Week of April 1, 2014
2014 County Health Rankings and Roadmaps Released 
 
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute have released their County Health Rankings and Roadmaps for 2014. 

To see Wisconsin's rankings and to explore the
County Health Rankings and Roadmaps site, which has a wealth of information, click here.

View a webinar on methods and new measures for 2014  by clicking here.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute began their collaboration in January 2009 leading up to the first release of the County Health Rankings in February 2010. Now, with the fifth release of the County Health Rankings, they are looking back at what has happened, highlighting what is new this year, and looking forward to all that is to come.

We encourage you to explore the full County Health Rankings and Roadmaps website, which contains a wealth of information, by clicking here

 

Plan to Attend 2014 WCA District Meetings

Each even-numbered year following the spring elections, the Wisconsin Counties Association (WCA) holds a series of district meetings to:

*Update members on the services offered by the Wisconsin Counties Association.
*Provide members with a legislative update.
*Elect District Representatives to the WCA Board of Directors.
*Elect District Representatives to the Wisconsin County Mutual Insurance CorporationBoard of Directors.

See the agenda for the meetings, as well as a list of dates and locations for WCA's seven districts, by clicking here.

If you have any questions about the WCA District Meetings, please contact Sarah Diedrick-Kasdorf at 866.404.2700. 
 
Save the Date: Wisconsin County Officials Workshops (COWS) Coming in May

Every two years, UW-Extension's Local Government Center and the Wisconsin Counties Association host the County Officials Workshops (COWS).  This year's sessions will be held May 6-May 20 in seven locations around the state.

The COWS are not only for newly elected county officials and we encourage county board veterans to take another look at these worthwhile meetings.  Covered topics to include rules and responsibilities, budgeting, open meetings law, ethics and conflicts of interest, and running meetings. 

New this year is online registration through WCA's website.  Registration is now open.

April is National County Government Month
Since 1991, NACo has encouraged counties across the country to actively promote county government programs and services.

National County Government Month (NCGM) is celebrated each April by the nation's counties to raise public awareness and understanding about the roles and responsibilities of county government.

This year's theme is: Ready and Resilient Counties: Prepare. Respond. Thrive.

Our staff at WCA worked with Governor Scott Walker's office to declare April County Government Month here in Wisconsin.  The WCA staff can be seen in the image above with the proclamation.

To learn more about what your county can do for County Government Month, click here

WCA Annual Conference Sneak Peek: Dr. Richard Beeman
In the months leading up to the WCA Annual Conference in Sauk County, WCA will be highlighting our keynote speakers.  We encourage you to learn more about them and explore their work as well

The keynote speaker at our Third General Assembly on Tuesday September 16th will be Dr. Richard R. Beeman.  He is the John Welsh Centennial Professor of History Emeritus, has been a member of the faculty at the University of Pennsylvania for 45 years.  

He is a historian of the American Revolutionary Era, and has written and edited 13 books and several dozen articles on aspects of America's political and constitutional history in the 18th and early 19th centuries.

His recent book, Plain Honest Men: The Making of the American Constitution was the winner of the George Washington Book Prize and the Literary Award of the Philadelphia Athenaeum. 

His annotated edition of the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution, The Penguin Guide to the United States Constitution, was published by Penguin Press in August 2010. His newest book, Our Lives, Our Fortunes and Our Sacred Honor: The Forging of American Independence, 1774-1776, was released in May of 2013.

Dr. Beeman has received numerous awards, including fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Rockefeller Foundation, the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton, and the Huntington Library.

He lives in Media, Pennsylvania with his wife, Mary Cahill and their golden retriever, Abigail Adams.  Learn more about Dr. Beeman here
IN THIS ISSUE
2014 County Health Rankings and Roadmaps Released
Plan to Attend 2014 WCA District Meetings
Mark Your Calendars for COWS
April is National County Government Month
WCA Annual Conference Sneak Peek: Dr. Richard Beeman
REGISTER FOR "TRANSPORTATION FORUM II"

County officials are encouraged to attend The Future of Transportation II June 4th in Appleton.  The event, put on by WisPolitics.com and WisBusiness.com, is sponsored by the Wisconsin Counties Association, the Wisconsin Transportation Builders Association and the Transportation Development Association of Wisconsin.

Lunch begins at 11:30 a.m., with the program running from noon until 1:15 p.m. Congressman Reid Ribble will be the keynote speaker, followed by a panel discussion, Exporting Wisconsin: Transportation's Role in the Global Marketplace.

The price is $24 at the door and $18 if paid in advance. 

To learn more and to register for "Future of Transportation II," click here.
SPONSOR OR EXHIBIT AT 2014 WCA ANNUAL CONFERENCE

The WCA Annual Conference will be held September 14-16 in Sauk County.

To learn more about being an exhibitor or sponsor at the WCA Marketplace, held in conjunction with the conference, click here.

Watch a video about the benefits of being a sponsor or exhibitor at the 2014 WCA Annual Conference by clicking here.
DISCOVER WISCONSIN PREMIERES LATEST EPISODE ON RIVER COMMUNITIES

Discover Wisconsin premieres Paddle, Float, Explore-Wisconsin's River Communities, airing April 5-6.

"Stretching 430 miles long the Wisconsin River is the state's longest river. We're heading down the 92 miles that make up the lower Wisconsin riverway, which also flows into the Mississippi River, and discovering some of the best river communities along the way! Join us for some fun on and off the rivers in the Sauk Prairie area, Boscobel, and Prairie du Chien."

See a preview of the episode here. Check your local listings for show times.
STILL TIME TO REGISTER FOR APRIL WCA EDUCATIONAL SEMINAR

On April 14 in Stevens Point, WCA will hold their April educational seminar, Reducing County Liability and Workers' Compensation Costs through Appropriate  Risk Management Practices.

At a time when counties are looking to reduce their costs to meet budget restraints, this seminar on Reducing County Liability and Workers' Compensation Costs is a great opportunity for county leaders and managers to learn and discuss effective risk management programs.

To learn more and to register, click here.