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Nebraska Association of County Officials
1335 H Street Lincoln, NE 68508
Phone: (402) 434-5660
Fax: (402) 434-5673
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Re
gistration will remain open for the annual NACO conference that will be held at the Younes Conference Center in Kearney until 4 p.m. December 6. The conference dates are December 13 through 15. Wednesday, December 13 is the opening session at 2 p.m. and the final day concludes with a Friday, December 15 breakfast, business meeting and awards presentations followed by a box luncheon dismissal around 10:30 a.m.
County officials and their employees may register by clicking
here
.
Vendor registration can be accomplished by sending an email to
LeRoy Janssen
.
The general activities agenda can be accessed by clicking
here
.
Group agendas are
here
.
Other conference information concerning room reservations, County Official of the Year nominations, and the conference keynote speaker can be accessed
here
.
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NACO Accepts Award For Institute of Excellence
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Pictured with the NACO Institute of Excellence Award (from left) are UNL Extension Educators Phyllis Schoenholz, Emeritus, Jessica Jones and Carroll Welte, NACO Executive Director, Larry Dix, Leslie Preston, NACO Office Manager, Theresa Puls, NACO Board Secretary-Treasurer and NACO President, Bill Tielke.
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At the Nebraska Cooperative Extension Association awards banquet in Kearney on November 28, NACO President Bill Tielke accepted the Outstanding Partner in Education Award for NACO and the Institute of Excellence program that is offered on an annual basis. The award was presented to NACO based on the partnership between the University of Nebraska system and NACO that was formed in 2008 from an idea that was developed by Tim Loewenstein, former NACO board member and Larry Dix, NACO Executive Director. The University was approached at that time and the educational partnership began.
Since its inception, 309 county officials have graduated from the NACO Institute of Excellence. It is a year-long program of professional development for county officials. Several areas of personal leadership development are presented including;
- personality preferences and leadership behaviors,
- leadership mission,
- active listening skills,
- managing conflicts,
- leading meetings, and
- corresponding with legislators.
The Institute of Excellence is designed to fit the busy schedules of the attendees with seminars spaced throughout the year in March, May, July, September and December. Sessions are offered in two locations - Lincoln and North Platte. Sessions are taught by faculty from Nebraska Extension, the UNL Department of Agriculture Leadership, Education and Communication, the UNO School of Public Administration and other departments within the University of Nebraska system.
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NACO Board Makes Appointment For Vacancy
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The NACO Board of Directors received notice that Casey Sherlock resigned his Board of Director's Officer position early last month. After a conference call meeting on November 17, the Board of Directors voted to appoint Theresa Puls, Phelps County Commissioner, in Sherlock's Secretary-Treasurer position on the NACO Board. Puls is currently serving on the Board as the Central District Commissioner representative. That position will have a vacancy until the Central District has an opportunity to fill it.
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2020 Census Local Update of Census Addresses Operation
(LUCA)
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Recently, county board chairs received an invitation from the U.S. Census Bureau to participate in the 2020 Census Local Update of Census Addresses Operation (LUCA), as mandated by the Census Address List Improvement Act of 1994 (Public Law 103-430).
While LUCA is a voluntary program, your county is strongly encouraged to consider registering by the deadline of
December 15, 2017
to participate
.
To take a look at the reasons your county should register, click
here
.
Jason Dean from the Census Bureau will be conducting a Local Update of Census Addresses training in Lincoln, Nebraska January 12, 2018. This is a "how to" workshop covering pre-LUCA preparation (Geocoder/Address Count List/User List), LUCA Review (paper/digital/GUPS), LUCA submissions (mail/change file/SWIM) and the LUCA feedback phase. Click
here
to view the training flyer.
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Minimum Salary Recommendations Available
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2019-2022 Minimum Salary Recommendations Report and Supplemental Information is Now Available
After completing its work, the 2017 Salary Committee forwarded its recommendations for 2019-2022 county elected officials’ salaries to the NACO Board. Following approval of the report by the NACO Board, NACO President William Tielke presented an overview of the report and its contents at the October Legislative Conference at Wildcat Hills. The next day copies of the report and supplemental information was electronically forward to each county board chair and each county clerk. The supplemental information includes: 2017/anticipated 2018 salaries of all elected officials, deputies, appointed officials, jail administrators and benefit information.
If you are interested in obtaining a copy of the referenced 2019 – 2022 Minimum Salary Recommendations report and supplemental information, please contact Elaine Menzel at
elaine@nacone.org
.
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2018 Office of Violence Prevention Grants
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The Nebraska Crime Commission has announced the availability of a
2018 Office of Violence prevention Grant [OVP].
The Application Instructions outline general guidelines, eligibility, and funding requirements. This information can also be found on the Crime Commission
website
.
COMPETITIVE FUNDS AVAILABLE: APPROXIMATELY $350,000.00
Attached you will find the
Application Kit Instructions
and the
Application
. You are encouraged to participate and distribute and post this announcement. Please contact Chris Harris, Director of the Office of Violence Prevention at the Nebraska Crime Commission, 301 Centennial Mall South, Lincoln, Nebraska 68509-4946 by
email
or call at 402-471-3813 (office) or 402-416-4129 (cell) or fax at 402-471-2837 with any questions.
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Exemplary District Court Clerk Honored
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Platte County District Court Clerk Marlene Vetick, left, receives the Marjorie Schaffer Memorial Award for her exemplary service from Nebraska Chief Justice Mike Heavican during an event at the state Capitol.
Click
here
for a November 20, 2017
Columbus Telegram
article courtesy of Jim Osborn.
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Legislature Schedules Interim Hearings
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Although the 2018 legislative session won't begin until January, senators and staff are working on new legislation during the interim. Resolutions proposing interim studies are offered during the session to examine new ideas for legislation and to dig deeper into issues raised by previously introduced bills. Public hearings are held on some of the priority issues selected by each legislative committee, including the topics that are of interest to counties. County officials are encouraged to attend the hearings and provide testimony. Unlike hearings during the legislative session, testifiers do not need to take a position in support or opposition to the issue, but are simply asked to provide input. Some of the hearings will be live-streamed through the Legislature's website.
The complete interim study schedule is available
here
or each month's hearings can be found on the Legislature's
calendar
.
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Net Neutrality: The Coming Vote to Change the Internet
When you go online you have certain expectations. You expect to be connected to whatever website you want. You expect that your cable or phone company isn’t messing with the data and is connecting you to all websites, applications and content you choose. You expect to be in control of your internet experience.
When you use the internet, you expect Net Neutrality.
Net Neutrality is the basic principle that prohibits Internet Service Providers (ISPs) like AT&T, Comcast and Verizon from speeding up, slowing down or blocking any content, applications or websites you want to use. Net Neutrality is the way that the internet has always worked since the internet was created. In February 2015, the FCC adopted Net Neutrality based on Title II of the Communications Act, making the “open internet” official that internet traffic was treated equal.
On December 14
th
, the FCC will vote on a proposal presented by Chairman Ajit Pai (former Verizon Lawyer) that would completely remove Net Neutrality as it is now.
This will give ISPs more power allowing them to legally lower bandwidth speed, block access to their competitor’s businesses, or add additional charges for specific types of internet use (video streaming, music, news access). They could give preferential treatment to services they directly profit from and block those they don’t, all the while charging internet companies like Netflix additional fees for speedier access to consumers—costs that you can count on being reflected in your monthly billing statement.
The FCC vote is expected to pass on December 14
th
, but then drag out for another year and a half or more in Court.
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2017-2018 Directory of County Officials
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NACO's 2017-2018 Directory of County Officials is a valuable resource that not only gives you names, addresses, phone numbers, fax numbers and e-mail addresses of every county official in the state, but includes a listing of county board meeting days, NACO districts, county seats, NACO officers and directors, affiliate officers and NACO staff.
The NACO Directory is also still available in electronic format by selecting the "Directory of County Officials" icon on the NACO webpage. The electronic version is updated on a regular basis and contains the changes that occur between printings of the hard copies.
A printed directory is available for $19.00 if non-taxable and $20.00 if taxable.
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County Government Day PowerPoint
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The PowerPoint presentation is available electronically at no charge (sent via e-mail) for use by counties during their annual County Government Day. The PowerPoint provides a comprehensive look at county government functions in the State of Nebraska and can be customized by each county. CD's are also available for $10.00 each to cover processing, shipping and handling. To request the County Government Day PowerPoint electronically, please e-mail your request to
larrydix@nacone.org
.
The CD order form is available
here
.
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2017 County Board Handbook and Revisions
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Newly Revised -- 2017 County Board Handbook and Related Revisions are Now Available
The cost for a current handbook, including legislative information from the 2017 session, is $80.00/book plus $18.00 shipping and handling per book. The 2017 Supplement to the County Board Handbook is available for $25.00 plus $5.00 shipping and handling. The order form is available on the
NACO website
or by clicking
here
.
The 2017 County Board Handbooks and Supplements will be available for pickup at the annual conference in December.
You can save the shipping charges mentioned above if you fill out the form and email it to
Deb Eberly
.
If you are interested in purchasing a complete handbook or a supplement please contact
Deb Eberly
or call her at (402) 434-5660 ext. 232.
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More Than 400 Counties Sign Stepping Up Pledge
Nov. 22, 2017
NACO's Stepping Up Campaign Has More Than 400 Counties Committed To Reducing The Number of People With Mental Illness In County Jails
Bill Hall spent most of his tenure on the Lincoln County, Oregon Board of Commissioners focusing on human services issues. He saw the jail above capacity almost daily, with nearly 30 percent of inmates showing signs of mental illness.
The county had a drug court. It had a mental health court. It had post-release transitional housing. But it took a Stepping Up Summit in April 2016, coordinated by NACo, the American Psychiatric Association and the Council of State Governments Justice Center to give him a new perspective on the problem.
“It was a revelation for me. I knew a lot of these concepts were out there, but it was the thread that tied it all together,” he said. “I started talking it up with all the usual stakeholders around the county and by October, we’d signed a resolution.”
Lincoln County had joined the growing list of Stepping Up counties — now topping more than 400 — that pledge to take steps to change the way they do business to try to get help to people with mental illness, instead of putting them in jail. In the year since the county signed on to Stepping Up, Hall and County Sheriff Curtis Landers have set out in a new direction.
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Resilient Counties: Utilizing Solar Energy in Disaster Planning and Recovery
Dec. 6, 2017 , 1:00 pm – 2:15 pm CST
(202) 942-4274
As recent natural disasters serve as an unfortunate reminder of nature’s fury and impact, county leaders across the country continue to actively seek innovative solutions to disaster preparedness and community resilience.
Join us for this educational webinar to explore the importance of a resilient energy system and role of solar energy–including battery storage and microgrid technology--in preparing and recovering from a natural disaster or other emergency scenario.
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December 13-15, 2017
NACO Annual Conference
Younes Conference Center
Kearney, NE
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Thank you for keeping up to date on the latest NACO News,
Sincerely,
Nebraska Association of County Officials
1335 H Street Lincoln, NE 68508
Phone: (402) 434-5660
Fax: (402) 434-5673
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