NACO Associate and Sustaining Members enable NACO to enhance its continuing education programs for county officials across the state. Visit NACO's complete associate and sustaining membership list here.

A gift to NACO's Education Foundation ensures that the children of county officials and county employees are eligible to apply for scholarships to continue their education at Nebraska's higher learning institutions. Whatever their passion - history, art, music, science, education, sports - the NACO Education Foundation will provide them an opportunity to fund their education beyond the K-12 level. Memorial gifts to NACO's Education Foundation are tax deductible and will be a lasting legacy in honor of your loved one's commitment to educating the children of Nebraska's county officials and employees. For more information about how to make a memorial gift, please contact Larry Dix  / 402-434-5660 ext. 226.

Wendy Kelly has moved on from NACO to fill a Field Liaison position at the Nebraska Department of Revenue, Property Assessment Division.  NACO wishes Wendy well in her endeavors and appreciates greatly her contribution to the NACO team.

NACO is pleased to announce that Ashley Vandeloo has stepped in to the position Wendy filled while at NACO.  She will be the first person to greet you when you visit the NACO office.  Ashley will assist the NACO staff with their responsibilities and act as receptionist for the NACO office.

Currently Ashley lives in Utica and took the position with NACO in hopes of moving to Lincoln in the near future.  She attended and graduated from Southeast Community College where she was  enrolled in the Office Professional Program.  She is married with two children and enjoys traveling and most outdoor activities, especially camping.

Please join NACO in welcoming Ashley Vandeloo.

NACO's 8th Annual Legislative Conference will be held in Kearney on October 10, 2013.  If you haven't already done so, be sure to mark this date on your calendar because you won't want to miss this educational opportunity.

Over five hours of educational sessions and networking have been planned for this year's conference.  To view the tentative agenda for this conference, click here.

The registration fee for this conference is only $45.00.  The registration fee includes two breaks, a luncheon and all  handout materials. 

A block of rooms has been reserved at the Holiday Inn Hotel and Convention Center in Kearney.  Rates for lodging are $82.95 single/double.  You may contact the Holiday Inn at (308) 237-5971 for lodging.  Be sure to mention that you are with the NACO Legislative Conference to receive the contracted rate.

At this conference you will have input into establishing NACO's platform and legislative priorities. Take a look at the tentative agenda and you'll see that this conference is a very important part of each elected and appointed county official's continuing education, not to mention your opportunity to have input into the legislation that affects county government as a whole.

To register for the workshop, click here.

Lodging

Lodging for NACO's 119th Annual Conference became available on May 10, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. CST.  The conference will be held in Omaha December 11-13 and this year you will be able to make lodging reservations electronically by visiting the Omaha Convention & Visitors Bureau website and clicking on NACO's microsite.  The link to the microsite is available here and is also posted on NACO's website.  Once you click on NACO's microsite, you will be able to choose the contracted  hotel of your choice along with the dates you will require for lodging.  Initially, a valid credit card will be required for securing your lodging.  Once you have secured your lodging via credit card, you will be able to access a credit application for direct billing and will be required to complete and submit a tax exempt form (all forms will be available on the microsite).

 

Planning

NACO has sent, via e-mail, planning grids and cut off dates to each affiliate group leader requesting that each group plan their sessions for the upcoming Annual Conference in December.  If you have a topic that you would like to have addressed at the conference, please contact your affiliate group president so they may consider it for the agenda.

 

Opening Session Speaker 

NACO has contracted for Aaron Davis, member of Nebraska's 1994 National Champion football team, to deliver the opening session address to conference attendees at this year's conference in Omaha.

  

Aaron is not just a speaker "telling" individuals how to succeed.  He is in the trenches every day as the President of his own consulting firm, Aaron Davis Presentations, Inc., the Chief Operations Officer of The Thomas Group, and the co-founder of several other profitable business ventures.

  

Aaron Davis Presentations, Inc. received the Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Minority Owned Business award while Toastmasters International awarded him the Communications & Leadership Award.  Rotary International also presented him with the prestigious Paul Harris Fellow Award.  In addition, his business management certification seminars for the University of Nebraska have received some of the highest ratings in the program's twenty-four year history!

 

Courage, mental toughness and the ability to change and adapt quickly are just a few characteristics that all champions possess.  As a member of the Nebraska 1994 National Championship football team (considered by some as one of the best teams ever assembled), Aaron has a keen understanding of what it takes to achieve incredible results.  In his presentation, "Perform Like a Champion" conferences attendees will learn strategies to remain mentally tough in a competitive environment; they will be encouraged to never lose the ability to laugh at themselves and to have fun; and they will learn tips on how to adapt to change quickly while still enjoying the ride.

 

Registration

The advance registration fee for NACO Annual Conference is $120.00 per person if registering on or before November 22.  After November 22, the fee increases to $135.00.  Written notification of conference registration cancellation must be received by NACO prior to November 22.  Refund of advance registration fee, less a $25.00 administrative fee will be made by mail at the conclusion of the conference.  You may register for the annual conference by clicking here. 

 

County Official of the Year

Do you know of an elected or appointed county official who you feel serves as the embodiment of a true dedicated public official?  If so, nominate that individual for the annual County Official of the Year Award.  The Nebraska Association of County Officials will present its highest honor to one county official at the conclusion of the December 13th business meeting.

 

The County Official of the Year Award was created as a means of honoring one individual each year for his or her leadership abilities, high standard of public service and outstanding contributions made to the medium of county government and that person's community.

 

The official nomination form can be found on NACO's website or by clicking here.  To nominate someone you know, print the form, complete it and return it to the NACO office by November 8, along with any supplemental materials you feel would provide additional insight into why this person is deserving of the award.  Supporting material may include testimonial letters from peers or other printed matter that highlight his or her record of service.  Each of the 2013 nominees will be introduced and recognized during the conference.  The announcement will be made as to who has been chosen by a special selection committee following the NACO Business Meeting on Friday, December 13.  The 2013 recipient will join an elite list of county officials who have previously received this award and will receive a handsomely engraved plaque befitting of this prestigious honor.

 

To register for annual conference, click here.  To view a conference overview and tentative agenda, click here. 

Hearings that are conducted at the State Capitol can be viewed via livestreaming by clicking here.

Legal Line                             

A recent Nebraska Court of Appeals case presents a good opportunity to review one of the basic tenets of contract formation - a meeting of the minds.  

In Stitch Ranch v. Double B.J. Farms, 21 Neb. App. 328, ___ N.W.2d ___ (2013), acquisition of a "feedlot permit" was required as part of a contract for a transfer of real property. Ultimately Stitch filed a breach of contract suit in district court and the closing was not completed. The district court concluded that each party had attached reasonable but materially different meanings to the term "feedlot permit" in the contract and characterized the issue as one of "mistake".  On appeal, the Court of Appeals affirmed the district court's cancellation of the contract, holding that there was never any meeting of the minds about the term "feedlot permit". 

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.

The NACO 2013 Directory of County Officials is available.  The directory is an annual publication that provides names and addresses for elected and appointed county officials in the state.  A directory is available for $17.00 if non-taxable and $18.00 if taxable.  To order, click here.

The 2012 County Board Handbook and related revisions are available. The cost for a current handbook, including legislative information from the 2012 session, is $80.00/book plus $17.00 shipping and handling per book. The 2012 Supplement to the County Board Handbook is available for $20.00 plus $5.00 shipping and handling. The order form is available on the NACO website here. For questions, contact Ashley Vandeloo by clicking here or call her at (402) 434-5660 ext. 223.

NACo Web-Based Education