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Update from NACE NACo Representative
Rich Sanders P.E.
March Madness's is well underway! If you are a College Basketball fan, you've enjoyed watching the Conference Tournaments and will be entered multiple pools for the NCAA Tournament and rooting on your favorite team. Then there is the group that loves College Hockey. The tournament may not be as big as the basketball tourney, but this time of the year is always special, waiting to see who is in and who is out. Being a graduate of the University of North Dakota, I am rooting for another Fighting Sioux NCHC Championship and then an NCAA Tournament Championship. As far as NACE goes, you should have received the email allowing you to sign up for a committee and also the email that allows you to vote for leadership positions. If you didn’t receive both emails, please let Jen Voshell know at jvoshell@countyengineers.org so she can get you your ballot/committee assignment.
NACo held its Legislative Conference February 10th – 13th. Again, NACE had a great present at the Transportation Steering Committee Meeting and President-elect Stephen McCall did a great job filling in for President Jeff Blue giving the NACE Update. NACE also had a presence in a couple of sessions during the rest of the conference. NACE Executive Director Kevan Stone participated in a session dealing with Securing Direct Funding in Future Transportation Legislation. Josh Harvill (SEVP) moderated a session in which Matt Machado (WVP) participated in discussing Reducing Red Tape when it comes to the Federal Permitting Process. Everyone did a great job, and the sessions were well attended. I was able to attend the Rural Action Caucus meeting in which the Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack spoke about the Farm Bill and other programs. The one program that perked my ears was where a farmer can do different things to help reduce Green House Gasses (GHG). With State DOT’s looking at reductions in vehicle miles travelled to reduce GHG and requiring mitigation when it comes to construction projects and GHG, wouldn’t it be nice if we could look to the agricultural community to help us with mitigation?
With April approaching you have to be looking forward to The Masters and the NACE Annual Conference. Even though we had an unusually warm winter, can’t wait to be in Palm Springs and some nice 80-degree temps. If you haven’t registered for the conference yet, please do so. Looking forward to seeing everyone there.
If you run into any issues that you feel rise to the level of a national concern, please contact NACE Executive Director Kevan Stone and/or our Legislative Committee Co-Chairs Luke McGinty or Wayne Sandberg to get it in front of NACE. Should you wish, you may also contact Jessica Jennings, NACo’s Transportation Policy Legislative Director or myself and we will make sure to get the issue in front of the NACo Transportation Steering Committee for their consideration.
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