillon (Finance, Pensions and Intergovernmental Affairs), Nora Vargas (Finance, Pensions and Intergovernmental Affairs), Nick Macchione (Health; Healthy Counties Advisory Board), John Peters (Human Services and Education; Rural Action Caucus), Kelly Long (Human Services and Education), Cathy Senderling-McDonald (Human Services and Education), Luis Alejo (Immigration Reform Task Force), Nate Greenberg (IT Advisory Council), Jeff Griffiths (Justice and Public Safety), Kathryn Barger (Large Urban Caucus), Stacy Corless (Public Lands), Miles Menetrey (Public Lands), Bob Gardner (Public Lands), James Gore (Resilient Counties Advisory Board), and Virginia Bass (Rural Action Caucus).