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News & Tools for Washington's Counties |
January 2012 |
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QUICK LINKS | | If you missed it...presentations and interviews from the 2011 WSAC Annual Conference are available online |
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JANUARY SPONSOR |
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President's Message |
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WSAC President Paul Pearce,
Skamania County Commissioner |
Greetings WSAC Members and Friends,
I hope you enjoyed the holidays and are well on your way to tackling the opportunities and challenges of 2012.
We have approved an ambitious set of annual goals and performance measures as an Association and you will notice enhancements and new offerings for our membership throughout the next twelve months. Please take advantage of these new services and programs as they become available and let your executive board officers know your feedback.
We will also stay on top of emerging issues so please bring ideas to any board member or Eric or Scott. While we are focused on our set goals, we also want to be responsive to the changing needs of counties.
I look forward to seeing many of you in Olympia over the legislative session and others of you throughout the year.
Thank you for your service to your communities. And, as always, it is an honor to serve you,
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| NACo | |
Board Meeting Report: December 8-10 in Orlando, Florida
Submitted by Commissioner Laura Merrill, Pend Oreille County
The NACo board met this December with a full agenda of items to address. It was well attended by over 70 board members and other members interested in the topics for action, and to enjoy some Florida sunshine I'm sure. There was the usual business of the board with minutes, committee reports, saying goodbye to members leaving and welcoming new members. Commissioner Paul Pearce was approved as a new board member representing Washington.
At the Board meeting each steering committee presented their legislative agendas for 2012; the NACo budget for the year was presented and approved; and reports were given by the Audit, Finance, Programs and Services, and Membership Services committees.
A couple of items up for approval were discussed at the board forum before the formal meeting and both were contentious. The first was in regards to the Prescription Discount card program with CVS Caremark. NACo is engaged in negotiating a revenue sharing agreement because of the competition in the market and many counties voiced their concerns. The second was about going to an electronic "County News" instead of the current printed one to save printing and distribution costs at NACo.
The board did approve moving forward with CVS Caremark to negotiate a revenue sharing program with the Prescription Discount Card. They did not approve changing to an electronic newsletter but directed staff to survey members first.
Some topics to keep an eye on for the future are NACo membership dues, membership renewal numbers from the CVS membership drive in 2011 (since this affects our top 12 membership), a dental insurance program pilot and certified training options.
There was a breakout session on "County Landscapes" where NACo provided some issues facing counties and the groups discussed and prioritized them. NACo is preparing the consolidated comments for presentation in March at the Legislative conference.
A more detailed report of board action is available along with copies of the materials presented; contact Michelle Nelson for copies.
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| Tools & Resources | |
County property tax levy dashboard available
An interactive information dashboard showing property tax levies for county general funds and county road funds has been developed with the help of WSACE Managing Director, Gary Rowe. The dashboard includes county general assessed value information and tax levy information for each county. County road assessed values, levies as well as road diversions, levy shifts, payments and transfers from the road fund are also included. The dashboard was prepared from information submitted by each county to the Washington State Department of Revenue and the County Road Administration Board. For more information contact Gary Rowe.
View the dashboard
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| New Rule Enactment | |
Rabies vaccinations now required statewide
With the start of the New Year comes a new state rule to protect the health of Washington residents. As of January 1, 2012, pet owners are required to make sure their dogs, cats, and ferrets have up-to-date rabies vaccinations. Many local jurisdictions already require pet vaccinations. Preventing the spread of rabies in animals is the best way to protect people from the deadly virus.
The rule, based on national guidelines developed by medical and veterinary experts, puts the state in line with the rest of the country. Until recently, Washington was one of just ten states in the U.S. that did not require rabies vaccination for pets.
Rabies is a deadly virus that affects animals and people. Hundreds of people in Washington need rabies treatment each year because they are exposed to potentially rabid animals. Without the shots, rabies is a fatal disease. Controlling rabies in domestic animals can reduce that number.
Bats are the only animals that carry the virus in Washington, but pets often come into contact with bats and can be exposed to the virus. Any mammal, even an indoor pet, can get rabies. Rabid bats found in and around homes are reported and tested every year, and positive cases have been confirmed in nearly every county in the state.
The last human case of rabies in Washington was in 1997 and the last reported animal case, other than a bat, was in 2002. People have been exposed to rabies as recently as December 2011, when a person and an unvaccinated cat were both exposed to a rabid bat in their home. Vaccinating pets is the best way to protect people in our state from this deadly virus. For more information, visit the Washington State Department of Health rabies rule website. |
| Legislative Workgroups | |
Health and human services workgroup update
The WSAC Annual Conference agenda included a round table session with the Legislative Steering Committee's (LSC) Health and Human Services workgroup, chaired by Commissioners Marc Boldt, Clark County, and Diane Wear, Pend Oreille County. Participants discussed the group's key issues and draft guiding principles. Read the group's handout from the conference round table, which includes resources for federal and state updates on health reform.
The LSC Health and Human Services workgroup started with 20 members and every other week conference calls in October 2010. They are now doing weekly calls with over 50 workgroup members, and are joined twice a month by leadership at several state agencies, including the Department of Social and Health Services, the Department of Health, and the Health Care Authority. Members include county elected officials, members of the Association of County Human Services (ACHS), Washington State Association of Public Health Officials (WSALPHO), RSN Administrators and representatives from the Local Area Agencies on Aging.
The workgroup is providing input and representation on many health reform related stakeholder groups and is working on guiding principles around health reform for counties. In addition, they assisted the Legislative Steering Committee in preparing the WSAC agenda for the 2012 Legislative Session and are ready to work on additional policy issues as they arise.
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| Stormwater | |
Comments requested on draft 2012 low impact development manual
WSU Extension and the Puget Sound Partnership are pleased to announce that the Draft 2012 Low Impact Development Technical Guidance Manual for Puget Sound (Draft LID Manual) is now available for broader stakeholder review. The Draft LID Manual is an update to the existing 2005 LID Technical Guidance Manual for Puget Sound, and incorporates new national and regional information and results of recent research regarding LID practices.
Visit the Draft LID Manual website which also contains information about the process, timeline, and participants involved in developing the 2012 version of the Draft LID Manual. Comments can be submitted by clicking on a link at the above website and following instructions. The review period will end at 5 pm on Thursday, February 9, 2012.
Please note that the Draft LID Manual is being updated in coordination with the Department of Ecology's development of the 2012 Stormwater Management Manual for Western Washington. The public comment period for that update process ends on February 3, 2012.
Contact Neil Aaland with questions about WSAC stormwater efforts. |
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Member Interview and News | |
Meet WSAC Member Charlotte Garrido
 | | Kitsap County Commissioner Charlotte Garrido |
What are some of Kitsap County's priorities?
The Board took some time late last year to set our 2012 priorities. The two overarching goals unite most of what we will be doing:
1) Explore opportunities for regionalization and annexation policies. I would like to see WSAC facilitate discussions among interested counties on issues such as the reduction of our territories through annexation; as well as areas where we could expand our services to other jurisdictions, such as storm water management and metropolitan policing. The Association is well placed to facilitate these conversations. How can counties strategize together and use our talents and capacities?
2) Support economic development initiatives. Including training opportunities and marketing, to help create and maintain jobs and to marry workforce development with economic development.
Read the entire interview with Commissioner Garrido
Member retirements
Dewy Desler who has been a public servant in Whatcom County for 42 years, the last 12 as deputy administrator and director of Administrative Services, retired in December. Read more details about his storied career.
Al Scalf, Jefferson County Department of Community Development director for the past 16 years, retired at the end of November after 26 years with the county.
Statewide boards & commission activity
Franklin County Commissioner Brad Peck was appointed by the WSAC Board to serve on the Heritage Barn Advisory Council.
Kelly Emerson, Island County Commissioner, was appointed to the state Jail Industries Board.
County grant announcements
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Clark County Courthouse entrance |
Clark County will conduct restorative work on its courthouse, including a polishing of its prevelant brasswork, through a Historic County Courthouse grant awarded by the Office of Archeology and Historic Preservation and county matching funds.
Several of Washington's Counties, and many of its contractors and partners, received federal Housing and Urban Development Continuum of Care funds to renew programs serving the homeless. List of recipients
An update to the Septics 101 video that was originally produced by Island County is now in the works because Clallam County received a grant from the state Department of Health. Eventually the video will be available to all counties as a resource. More information |
| Association News | |
Emmett Dobey joins WSAC staff
Last month Emmett Dobey was appointed to the Transportation Policy Analyst Position with the Washington State Association of Counties. In this new position, Emmett will be working with Washington's Counties and members of the Washington State Association of County Engineers in the development of transportation system performance measures. This work is funded through a specific legislative appropriation.
Emmett has a strong background planning for and managing public services. He most recently served as the Director of the Department of Utilities & Waste Management in Mason County and has held public works and planning leadership positions for the City of Olympia; the Metropolitan Planning Commission in Nashville/Davison County; Lincoln City, Oregon; and the Tulsa City-County Health Department, Tulsa, Oklahoma.
He earned a Master of Environmental Studies at University of Oklahoma School of Environmental Science and Engineering and is a member of several professional associations.
Please welcome Emmett in his new role with WSAC.
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| Upcoming Events & Training | |
Save the date: legislative implementation webinar
Learn about the Community Forest Trust (HB 1421), a new category of state-owned forestland emphasizing multiple community values and protecting working forests from conversion to alternative uses.
Through this WSAC webinar co-hosted by the Department of Natural Resources, learn about the new Trust and how counties as landowners might participate and help identify lands to potentially include in the new program. Hear about the implications and opportunities for counties. Have your questions answered by DNR representatives.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
1:00 - 1:30 p.m.
Registration is free but required prior to the webinar; contact Michelle Nelson, WSAC Member Services Director, to receive registration information when it becomes available.
New online learning course: Open Public Records Overview for Local Governments
Elected officials and all county and city staff will benefit from this basic overview of the Open Public Records Act and its implications for counties, cities and other local government agencies.
Pat Mason, Senior Legal Consultant for the Municipal Research and Services Center of Washington walks participants through:
* The purpose and intent of the law
* Procedures for compliance
* Application to electronic documents, including e-mail and social media
* Penalties for non-compliance
* Practical tips for avoid liability
Take the course at your computer, at your own pace. Simple quizzes throughout will reinforce the main points and a final completion certificate is provided at the conclusion of the course. Provides participants four elective Certified Elected Officials credits.
Register at the County Training Institute website. |
| Nomination Requests | |
NACo County Leadership Institute 2012
WSAC is requesting nominees from its members for the annual NACo County Leadership Institute (CLI), which will be held in Washington D.C this June. The CLI is an adaptive leadership workshop for 30 elected officials from around the country, using curriculum developed by Marty Linsky, co-author of Leadership on the Line.
If you, or a WSAC member you know, meet the criteria below and are interested and available in participating in the June 3-7, 2012 event in D.C. please submit an online nomination form by Wednesday, February 8th.
The WSAC Board of Directors established the following criteria for nomination:
- Member must have served at least one term and have been reelected to office.
- Member must be in an active WSAC leadership capacity, e.g., Board Member, District Officer, LSC Member, etc.
- Member must be willing to continue serve in a leadership position.
- Member will report to the WSAC membership following completion of the program.
Candidates must be elected county officials in NACo member counties, and only one candidate will be enrolled from a given state. Preference will be given to those serving at least one term and no more than eight years in office.
The WSAC Executive Committee will select and forward nominee(s) to NACo and the member chosen will be asked by NACo to fill out an application form. NACo will announce the 2012 participants in April. More information
US Forest Service Committee Applications to serve on a newly-formed advisory committee to guide management of our national forests and grasslands are now available. Members selected to serve on the National Advisory Committee for Implementation of the National Forest System Land Management Planning Rule will advise and give recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture and the Chief of the U.S. Forest Service.
The 45-day nomination period closes Feb. 21, 2012. Additional details on the committee and the application form are available at the U.S Forest Service website or by calling 202-205-0830. Further information is also available in the Federal Register Notice calling for nominations. (Note that the nomination period has since been extended to Feb. 21, 2012.)
The committee will be comprised of up to 21 members with diverse backgrounds, who represent the full range of public interests in management of the National Forest System lands and who represent geographically diverse locations and communities.
The committee will provide advice and recommendations on issues such as planning rule directives for implementation, best practices, effective monitoring practices and ongoing collaboration efforts. The announcement of this committee builds on the Agency's efforts to develop a new Land Management Planning Rule for the National Forest System.
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| Partner News | |
WCIF seeks Executive Director
The Board of Trustees of the Washington Counties Insurance Fund (WCIF) is seeking a dynamic and progressive leader with extensive knowledge of employee benefits in the area of health and welfare plans to lead a multi-employer trust serving the counties and junior taxing districts of Washington State.
The WCIF serves over 120 employers and 17,000 members plus dependents enrolled in a variety of benefit plans, including self-insured vision programs and fully insured PPO and HMO medical, dental, vision, long-term disability, EAP and group life programs. Annual premiums exceed $60 million. The Executive Director reports to a twenty member Board of Trustees, supports a ten member Board of Directors overseeing self-insured programs, supervises a staff of six, with an annual operating budget of $1.5 million.
Position requirements include: At least seven years of progressively responsible senior level management experience in the fields of public administration, including five years of experience in general insurance, and/or employee benefits as they relate to the public sector. A bachelor degree in business, public administration or a related field is preferred. Applicants must clearly demonstrate financial and budgetary experience, proven leadership experience; ability to work well with Boards and local governments; political astuteness; and excellent communication skills. Must be licensed and authorized to sell Life and Disability products or be willing to become licensed.
The WCIF offers a competitive salary commensurate with experience and a comprehensive benefits package.
Please send cover letter, salary history and requirements, resume and references to:
Washington Counties Insurance Fund
P.O. Box 7786
Olympia, WA 98507-7786.
Applicant review will begin February 1, 2012 and continue until the position is filled. The successful applicant will begin employment on June 1, 2012. Please inform us if you will need a reasonable accommodation to interview.
Washington Counties Insurance Fund is an equal opportunity employer and invites all qualified individuals to apply.
View the complete job description
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