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Save the Dates For:
Nebraska Planning and Zoning Annual Conference
Younes Conference Center
Kearney, Nebraska
March 9-11, 2016
Central District Meeting
March 17, 2016
Borders Inn - Grand Island
Northeast District Meeting
March 18, 2016
Lifelong Learning Center, NNTCC - Norfolk
Agenda
Panhandle District Meeting
March 23, 2016
Gering Civic Center - Gering
West Central District Meeting
March 24, 2016
Holiday Inn Express - North Platte
Southeast District Meeting
March 29, 2016
Mahoney State Park AgendaCounty Board WorkshopJune 1-3, 2016Holiday InnKearney
ALL UPCOMING EVENTS
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| WHO SUPPORTS NACO AND THEIR MISSION?
 Associate and Sustaining Members
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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.
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 May 5th Budget Workshop Cancelled | |
Following a review of the factors affecting attendance at the proposed biennial Budget Workshop conducted by the Nebraska Association of County Officials, it was decided that this year's workshop will be cancelled.
The review of previous budget workshop attendance figures concluded that the majority of the attendees are county clerks and county board members. Each of those groups holds an annual workshop within a month of the proposed day long budget workshop. This year the County Board Workshop Agenda Committee has chosen the Nebraska State Auditor's Office to present budget information along with auditing procedures that will build awareness of proper procedures associated with creating and maintaining a balanced budget with all aspects of accountability in place. Traditionally, the Clerks, Register of Deeds and Election Commissioners also engage the State Auditor's Office to speak at their mid-year workshop with the same topics in mind.
In addition, NACO heard from a number of county clerks who are also election commissioners and they noted that the proposed date for the budget workshop is the week preceding the Nebraska Primary elections. This in all probability will have a negative impact on the number of county clerks who are election commissioners that might attend the budget workshop given their election deadlines and the workload associated with conducting a primary election.
Additionally, many counties hire budget preparers outside the realm of current county employees. Attendance records indicate those outside preparers rarely attend the budget workshop.
With the county clerks and county board members consisting of over ninety percent of the attendees and each of them addressing budgeting and its processes during their respective annual workshops, it has become evident that attendance at a dedicated budget workshop will be very limited. NACO appreciates the comments and concerns that have been raised in regards to this year's budget workshop and will continue to look for the best way to deliver educational opportunities to our members in the future.
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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.
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Legal Line
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Happenings in the United States Supreme Court
A key event that recently occurred related to the United States Supreme Court is the passing of Justice Antonin Scalia on February 13, 2016. The timing of a nomination by the President and replacement for Justice Scalia is uncertain at this time.
Prior to his death, Justice Scalia was one of three dissenting justices in Montgomery v. Louisiana, 577 U.S. ____ (2016). This case considered an issue related to the progression of a series of cases that pertained to mandatory life without parole for juvenile offenders.
The series of cases began, in part, in Miller v. Alabama, 567 U.S. ___ (2012), the Court held a juvenile could not be sentenced to life in prison without parole absent consideration of the juvenile's circumstances in light of principles and purposes of juvenile sentencing. Following the Court's decision in Miller, various lower courts have reached differing opinions on the appropriateness of applying the Miller holding on whether the decision is retroactive to juvenile offenders whose convictions and decisions were final when Miller was decided.
The Court in its majority opinion concluded in light of what it had said in prior cases about how children are constitutionally different from adults in their level of culpability, however, prisoners such as the offender in this case must be given the opportunity to show their crime did not reflect irreparable corruption; and, if it did not, their hope for some years of life outside prison walls must be restored. In conjunction with this holding, the court reversed the Supreme Court of Louisiana and remanded the case for further proceedings not inconsistent with this opinion.
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County Government Day PowerPoint
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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.
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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. |
2015 County Board Handbook and Revisions
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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.
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| 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!
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| NACo Webinars | |
Webinar To Support System of Care Grant Applications
Tuesday, March 1, 2016 2:00 PM CST - 3:00 PM CST
The TA Network, on behalf of SAMHSA, will host a webinar on March 1, 2016 from 3 to 4pm EST to support applicants responding to the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for the Cooperative Agreements for Expansion and Sustainability of the Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services for Children and Their Families Program. The purpose of these System of Care (SOC) Expansion and Sustainability Cooperative Agreements is to improve mental health outcomes for children and youth, ages birth to 21 years, with serious emotional disturbances, and their families. The application deadline is April 25, 2016.
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