Twenty-two Oregon commissioners, judges, county staff, and Association of Oregon staff joined more than 2,000 county leaders July 9-12 at the 2021 National Association of Counties (NACo) Annual Conference in Prince George’s County Maryland, the first in-person NACo meeting since before the COVID-19 pandemic began. Seven additional Oregon participants joined the conference virtually through a virtual platform.

“I was delighted to attend the NACo Annual Conference in-person this year,”said AOC President and Coos County Commissioner Melissa Cribbins, who also Chairs the NACo Energy, Environment, and Land Use Steering Committee. “It provides a great opportunity for Oregon counties to make their voices heard on federal policy, connect with peers, and bring resources back to our counties.”

A key activity at the NACo Annual Conference is the resolutions process. Through this process, NACo members have the ability to participate in national policy decisions affecting county governments. Members submit policy statements for consideration of NACo policy steering committees and the board of directors. Adopted resolutions serve as a guide for NACo members and staff as they work to advance the association’s federal policy agenda before Congress, the White House, and federal agencies. 

Tillamook County Commissioner David Yamamoto, who carried a resolution said of the conference, “this is a great event that offers counties a platform to have critical policy discussions, and elevate county needs with our federal partners.” 

Oregon members supported and carried eight resolutions, including:

  • Economic Development Administration Reauthorization – Sponsor: Martha Schrader, Commissioner, Clackamas County, Ore.
  • Amend the Medicaid Inmate Exclusion Policy in the Federal Social Security Act  – Sponsor: Sharon Meieran, Commissioner, Multnomah County, Ore.
  • Amend the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Federal Tort Claims Act Health Center Policy Manual – Sponsor: Jay Bozievich, Commissioner Lane County, Ore.
  • Nationwide Approach to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Implementation of NMFS Biological Opinion – Sponsor: David Yamamoto, Commissioner, Tillamook County, Ore.
  • Reducing Emissions from the Aviation Sector – Sponsors: Melissa Daub, Commissioner, Wayne County, Mich.; Heather Buch, Commissioner, Lane County, Ore.
  • Amendments to Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) Side B Funding – Establishing a Minimum – Sponsor: Susan Roberts, Commissioner, Wallowa County, Ore.
  • Use of Targeted Grazing for Wildland Fire Management – Sponsor(s): Todd Nash, Commissioner, Wallowa County, Ore.; Steve Smith, Commissioner, Custer County, Idaho; Leland Pollock, Commissioner, Garfield County, Utah; Joel Bousman, Commissioner, Sublette County, Wyo.; Colleen Roberts, Commissioner, Jackson County, Ore.
  • Proposed Resolution Regarding Wildland Fire Regulations and Policies – Sponsor: Colleen Roberts, Commissioner, Jackson County, Ore.

A full list of resolutions considered are available here.

During the conference, NACo Immediate Past President Gary Moore highlighted the year’s accomplishments, including several significant federal policy victories, particularly the passage of the American Rescue Plan Act which includes $65.1 billion in direct, flexible aid to every county in America, as well as other crucial investments in local communities. NACo members elected DeKalb County, Ga. Commissioner Larry Johnson president and celebrated the leadership of county officials on the front lines of the pandemic throughout the past year.

After 18 months of bold leadership, county appointed and elected officials convened to discuss strategies to drive recovery in our communities, as well as federal policy and legislation on a wide range of key issues. More than three dozen educational workshops and meetings explored topics including infrastructure, broadband accessibility, affordable housing, technology, reducing the number of mentally ill individuals in jails, economic development, disaster preparedness, and recovery and other topics important to counties across the country.

Notable speakers included Vice President Kamala Harris, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Marcia Fudge, U.S. Representative Garrett Graves (R-La.), IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig, Small Business Administration Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Treasury Department Wally Adeyemo, Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce Don Graves, and United States Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen.

Because the conference was held in Maryland, Association of Oregon Counties (AOC) members and staff welcomed the opportunity to meet with members of Oregon’s federal delegation and staff to advance county issues and help tell the county story in Congress. 

AOC Executive Director, Gina Firman Nikkel added, “we are so grateful for the added benefit of being able to connect on key county issues with Oregon’s federal delegation. We value our federal partners and their support of counties.”

Oregon’s delegation met with Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore), Senator Ron Wyden’s (D-Ore), and staff for Representative Kurt Schrader (D-Ore) and discussed a range of priority issues including Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT), Secure Rural Schools (SRS), health care, infrastructure investments, broadband, and more.

 More information about the conference is available here.

Contributed by: Megan Chuinard | Public Affairs Associate