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January 29, 2016                                                                          www.nacone.org  I  NACO E-Line Archive  

Upcoming Events

Save the Dates For:   

 

NACO Legislative Bill Review Day

January 29, 2016

NACO Office Conference Room 

 

Nebraska Weed Control Association Annual Conference

Divots Conference Center, Norfolk, NE 

February 8-10, 2106

Agenda

Registration  

 

Nebraska Planning and Zoning Annual Conference

Younes Conference Center

Kearney, Nebraska

March 9-11, 2106

Agenda & Registration Information 


ALL UPCOMING EVENTS


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WHO SUPPORTS NACO AND THEIR MISSION?

 

AssocMembersAssociate 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.

In This Issue
In This Issue  
cofficialsCounty Officials Directory Available in PDF Format
Effective January 1, 2016, the NACO Directory will be in electronic format available by selecting the "County Officials Directory" icon on the NACO website.  The directory is an annual publication that provides names and addresses for elected and appointed county officials in the State of Nebraska.  The electronic directory will be updated as changes are received by the NACO office.

The printed NACO 2015 Directory of County Officials is still available if you want the bound version. A printed directory is available for $17.00 if non-taxable and $18.00 if taxable.
instituteofexcellenceNACO Institute of Excellence Begins Soon - Enroll Today!
Much of the time serving as an elected official and leading county government is typical of a managerial position in the business world. Officials make decisions and manage the work to best serve their constituencies. Every so often, though, issues pop up that test the abilities of even the most seasoned officials. Quickly the role of being a manager shifts to the role of being a leader. To switch roles effectively one has to understand the difference in skills and qualities required.

The NACO Institute of Excellence is a year-long program of professional development for county officials. Enrollment is now open for the 2016 Institute beginning in March. Several areas of personal leadership development will be presented including one's;
  • personality preferences and leadership behaviors,
  • leadership mission, and
  • active listening skills.
Further into the year participants will learn skills for;
  • managing conflicts,
  • leading meetings, and
  • corresponding with legislators.
 
Topics about influencing others and innovative thinking will move officials to lead at a higher level. New this year will be a topic about integrating leadership into a re-election strategy.
 
The Institute training sessions start at 9:00 a.m. and will end by 3:30 p.m. Training sessions will be presented in North Platte at the University of Nebraska West Central Research and Extension Center on the first Thursdays in March, May, July and September. The sessions will be offered again on the second Thursdays of those months in Lincoln at the Nebraska Extension Office in Lancaster County. Everyone comes together in December to apply what they've learned on the Tuesday prior to the start of the NACO Annual Conference in Kearney.
 
Participants can attend in either North Platte or Lincoln - which ever location fits into one's schedule best. For more details click on meeting locations and the program schedule. To receive a Certificate of Achievement at the 2016 NACO Annual Conference next December, participants in the Institute MUST attend 4 of the 5 face-to-face trainings. (In other words, you can only miss one day of training.)
 
The registration fee for participating in the program is $250 per official. NACO will bill the counties for the registration fees. Registrations canceled prior to March 1 will be honored.

To enroll, fill out both the online NACO and NE Extension registration forms by February 17th.

The NACO registration is for billing purposes and the NE Extension registration is for enrollment purposes.
 
Soon after the deadline, enrollees in the 2016 Institute of Excellence will receive additional information about the program from Nebraska Extension Educator, Carroll Welte and Extension Educator Emeritus Phyllis Schoenholz. Their contact information follows:
 
Carroll Welte, Extension Educator                                        Phyllis Schoenholz, Extension Educator
Nebraska Extension Burt County                                          Nebraska Extension Educator Emeritus
Phone: (402) 374-2929 or 2954                                            Phone: (402) 366-4281
cwelte1@unl.edu                                                                     phyliss.schoenholz@unl.edu 
 
To become better at shifting between manager and leader, enroll today in the NACO Institute of Excellence. According to one graduate, "...incremental change can result in big rewards."
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Nebraska high school seniors who are the children, stepchildren, or under the legal guardianship of county officials or employees are encouraged to apply for one of twelve $1,000.00 NACO scholarships.  Additional information and the application form can be found on the front page of the NACO website.  The scholarship application deadline is March 1, 2016.  To access the application from this article, click here.
OVPgrantsCrime Commission Offering Violence Prevention Grants
The Nebraska Crime Commission is pleased to announce the availability of FY 2016-2017 Office of Violence prevention Grant [OVP]. The Application Instructions outline general guidelines, eligibility, and funding requirements.  This information can be found on the Nebraska
Crime Commission website under the 2016 OVP Grant title. 
 
COMPETITIVE FUNDS AVAILABLE:             $350,000.00
 
The Application Kit Instructions and the Application  are currently available. You are encouraged to distribute and post the announcement.

The deadline for the applications are Friday, February 26th at 5:00 p.m.

Contact Chris Harris with any questions.  Chris is the Director of the Office of Prevention at the Nebraska Crime Commission at 301 Centennial Mall South, Lincoln, Nebraska 68509-4946 at (402) 471-3813.  Cell phone (402) 416-4129.  Fax (402) 471-2837.  Email: Chris.Harris@Nebraska.gov.
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The Do's and Don'ts of Social Media Security

Whether it's friending, following, liking or sharing, social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram have become the new means of communication for all ages. Social media can be used to benefit you both personally and professionally, but it is important to stay informed and take steps to protect yourself online.

Up Your Privacy. Most social media sites and applications allow strict privacy settings, but not by default. You need to go in and change your settings, so you can limit who can access your information.

Don't Reveal Too Much. Sharing personal details like your address and phone number for all to see on social media is not recommended.

Secure Your Computer. Make sure your computer contains updated anti-virus security. Some links presented on profiles or feeds can actually be scams that contain viruses.   

Log Out When Done. One final step is to log out. Closing it isn't always enough because the next person who opens up the site or app may find that he or she is still logged in as you.

Social media is a great way to stay connected with family, friends and colleagues. It's always a good idea to protect yourself online, whether using social media or browsing the web. Make sure you keep these tips in mind the next time you log in to your favorite social site or app. 
Countygovernementdaycd 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.
NACO's 2015 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.  In January, county clerks for each county will receive 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_Board_Handbook_2012 2015 County Board  Handbook and Revisions
The 2015 County Board Handbook and related revisions are now available! The cost for a current handbook, including legislative information from the 2015 session, is $80.00/book plus $18.00 shipping and handling per book. The 2015 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. For questions, contact Elaine Menzel by email or call her at (402) 434-5660 ext. 225.
News From NACo

On behalf of the National Association of Counties (NACo), the Western Interstate Region (WIR) leadership and board of directors, and our host, Teton County, Wyoming, we'd like to invite you to register for the 2016 Western Interstate Region Conference! We look forward to seeing you there!
nacowebNACo Webinars
Effective Cross-Systems Information Sharing in Juvenile Justice

Feb. 18, 2016 , 2:00 pm - 3:15 pm CST

Youth who become involved in the juvenile justice system often are in contact with other child-serving systems, like child welfare, health or human services agencies. When juveniles are involved in multiple systems, there are multiple points at which sharing information across the agencies or systems can improve outcomes for youth and families, protect public safety and more effectively use taxpayer dollars. Experts from the Robert F. Kennedy National Resource Center for Juvenile Justice and several counties will share examples and lessons learned from successful information-sharing efforts across the country. 
Nebraska Association of County Officials
1335 H Street | Lincoln, NE 68508 | 402-434-5660