|
NACO Legislative Conference
October 16, 2014
Holiday Inn Conference Center, Kearney
NACO Annual Conference
December 10 - 12, 2014
Century Link Center, Omaha
To view all upcoming events, click here.
|
| WHO SUPPORTS NACO AND THEIR MISSION?
 Associate and Sustaining Members
|
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.
|
|
|
Legislative Conference Set for October 16th
| |
NACO's 9th Annual Legislative Conference will be held in Kearney on October 16, 2014. 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.
To view the agenda for this conference, click here.
The registration fee for this conference is $55.00. The 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 $85.95 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 agenda and you will 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 legislation that affects county government as a whole.
To register for the Legislative Conference, click here.
|
Annual Conference Matters
| |
Lodging
Lodging for NACO's 120th Annual Conference became available in June, 2014. The conference will be held in Omaha December 10-12 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.
County Official of the Year Nominations
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 12th 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 14th, 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 2014 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 12. The 2014 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.
|
| Governor Heineman Kicks Off 12th Annual Nebraska Digital Government Summit |  The Nebraska Digital Government Summit provides a forum to foster discussion and dialogue on the use of information technology as a strategic tool for managers, executives and policy makers. Each year the advisory board for this event puts together a program that offers solutions to agency challenges through the use of IT.
Registration is free for all government employees! For more information regarding registration, topics included and keynote speakers click here.
|
Free Financial Professional Training
| |
Lancaster County Treasurer Andy Stebbing is offering government employees financial professional training on Wednesday, October 29, 2014 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. at the Nebraska Educational Telecommunications (NET) building at 1800 North 33rd Street in Lincoln, Nebraska. This training is sponsored by the Lancaster County Treasurer's Office, Allen, Gibbs and Houlik, L.C. and the Lincoln Chapter Association of Government Accountants.
For more details of the training and registration requirements,click here. Financial Professional Training hotel information may be found by clicking here. |
2 Day Grant Workshop in Grand Island on October 20 & 21
|
The Nebraska State Patrol Criminal Identification Division and Grant Writing USA will present a two-day grants workshop in Gr and Island, October 20-21, 2014. This training is applicable to grant seekers across all disciplines. Attend this class and you'll learn how to find grants and write winning grant proposals. Details can be obtained by clicking here.
|
| Free Community Aid and Juvenile Justice Conference |
The upcoming Nebraska Community Aid and Juvenile Justice Conference is focused on Community-Based Aid, Community Planning, and Evidence-Based Practices. Attendance is open to juvenile justice stakeholders statewide on Thursday, October 30 and Friday, October 31, 2014. National and local speakers will be presenting practical information on evidence-based programming to include: truancy intervention and prevention, status offenders, diversion, mentoring, gang prevention and intervention, reentry, substance abuse, mental health and disproportionate minority contact. Registration information can be found here. A tentative agenda for the two day conference can be found here
|
Nebraska Juvenile Diversion Team Continues Work at Georgetown
| |
The Juvenile Diversion Certificate Program at Georgetown University was an intensive and interactive learning program, bringing together teams who are committed to strengthening their diversion efforts.
Click here to see the Nebraska team and what they are preparing for. |
Advanced Institute of Excellence Cancelled
|
The NACO Institute of Excellence that was to be held on October 15th in Kearney has been cancelled due to the small number of registrants. Those who have registered should have received an email from the NACO office notifying them of the decision.
|
Interim Studies Keep Legislators Busy
|
Although the next legislative session won't officially 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.
To read more about the hearings and their schedules click here.
|
Unfunded Mandates Interim Study Scheduled for Hearings
| |
County officials have an opportunity to share information and concerns about unfunded and underfunded mandates at two interim study hearings of the Legislature's Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committees. On October 24, the committee will meet in Lincoln and will meet again on October 29 in South Sioux City.
To read more details about the hearings click here.
|
Legal Line
|
Editor's Note: Legal Line is a feature that will periodically appear in NACO E-Line. This edition has been prepared by Elaine Menzel of the NACO legal staff. Legal Line is not intended to serve as legal advice. Rather, it is published to alert readers to court decisions and legal or advisory matters important to county government. For a specific opinion on how the information contained in this article or that which will be discussed in future issues relates to your county, consult your county attorney or personal counsel.
Condemnation Proceedings Require Good Faith Efforts
In this condemnation proceeding (Camden v. Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District, ---22 Neb. App. 308, --- N.W.2d ---- (2014)), a Natural Resources District (NRD) appeals from a decree of dismissal entered by the district court in which the court concluded that the NRD failed to show that it made a reasonable attempt to induce land owners to accept its offer to acquire an easement. The attempt was a jurisdictional requirement to a condemnation proceeding. After the review of the Court of Appeals of the record, it agreed and affirmed the lower court's decision.
Prior to addressing the arguments of the NRD, the Court of Appeals summarized the underlying law. Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-704 provides in part,
[i]f any condemnee shall fail to agree with the condemn[o]r with respect to the acquisition of property sought by the condemn[o]r, a petition to condemn the property may be filed by the condemn[o]r in the county court of the county where the property or some part thereof is situated.
Further, the petition must include, among other things, evidence of attempts to negotiate in good faith with the property owner. See Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-704.01(6).
The Court of Appeals stated, "In order to satisfy § 76-704.01(6), there must be a good faith attempt to agree, consisting of an offer made in good faith and a reasonable effort to induce the owner to accept it." Citations omitted. It was noted by the Court of Appeals that the Nebraska Supreme Court has stated that extended negotiations are not required if the condemnor and condemnee cannot reach an agreement. Citations omitted.
Within the opinion, the Court of Appeals summarized the Nebraska Supreme Court's analysis on the negotiation requirement in a number of cases.
The Court of Appeals concluded that to avoid this entire situation, the NRD simply had to respond to the landowners' counteroffer and explain that it was adhering to its original offer but it failed to do so. Therefore, the Court found the NRD's arguments that it negotiated in good faith to be without merit.
For the full text of the opinion, click here.
|
Order NACO's 2014 Directory of County Officials Now
|
NACO's 2014 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. County clerks for each county received one complimentary copy of the directory intended for use by all offices in their courthouse. For additional copies, click here for the order form. |
County Government Day PowerPoint
|
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 . |
2013 County Board Handbook and Revisions
|
The 2013 County Board Handbook and related revisions are available. The cost for a current handbook, including legislative information from the 2013 session, is $80.00/book plus $17.00 shipping and handling per book. The 2013 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. |
News From NACo
| New Funding Opportunities for Juvenile Justice Reform
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation announced that they are providing $2 million in funding to advance juvenile justice reform in jurisdictions across the country.
Through this partnership, OJJDP and MacArthur will support training and technical assistance for local governments to meet the mental health needs of system-involved youth, reduce racial and ethnic disparities and promote coordination and integration for youth involved in both the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. To read about the program areas, click here. "Waters of the United States" has Impact on Counties Across the Nation
On April 21 the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Army Corps of Engineers jointly released a new proposed rule - Definition of Waters of the U.S. Under the Clean Water Act - that would amend the definition of "waters of the U.S." and expand the range of waters that fall under federal jurisdiction. Counties could feel a major impact as more waters become federally protected and subject to new rules or standards. The proposed rule would impact county-owned and maintained roadside ditches, flood control channels, drainage conveyances, storm water systems, green infrastructure construction and maintenance. Read NACo's analysis on how the proposed rule would impact counties here. Attend NACO's Legislative Conference in Kearney and hear a Nebraska perspective by Katie Spohn from the Nebraska Attorney General's Office. To review the NACO Legislative Conference agenda click here. |
NACo Web-Based Education
| Next Generation 911: Upgrading County Emergency Communications
Wed, Dec 17, 2014 1:00 PM - 2:15 PM CST
The popularity of landline telephones is dwindling, with more than 40 percent of households in the U.S. relying only on cellular phones. Over the last few decades, cell phones, VoIP and other methods of communications other have become the preferred method of communication, especially among younger generations and those living in cities-nearly two-thirds of those 25-29 live in a wireless-only home. 911 technologies, however, have not kept up with the trend; though they can receive calls from cell phones and IP-based devices, call centers cannot locate where a call is coming from, and they cannot send and receive photos, text messages and videos. The seemingly ubiquitous use of cell phones in public means that a number of bystanders may call 911 after witnessing an emergency, which can overwhelm a call center. More and more counties are working to upgrade 911 call centers and infrastructure in order to become more resilient, and ensure they are capable of addressing new needs in emergency communication and response. This webinar will provide county leaders and emergency managers with the information and strategies they need to know to modernize their 911 capabilities.
To register for this webinar, Click here.
To view NACo's entire web-based education listing, click here.
|
| Awards and Honors |
Outstanding Clerk of the District Court (Marjorie Schaffer Memorial Award) presented posthumously to Marjorie Schaffer, former Clerk of the District Court 7th Judicial District, Madison County. This award recognizes exemplary performance by a clerk of a district court.Governor Heineman Presents 2014 'Be Prepared' Awards Nicholas Kemnitz, Wayne County Emergency Manager received the 2014 Local Hero Award which recognizes extraordinary service and leadership in helping residents in an emergency situation. See a presentation photo here.
|
| Saline County Launches Website For Courthouse Renovation | |
Saline County residents can get many of their questions answered about the planned courthouse addition via a new website, www.salinecountycourthouse.info.
The site, launched last month, is designed to be the primary "news portal" to keep the public up-to-date about the project, said Tim McDermott, Saline County commissioner. "Our board members paid attention to concerns voiced by the public pertaining to the courthouse addition," he said. "This website will provide expanded details on the project and because the Internet is so fluid, we can deliver and update that information more quickly than through board meeting minutes or even the media," McDermott said.
|
|
|
|
|
