Jackson County Commissioner Doug Breidenthal Elected President of the National Association of Counties’ Western Interstate Region

SALEM, Ore., June 3, 2016 –  Jackson County, Oregon Commissioner Doug Breidenthal was elected president of the National Association of Counties’ (NACo) Western Interstate Region (WIR) during its annual conference in Teton County, Jackson Hole, Wyoming May 25 – 27.

“It’s an honor to be entrusted with this office by my peers from across the western United States,” said Breidenthal. “I look forward to achieving tangible results on important issues that will positively impact Jackson County, Oregon and the western United States.”

Commissioner Breidenthal has been working with members of Congress on federal land management reform since he took office in 2013 and plans to obtain results in this area before the end of the year. Additionally, Commissioner Breidenthal and the WIR are looking to establish a partnership with the Western Governors Association (WGA) in an effort to bring more attention to western issues.

“The relatively low population of the western states puts us at a disadvantage in Congress,” explained Mike McArthur, executive director of the Association of Oregon Counties (AOC). “The prospect of partnering two respected organizations such as WIR and WGA in an effort to make a bigger impact in Washington, D.C. is very encouraging. Commissioner Breidenthal is the right leader to make this happen.”

A couple of major issues the two organizations could work on together are species management and reform of the Endangered Species Act – initiatives of WGA Chairman Governor Matt Mead of Wyoming. Both are critically important matters throughout the west. Commissioner Breidenthal has identified other western issues on which he may seek partnership with the WGA. These include waters of the U.S., public land management reform, fire, health and transportation. “Working in tandem with WGA will provide momentum on a host of policy issues impacting Oregon and the west,” said Breidenthal.

Commissioner Breidenthal joined 500 county officials from throughout the west at the WIR conference in Wyoming. The group discussed critical legislative and regulatory issues that are being debated in the nation’s capital. These include the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) and Secure Rural Schools (SRS) programs, new regulations proposed by the Bureau of Land Management that could substantially affect counties containing federal public lands, and strengthening local infrastructure.

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ABOUT WESTERN INTERSTATE REGION (WIR)
The Western Interstate Region (WIR) serves as the counties’ advocate for public policy issues affecting the west. WIR is affiliated with the National Association of Counties (NACo) and is dedicated to the promotion of western interests within NACo. These interests include public lands issues such as land use and conservation, community stability and economic development and the promotion of the traditional western way of life. WIR’s membership consists of the state associations of counties in 15 Western states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. For more information about WIR, see the new video and visit http://www.naco.org/WIR

ABOUT NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES (NACo)
The National Association of Counties (NACo) unites America’s 3,069 county governments. Founded in 1935, NACo brings county officials together to advocate with a collective voice on national policy, exchange ideas and build new leadership skills, pursue transformational county solutions, enrich the public’s understanding of county government and exercise exemplary leadership in public service. More information at: www.naco.org.

ABOUT ASSOCIATION OF OREGON COUNTIES (AOC)
The Association of Oregon Counties (AOC) is a statewide organization representing Oregon’s 36 counties. Established in 1906, AOC unites counties to advocate, communicate and educate through information sharing and consensus development. More information at: www.oregoncounties.org.

MEDIA INQUIRIES

Laura Cleland | Communications & Operations Director | Association of Oregon Counties | 503.585.8351