nside this issue...West Virginiais rethinkinghow localgovernment

works.See Page 4.

Telecommutingis a viableoption for somecounties, but notafl.See Page 5

Vol. 36 No. 9 ~ May 10, 2004

'he wisdom to know andthe courage to defend the

public interest"

Bishop Jakesadded to Annual

'I'tiiifrConferencespeakers.See page 10.

The 2004Acts of CaringAwards.See page 11.

Association of Counties ~ Washington, D.C. wwwnaco.org ~ www.countynews.org

CcrI,. Ieo

RtltrIha

~o..I

IP

Photo by Victor Scott

look a lot happier about being at work than your ordinary crew. NACo hosted 16 children andto observe Take Your Childrea to Work Day April22. NACo Research Director Jackie

(the adult) was one of several NACo volunteers who helped make the day special for all. Readon page 20.

BY Jehu UENER

LEaiSLArtYE DIRECPOR

whether the federal Clean Air Actallows local jurisdictions, such as

regions in California, to adopt regu-lations for public and private fleetsof at least 15 vehicles.

This case stems from the SouthCoast Air Quality ManagementDistrict's (AQMD, the local air reg-ulatory agency for the Los Angelesarea) 2000 decision requiring fleetoperators to buy only low-emissionor alternative-fuel vehicles whenreplacing or expanding their fleets.Alternatives to gasoline or dieselfuel include natural gas, propaneand electricity.

The AQMD'sclean-air fleet rulesstated that operators with 15 or morevehicles had to switch to cleaner fuelsor lower-emission models when

OnApril28, the court struck downSouthern California regulations thatrequired companies to buy alterna-tive-fuel vehicles instead of diesel-

fuel vehicles. The rules were designed

to help the region reduce dangerous

ozone-producing smog. At issue is

U.S. Supreme Court recentlyan air quality regulation case

have far-reaching effectscounties across the nation fac-pollution problems.

News Quik Takes

Office Employees per Capit~a,) Louisiana........ 285

Florida.......... 208Wyoming......., 196Idaho........... 171Montana......... 162

wcaa oJ lr<stccr Jtatiaict ttatteliat ceasas oystatr ared tahar tAIsr~cont AReucire, 20aa (Octutrer 2aa22 ~ See AIR QUALITYon page 2

preme Court decision could polluteunty e8'orts to improve air quality

BY DARIA DANIEL including 1.3 million white-collarAssacurELEctsurIPEoiREcioR workers who were not entitled to

The Department ofLabor (DOL) overtime under the existing regula-

has released its final overtime-pay tions, and another 5.4 million work-regulations for "white-collar" work- ers whose status was unclear due to

ers. These Fair Labor Standard Act confusing rules.

(FLSA) regulations have not been The department's final regula-

updated for several decades. tions guarantee overtime pay toThe Labor Department's final workers who earn $455 per week or

regulations (published in the April less —the equivalent ofup to $23,660

23 Federal Register and set to take peryear. This isa$ 300increaseoverefl'ect 120 days &om this date) have the existing regulations. The rulebeen significantly modified &om applies a standard "duties tests"

the proposed regulations released for the administrative, executiveover a year ago due to concerns of and professional exemptions &omcongressional members, laborunions overtime pay for salaried employeesand others. earning more than $23,660 and up

According to the department, the to $ 100,000 annually. Therefore, the

final rule will guarantee overtimeprotections for 6.7 million workers, ~ See OVERTIME on page i6

Senate passes four-yearInternet tax moratorium

imposed in 1998 to continue to do so

for two years.Under the compromise, the leg-

islation would also allow states thathad taxed non-DSL Internet access

services before 1998 to continue levy-ing those taxes during the four-yearmoratorium. McCain's substitute hadoriginally called for a three-year ex-tension of that grandfather clause.

Compromise language was alsocrafled on voice-over Internet pro-tocol services, clarifying that thebill would not prevent states &omcontinuing to collect telephonetaxes as traditional telephone ser-vices migrate to the Internet. Thecompromise should be considered

BY JPEF ARNohnDEPtrry LEaISLIrIPE DIREcraR

Afler months of intense rhetoric,negotiations, charges and counter-charges, the Senate passed a much-modified S. 150, the Internet TaxNondiscrimination Act —the socalled Internet tax moratorium. TheSenate passed a compromise basedon an amendment by CommerceCommittee Chair John McCain(R-Ariz.).

McCain's amendment calls fora four-year extension of the mora-torium and would ban taxes on alltypes of Internet access, includingdirect subscriber-line services.

It also would allow the 17 statesthat began taxing some DSL-relatedtransactions afler the moratorium was ~ See INTERNET TAXan page 6

FSIA overtime payregulations updatedGuarantees new protectionsfor millions of workers

County News,'ay 'Ill,t

HUD policy alters funding for voucher proBv Cxssxnnax MaTTnxws

sssacrs TE LED IELI roz DIBELToR

The U.S. Department ofHousingand Urban Development (HUD) is-sued a notice April 22 to all publichousing authorities about changes inthe funding of vouchers under theSection 8 Housing Choice VoucherProgram.

The notice states that language inthe FY04 appropriations bfll allowsforthe modification ofhow HUDcal-

culates funding allocations to Public

HousingAuthorities(PHAs). The newfunding mechanism could result inthousands offamilies losing housingassistance under the program.

HUD's new funding formula pro-vides local PHAs withenough fundingforvouchers in-use as ofAugust 2003

plus a HUD-determined adjustmentfor rent inflation. In the past, Con-

gress has provided sutflcient fundingto cover the costs of every voucherin-use during a fiscal year. Under thenew policy, many PHAs will face a

funding shortfall since housing costs

may have risen since August 2003.

As a result, PHAs may not be able toafford to fund all existing vouchers,

leaving voucher holders with the op-tionofincreased rental costs, evictionor possible homelessness.

"Our California senators —Sena-

tors [Dianne] Feinstein and [Barbara]Boxer—have expressed to HUDtheirdeep concern on this issue," saidRegi-naldTodd, LosAngeles County'schieflobbyist. "In Los Angeles County,

This will createunforeseen housing andfinancial hardships for low-income families."

—Reginald ToddL.A. County Chief Lobbyist

over 9,500 families are in jeopardy

oflosing

their

housin assistance, and

the same goes forover 6,300 familiesin the San Francisco Bay Area. Thiswill create unforeseen housing andfinancial hardships for low-incomefamilies," concluded Todd.

The new policy comes at a timewhen HUD and Congress are grap-pling with the increasing costs ofthe

Section 8 program, which currentlyis nearly halfofHUD's total budget.Debate exists as to how to managethe costs of the program. Conserva-tives favor an approach that is dol-lar-based, where a PHAreceives a set

amount of funding that the agencywill then allocate independently atthe local level.

The traditional and current ap-proach uses a market-based systemwhere HUD allocates funding tocover vouchers inuse injurisdictionsaccording to the cost of housing inthe markets where the vouchers willbe used.

Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.),ranking member on the Senate VA-HUDAppropriations Subcommittee,expressed her dismay with the newvoucher renewal policy. In a letter toHUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson,Sen. Mikulskiurged the departmentto continue to fund every existingvoucher and ensure that they stayin use. Moreover, the new HUDpolicy has also received criticalmedia coverage in local papers inBoston, Atlanta, Baltimore, Dallasand Washington, D.C.

Bv ROBERT J. FOOEL

SEMOR LEOISLITIVEDISSO/OR

Four weeks after the House ofRepresentatives passed its versionof the reauthorization of the federal

highway and transit programs, andtwo-and-a-half months aAer the Sen-

ate passed itsbill,no conference com-mittee has been appointed to resolvethe differences between S. 1072 and

H.R. 3550.There are a variety ofreasons why

this has not happened, but much ofit boils down to politics. The Senate

passed a $318 billionbill, the Housea $284 billionmeasure, and President

George W. Bush is saying he willveto

any bill over $256 billion.The only things that most agree

on is the need to decide on a finalnumber before any serious negotia-tions can occur regarding what thenext six-year highway and transitprogram willlook like.

Informal discussions have oc-curred between House and Senate

staff, and the House and Senate

leadership met with the Administra-tion during the last week of April,but so far to no avail.

In this highly charged politicalenvironment, the Senate barelyaverted a closing down of much ofthe U.S. Department ofTransporta-tion on April29 when it passed yetanother extension of TEA-21 (the

current extension expired on April30), this one for two months.

Several days before, the Househad adopted H.R. 4219, which ex-

tends the highway and transit pro-grams through June 30 but Sen KitBond (R-Mo.), chairman ofthe Sen-

ate Transportation and In&astructureCommittee, had threatenedtoblockavote on the extension in the Senatebe-

cause the Democrats were refusing tolet the fullSenate appoint conferees.

Atthe last moment, Bond relented and

the extension went through.Why is Congress playing "chick-

en" with federal transportation fund-

ing and why is there no conferencecommittee?

While the Senate and House have

passed their respective highway and

transit reauthorization bills, the con-

ference committee, which irons out

differences in the two bills, has not

been appointed. This is both a Repub-

lican vs. Republican conflict and a

Republican vs. Democrat turfwar.

The conferees have not been ap-

pointed in the Senate because the

Democrats want assurances fiom the

Republican leadership that they willbefullparticipants in the conference and

willsit as equal partners at the table.

On other key legislation this year, the

Democrats have been left out and

they don't want this to happen again,

especially on a bill that delivers so

much funding and so many special

pmjects. Beforetheconferencebegins,the Democrats also want to be assured

ofthe overall funding level.

In the House, no conferees have

been appointed because the House

Republican leadership wants to com-

plete negotiations withthe Republican

president on the funding levels ofthe

bill. The funding-levels issue is furthercomplicated because the Republicanchairman of the Transportation and

in&asttucture Committee, DonYoung(R-Alaska), was forced to reduce the

size ofH.R. 3550 &om$375 billionto

$284 billionbythe House Republican

leadership and would like to accept

the Senate funding level, which is $34

billionmore.While the politics of transporta-

tion funding goes on, it is reassuring

to remember that the conference com-

mittee forTEA-21 in 1998 took twomonths to resolve its differences. Butit got the billdone because so muchwas at stake and so much funding was

available to return to counties, citiesand states and individual projects.NACo is hoping that the incentive

willbe there again.

QUIK FACT: Hundreds of islets snd reefs

extending 2,000 miles westward io the Pacific

Ocean liom Honolulu County, Hawaii, are

considered part of the county, although none

have s permanent resident populenon.

Highway, transit legislation still stuck

Regardless of the approach, it isundisputed that the Section 8 Hous-ing Choice Voucher program wasenacted to serve those in need ofhousing assistance. Currently, theprogram typically assists elderly orvulnerable populations. According tothe Council ofLarge Public HousingAgencies (CLPHA), 41 percent ofSection 8 residents are elderly anddisabled, and families with childrencomprise another 46 percent. In ad-

dition, contrary to public perceptions,most public housing is in scatteredsites, not high-density high rises.

AdditionalCLPHAdata

that the average publichold has fewer than three

that 48 Percent of those househs

are white 46 percent are blackpercentareHispanicand2Asian. Mostofthesehouseholds- "

percent —are headed byabout 80 percent receive mostincome &omsources other than

asststartce.

Interest groups, includingcontinue to weigh in on the

policy. NACo wiflmonitorso

ing developments on this issue.

The court ruled that therules do not escape federaltion just because they address

the purchase of vehicles, and

their manufacture or sale. The

ing also leaves the door open

fleet rules governing leased

used vehicles and rules that" )o

be characterized as internalpurchase decisions," whichwell encompass more thanowned fleets.

Opponents ofthe rule claim

was essentially a ban on diesel

gines, and the industry would

to develop new models forchi

Angeles-area vehicles. TheManufacturers Association ant

Western States Petroleumtion brought the lawsuitAQMDrule. They argued that

the federal government coulti

new pollution limits forcial engines. They werebefore the high court by the

ber of Commerce businessA

auto and truck manufacturm,American Tthe U.S. Justice Department.

The AQMD argued that

clean-fleet rules didn't set

sion standards nor anymandate on engineInstead, they require fleet

to choose I'rom the

models available. The state off

fornia and environmentalsided with the AQMD. The

of California and 16 other

several environmentalwith 20 organizationsNACo, the National Leagst

Cities the Nationalof State Legislatures and the

Conference ofMayors, had

in with support for AQMD.The case now returns"

federal district court in Los

for implementation of the

Court's decision.

~ AIR QUALITYPDMpage I

buying new vehicles. The rulesapplied to operators of public and

private fleets. This included transitbuses, airport shuttles, limousines,taxis, street-sweepers and wastehaulers. Most vehicles regulated

by AQMD's fleet rules are operated

by government agencies, or arecontracted to such agencies.

The regulations applied to LosAngeles, Orange, Riverside and San

Bernardino counties, a region longknown for smog and other majorair-quality problems.

Public and private fleets have

purchased 8,900 lower-emissionvehicles and passenger cars and cut4,800 tons per year ofpollutants since

the rules took effect.AQMD officials called the 8—I

ruling a major setback in the region'sstruggle to cut ozone and particulate-matter pollution. The Southern Cali-fornia region suffers from the worstair quality in the nation. It had beenunder a 2010 deadline to meet fed-eral ozone standards, which is whythe region's air quality managementdistrict imposed this rule.

IOApril,EPAreleasedanewroundof tougher requirements for regionsto meet new ozone deadlines. The2010 deadline has been extended to2021 because of the tougher ozonestandards that must be met.

California is notorious for hav-

ing some of the worse air quality inthe nation. However, this case couldhave far-reaching implications forother areas of the country facing airpollution issues. Because of its ownbattles with smog, California is oAenthe &out-runner ofanti-pollution ef-forts. States and counties across thenation have watched California's ef-forts witha close eye, and oAen haveused similar programs or innovationsthat have worked at home.

Officials say ruling is setback "fo region's efforts fo cut ozo

be

News, May JOr2004. ~Ii

. cription Drug Discount Card Program raises questions

9n

ons,

ack,

ien,tofn

;ue.

gr JENNIFER MYERS AND

Mmmuma SENz

LEGrscd DYE Dlosctccps

Medicare Prescription DrugCard Program willbecome

June l. Itis a temporary pro-the full-fledged prescrip-

benefit comes into effect

though county officials are

for implementing the

they could likely receive

or be asked for assistance

up forbenefit. The follow-some basic questions countycan expect to hear and some

links for further information.

eligible for a

card?

)n 'ndividuals,those who have a Medicaid

are eligible for the

card. Medicare covers both

iod disabled individuals.:ss

snd1'he

pened

iat'l

:11

sny help for low-income9

income is below $ 12,569

or$ 16,862(manied) andyouparticipate in the Medicaid

program, you are also

for a $600 annual credit that: used toward the cost ofyour

ed rtion ofAny usus pofor 2004 can be rolled over

esel

ddfor "

choices do people have?are up to 71 diff'crest choic-

andforMedicare Services

have selected 28 general cardiinst

willprovidecoverage tohat

individuals. Additionally,ould

.9

g.gg 3's.

Sapid«dnEach

Ill959 mp

cacli 9 9: fade«I On~dhpmoinp moc«ccw

TSEllgg

~W

f "w

there willbe 43 plans for individualswho are enrolled in Medicare HMOPtogfaiiis.

Is there a cost for the card?Medicare-approved card com-

panies can charge up to $30 as an

enrollment fee. This fee will be

waived for those who qualify for the

$600 credit.

How many cards can people nse?

You can only have one Medicare-approved card. Ifyou have a non-

Medicare card, you can use that one

as well, but you cannot use both forthe same prescription. One card maycover drugs that another doesn', or

may have a better benefit than othercards.

change prices weekly, and they are assistance. Some SHIPs are workingalso allowed to drop medicines &om withcountyagingprogramsandAreatheir formularies. Agencies on Aging.

Where do people go if they haveproblems withtheircsrds oriftheysuspect fraud?

Each sponsor is supposed to havea toll-&eenumber. Additionally,youcan call CMS at (800) 633-4227. Ifyou have persistent problems withyour card sponsor, call CMS be-

cause it willbe keeping a record ofcomplaints.

Ifyou suspect'aud, call (800)HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). Keepin mind that the sponsors are not al-

lowed to make phone ordoor-to-doorsolicitations. Watch out foranybodywho calls representing himself as a

Medicare card sponsor and request-

ing a Social Security number or a

credit card number to sign you up.

How do people apply and where dothey go forhelp in determining thebest coverage?

Because ofthe multiple cards be-

ing offered, this may be very compli-cated. The Medicare sponsors willbe

mailing out forms both for the cards

and the benefits.There are two government

Web sites that can be used to com-

pare cards: wwwcms.hhs.gov andwww.medicare.gov. The Web sites

have worksheets listing the cards

available in your zip code and com-

paring prices for your prescriptions.You can also call (800) 633-4227.

Additionally, State Health Insur-

ance Assistance Programs (SHIP)and local groups might be offering

WANT TO LINKDOCUMENTS TO YOUR GIS?

««n «n ~ MwOOPP O ~ . 9~cd«O VWOslco ~

O wmn~ O~~O~~O~

~ gnnm~«gm

~~K;gt ~

Submitlassi ie

Advertisementsinoo ~

it.iat

WillI be able to change Medicare-approved cards?

Once you have signed up and

been approved for a Medicare dis-

count card, you must stay with that

card for the rest ofthe year. You willbe able to enroll for a different card—which willbecome effective Jan.

I, 2005 —between Nov. 15 and

Dec. 31.

+9 „gt++ llof

.Ofg

Wfflthe cards cover allprescriptions and can they be

used anywhere?Coverage and availability will

vary. Some companies will offerdiscounts on all drugs, while others

will only cover some drugs. Com-

panies can select which pharmacies

willuse their card. Some companies

are also planning to offer mail-order

services. The cards may not be used

to buy prescriptions &om outside the

United States.

the County News link,down to the Advertising

ood click on Ad Rates toand submit your clas-

tilied advertisement.

9 to

Can coverage change?

Yes, card sponsors are allowed to

pS,

Submitague classified advertisements

vis the Web ...thc

n

O h "n «irs ~ 9 ~ El M~ pots t

DONE.

Actionable intelligence —your county's homeland security initiativesand emergency preparedness depend on it. LaserFichc enables users to

select ESRI -GIS map elements and immediately access associated

documents such as maps, building plans and HazMat reports.Dramatically increasing information available to dispatchers, wireless-

equipped first responders, engineers and other personnel.

LASERFICHEwwwdoierfiche.corn

o«nlC p««M 9 C,o

To see case studies and a web demo of LaserFiche-ESRI integrationcall 866-888-1733.

County News,'ay 1II,N

0 ~I' ~ ~ ~

BettyJ. Glick

Assembly MemberKenai Peninsula Borough,

Alaska

NACo Board Member

D

in'v)A(

NI

gfo1

D

Number of years active in NACo: 1983-1996; 2003-present

Years in Public Service; 1976-1996; 2003-present

Occupation: Retired accountant

Education: High school diploma

The hardest thing I'e ever done: Making funeral arrangements

for my mother.

I C

"What some people fail to grasp, Larry, is the differencebetween 'tiunking outside of the box'nd just being a weirdo,

ts) 2002 by Randy Glasbefgen.www.glasbeygen.corn

a

Three people giving or dead) I'd invite to dinner: Jesus Christ,

WillRogers and Laura Bush.

A dream I have is to: VisitAustralia.

You'd be surprised to learn that I: Helped my husband dig graves

when he assisted the local funeral director.

Governor, commission relocal government in West Vir ' to

The most adventurous thing I'e ever done is: Take my first air-

plaine trip with three small children from Pennsylvania to Alaska

by myself.

My favorite way to relax is: To visit family and &lends.

I'm most proud of: My family.

Every morning I read: The newspaper.

My favorite meal is: Baked macaroni and cheese the way I make it.

My pet peeve is: People who patronize you instead of being

straightforward.

My motto is: Never compromise your integrity or your principles

no matter what.

The last book I read was: The Wailing lVind, by Tony Hiller-

man.

My favorite movie is: The Sound ofMusic.

My favorite music is: Generally all kinds; but, primarily old-'time

hymns and country western.

My favorite president is: Thomas Jefferson.

(ers to theditor

Ifyou have a compliment,complaint ordifferentpoint ofview, let us know.

Please include a phone number with your letter. Mail, fax or e-

mail to: County News, NACo, 440 First St., N.Wn Washington, DC

20001-2080; (202) 393-2630; cnetvs@naca. Grg.

Bv M. Mtwnv MDRETTtSENiOR STAFF WRJTER

A lot has changed since 1861,

when the western counties of Vir-ginia chose not to leave the Unionand created their own state known

as Kanawha.

Today, West Virginia—the name

Kanawha only stuck around forabout

three months —is a vastly differ-ent state than it was more than 140

years ago, but the structure of localgovernments has remained prettymuch the same.

That is why, in his State of the

State address in January, Gov. Bob

Wise proposed, by executive order,

creating a Commission on Govern-

ing in the 21st Century to study what

government should look like in the

21st century, including whether some

counties should be consolidated."The governor has always been

interested in the reorganization ofstate government and, with this, he

just took it down to another level,"

explained Alex Macia, chief ofstaffto the governor. "West Virginia has

55 counties and when they were

set up, they reflected, more or less,

geographical and economic lines.

Those are completely changed

now. The counties have kind ofreorganized themselves, and have

more in common and face the same

challenges."The commission is composed

of 27 members and includes eight

county officials—fourcommission-

ers, two assessors and two clerks. One

ofthe concerns expressed by several

county officials is the make-up ofthe

comnusslon.ol'm a little concerned quite

frankly, about the make-up of the

commission," said Barbara Core,Marion County clerk and president

of the West Virginia Association ofCounties. "Ifyou'e talking about

county government, all aspects ofcounty government are not on the

commission. No offense to countycommissioners, but they don't knowhow every department in the countyIlu)S.

Ofparticular concern is the lack ofany law-enforcement representationon the commission. According to

Macia, itwas simply an

no law enforcement officigh

asked to be on the"We were astonished that

wanted to serve on this

in the first place," Macia sbitt

havmg any shef Tf's on the

sion was certainly an

we can always add them.

set number for theThe commission ls

report to the governor and tht

islature in November with 2

public report due in January.

they have met only once"We didn't do a lot of

tht

~ See WEST VIRGINIAon

CountyNews ==—The wisdom to know and the courage to defend the public

interest'rerident

Karen Mater ~ Publisher Larry Naskc

public Again Dherrorr Tom Goodmaa ' ecurhe Editor. Severly Aooe Scblolarbcck

Sa iorSagWri te 'L haady Marettl 'rogWiire . paul Agee blackie

Gmphn Arrior Jack Ncrnaadcs ~ Edironel Assirraar Daa Malar

Advertising Staff:Daa Mdler: Joh Mahcecfarificdv npraenrarnu

acverly schlouemccn narienal accouna reprerenrarive

A I

(101) 3936226 FAX (101) 393-2630

pubgsbed biweekly cscept August by; Nsdonal Assodatloo of Caontlcs Racsrcb Fouadsdcatn

44II Flnt strew, N.w wmhlngtoo, D.c. 2assi(202) 393-6M6 ~ FAX (201) 393-2630

E-mein corns(oeacaorg Online address: «wncoonrynnaorg

Tbe appesreoce of pud sdv rlisemeals ia Caary Navr in no way implies support or endorscmalt by fa

soasaon of Counucs for any of tbe pnulucts, sarices or messages evatisal paiedicals potage tnri a

D.C. snd odor agrees

Mail subscriptions ae $90 pa year for aonanmbcrs. $60 pcr year fer wa-mcmbas purcbasag

ucslional institution rale, $43 per year. Mcmbcr county supplemental mlncriplioas ae $20 ecch. Sud

order nnd address cbaaga to NACa, 440 F'usi St. N.W, Washington, D.C. 20001.

pOS TMASTERr «mf eddrca chonga a Cooay Ncw dill Firn Ss N W., Wahiagrar RC >(DSPS 704-620) ()SSN: 0744-979$ )

e National Aarcianon ofCasubr Rareaeh Fovndafra Inr.

more than 25 years ofexpe-

ls Washington D.C. and Cali-

as an administrator, executive,

and analyst for local govern-Executive Director Larry

was recently elected president

National Affordable HousingInstitute (NAHTI).

is a nonprofit organizationofeight national public in-

poops: Council ofState Com-

Development Agencies, theCommunity Development

the National LeagueNational Association for

Community and Economicthe National Asso-

of Local Housing FinancedO 'he National Association

and Redevelopment Or-the U.S. Conference of

bod NACo.helps local and state

Iforge new partner-

io develop effective and in-ways to pool public- and

1resources to expand

opportunities formoderate-income people.

other members develop:ials

publications, workshopsssioo

assistance designed toiat

the pnxluction ofafFordable

iLarry Naake

housing and the performance ofcounty governments administeringHUD's Home Investment Partnership

(HOME) program.Naake's presidency complements

President-electAngelo Kyle's initia-tive on housing forworking familiesand comes at a critical time as NAHTIbegins efforts to refocus and strength-en its relationship with HUD.

(For more information aboutNAHTI or to request technicalassistance, please contact Dar-rin Dorsen at (202) 942-4267 orddorsettiknaco.ore.)

said.

;, phonso;.". ew HUD

Jacksonsecretary

ith aO Cdssdnoad MRTrupws

y' LSGISIATIPS DIRECTOR

role, Jackson oversaw the day-to-dayoperations ofHUD, a federal agencywithmore than 9,000 employees and

a $32 milliondollar budget, Jackson

was sworn in April l.Jackson has a long and distin-

guished career in the housing indus-

try. He is the former head ofpublichousing authorities in the cities ofSt.

Louis, Washington D.C. and Dallas.

Jackson also has experience at the

helm of redevelopment authorities

in St. Louis and Washington.Jackson received a bachelor's de-

gree inpoliticalscienceand amaster's

degree in education administration

&om Truman State University. Inaddition, he holds a law degree &om

Washington University School ofLaw.

Jackson has indicated that the

department under his leadership willcontinue to focus on homeownership

and improving internal management

practices atHUD. Former HUDSecre-

tary MelMartinez is currently'running

for the Senate in his native Florida.

Jackson was sworn'he 13th Secretary of U.S.

aod Urban DevelopmentJackson was previouslydeputy secretary. In that

on

RE Iu

bc iiOR'o

bpb RP

Apan'bolocounesy of BUD

Jackson during hishearing.

: Iupi

News, May 10. 2004lh,

Bake named presidenthousing organizationBv DRRRIII DoasETrsasoR Adsocidis, CSD Bv Pxoc MAcxiE

STAFF IVRDZR

Jim Brinkerhoffdidn't go intowork at his job as Tulare County(Calif.) human resources directorone day recently, but that didn'

keep him &om getting his jobdone.

Brinkerhoff said teleworking&omhome that day didn't cost the

county any direct costs, and that the

fewTulare County employees who,on any given day, telework, are "nottotally teleworking" because theydon't have access to the county'scomputer system.

"They are working at home

on their personal computers and

using e-mail and a coworker tosend and retrieve files. In fact,I'm home sick today and doingjust that," he said.

Tulare County is one ofmanycounty governments that has be-

come more open in recent years tothe idea of its employees workingfrom a remote location. Countiesthat have introduced some form oftelecommuting —also referred to

by some as "teleworking" —oftenhave officials who have ravedabout increases in productivity,morale and employee retention;environmental improvements;and cost savings.

And while still not a dominanttrend (67 percent of the countyhuman resources directors whoresponded to a CauntyNews surveyfor this article said no telecommut-

ing exists in their counties), plentyofcounties are displaying varyingdegrees ofinterest in the option. Inthe survey, 6 percent ofrespondingcounties are considering allowingtelecommuting, 13 percent allowoccasional telecommutingbut have

no formal policy, and another 14

percent have a formal policy and

allow some telecommuting (see

chart on page 10)."I would suspect that a lot of

local government agencies couldwork remotely — even thoseanswering citizens'alls —withtoday's phone-switching technol-

ogy," said Bob Smith, executivedirector, International TeleworkAssociation and Council (ITAC),based in Montgomery County(Silver Spring), Md.

"The trend is definitely thatthere has been growth. Govern-

ments, at all levels, are clearlyviewed as an important part ofthe workforce that's adopting this.

I think government agencies can

be an important force in evolvingteleworkand attracting theyounger

generation, which really embraces the

idea ofworking fromanywhere. Itcan

ofFera competitive edge forcounties,"Smith added.

Big counties have bignumbers of teleworkers

Large, metropolitan-area counties

appear to be the most likely to have

significant numbers of teleworkers.Because of an office shortage, 500

ofHennepin County, Minnys 11,000

their own computers. In some cases,

the county has paid for sofbvare orInternet access, but that's been fairlylimited,"Hutchins said. "It' very dif-ficultto quantify cost savings, but the

benefits include improved employeesatisfaction, retention and productiv-ity."

Mecklenburg County employeeswho telework come from a varietyof departments, including Finance,Human Resources, Information

employees telecommute, and oificialsestimate that each full-timetelecom-muter saves the county an average of$ 1,500 per year.

Because ofthe high cost ofhous-

ing and long commutes for MarinCounty, Calif. employees, plus thearea's quickly spreading wireless-technology network, more peopleare working at home. With an eyetowards decreasing vehicle emissionsand other pollutants, Fairfax County,Va., a suburb ofWashington D.C., has

morethan700teleworkers &omvirtu-ally every agency and plans to have

1,000 teleworkers by next year.However, even counties that aran't

metropolitan are coming around tothe idea. In St. Louis County, a ruralcounty in northern Minnesota thatis the state's largest at 6,226 squaremiles, 22 county employees are in-volved in a telecommuting pilotproj-ect that some departmental leaders

say they are eager to see become anauthorized program.

Mecklenburg County, N.C. hashad a teleworking program foraboutfour years as part ofits overall "workoptions" policy. Susan Hutchins,county human resources director,said there are about 30 employeeswho formally telework, with morewho work at home occasionally onan informal basis.

'There were very little costs as-sociated with teleworking arrange-ments because most employees use

Services and Technology, Health,Social Services and Land Use and

Environmental Services.

Harry Weatherly, director of fi-nance, supervises 28 employees in theFinance Department, two of whomtelework. He said it's a fine optionfor workers —in a county with nomass transit and diificultcommutes—who can do their jobs electmnical-

ly through access to Mecklenburg'sgeneral computer system.

"Part of it is the individuals inthe positions. In both cases, I knowthey'e home working. Those whorely on the paper flow ofdocumentshave to be here. And I don't think I

could let top management do it on

a regular basis because of meetings

tend other scheduled appointments],"said Weatherly, who added that thetwo teleworkers have their own oific-es and onlywork &omhome betweenone and three days each week.

'The real savings may be the avail-ability of these individuals to theirfamilies —iftheir children are sick,or ifthey have daycare or school ar-

rangements. They don't always have

to take the day offfor these things,"he said.

In Marin County, some depart-ments that have teleworkers includeHuman Resources; County Counsel;Community Development; Parks,

Open Spaces and Cultural Services

~ See TELEWORKINGon page 22

Teleworking 08ers flexibility,savings for some counties

10,'ountiescelebrate Nation~ ~

Northrop GrummanInformation Technology

NACo Premier member

NOR)WROP 5RC/NNAN

Location/HQ: Fairfax County, Va.

Division/Unit: State &Local Enterprise Solutions

Primary Business: Information technology and public safety solu-

tions and services for state & local government customers

CEO and/or name of NACO representative: Northrop Grumman

Corporation CEO, Ronald Sugar, Ph.D.; Northrop Grumman ITpresident, Jim O'eill; NACo representative, Arnie Riisen

Why we joined NACo: As the association representing the vast

majority of the nation's counties, NACo provides us with qualityopportunities to develop and strengthen relationships with countyofficials and senior county management.

NACoalso offers valuable forums to present Northrop Grumman's

information technology-managed services, public safety and other

related solutions to counties seeking to improve their cost-effective

use of technology.Andfinall,we are proud to be able to help NACo counties stream-

line their in-house and constituent services by sponsoring educational

events, site visits and related activities through our Premier Member-

ship, and our alfiliation with LUCC and other NACo organizations.

What we can do for counties: Northrop Grumman is a leading pro-

vider and integrator of complex, advanced information technology-

based, mission-enabling systems, services and solutions to diverse

government and commercial customers.For more than five decades, state and local governments have

trusted Northrop Grumman to deliver full, life-cycle solutions that

meet mission, enterprise, and infiastructureneeds. Northrop Grumman

provides end-to-end solutions for information technology, homeland

security, public safety, and transportation and health initiatives. Our

trusted ITsolutions have enhanced the work ofgovernment and busi-

ness —and improved the lives of the people they serve.

Most recent NACo event attended: NACo 2004 Legislative Con-

ference

Exhibiting at 2004 Annual Conference: Yes

Contact: Liz Schwatka, Marketing & Communications,elizabeth.sc/nvat/Ia@ngc.corn

CountyBv JERENtv RATNER

IIEOIA RElATIONS MOIAOER ployees were on hand to assist with among many other activities

utterpretanon,Ocean County, N.J. showcased

several of its county agencies at a

local mall. As a prelude to NCGW,several county high schools sentstudents to participate in OceanCounty Student Government Day.The students spent an entire day withthe county fieeholders and variousdepartment representatives.

Counties across the country cel-ebratedNational County GovernmentWeek (NCGW) April 18-24. Manycounties touched upon the transpor-tation theme —"Transportation:Counties Move America's People &Products" —while others used the

week to promote the many services

county governments provide to theircitizens.

President George W. Bush issued a

proclamation April16, sending greet-

ings to those celebrating NationalCounty Government Week. In theproclamation, Bushsaid,"I commendlocal government officials for yourcommitment to excellence throughpublic service."

The president also talked aboutNACo's transportation theme forthe week. The proclamation stated,"Bybuilding andmaintaining countyhighways, roads, bridges, airportsand other transit systems, countyemployees contribute greatly toour economic growth and qualityof life."

Students fiom aII overCounty, Mich. participated h

Annual Youth in Government

program Studentsin the county board meefiag

held their own mock meeting

students toured the county fand law libraries and heard

various departments includio~

Sheriff's department and in ( ort"taser" program.

'I rto

Dukes County, Mass.

proclamation, wrote a letter 0

editor about countycreated a public-servicement in celebration ofNCGW.

Howard County, Md. usal

tional County Government lev

launch "Kids County," a new

lic-awareness campaign that

young county citizens. The or

isdesignedto helpchildrenago o

better understand how local

ment works and the types ofpaid for by local tax dollars.

Tins year marked the first

Tallapoosa County AlaNCGW. The CountyChairman visited area schooh

spoke about how countyaffects each student. The local

published an article each day

the week about lhfferentcounty government.

Trumbull County Ohio

County, Md.; SeminoleDes Moines County, Iowa;

County, W.Va.; and Calhoun

Mich. each issued

claring April18-24 National

Government WeekFtrst celebrated ln 1990, NI

was initiated to raise public

ness about counties. Counties

sent diverse and vtbrantin every region of the couot0

activities during the week hell

zens better understand how

respond to their needs and,

sion, how counties across

serve the nation.

R R W *******+****+R

NATIONAL

COUNTYGOVERNMENT

WEEK

The county library in Blue Earth

County, Minn. was host to two storytimes, in which the Sherifi"s Depart-ment and the Highway Departmentpresented information about their re-

spective departments to children. The

county also issued a proclamation.Barnes County, N.D. inserted

county fact sheets in grocery bags

in local markets. The county hosted

high-school students for courthouse

tours, postercontests anddoorprizes.County commissioners spoke at a

local school and conducted a radioshow about the challenges ofcountygovernment

Polk County, Fla. tssued a resolu-

tion and set up a series of displaysin the main lobby of the CountyAdministration Building.

More than 50 events took place inMonmouth County, N.J., includingopen houses, tours, lectures, displaysand a special concert in celebrationof National County GovernmentWeek.

Peoria County, IIL held a countyservices expo, a poster contest, and

Around the countryJohnson County, Kan. celebrated

NCGW with the county's firstmulti-media "State ofthe County" address.

The county provided 21 students withthe opportunity to learn about countygovernment first-hand, with tours ofvarious programs and facilities. The

students participated inamock countycommission meeting and amock trial.Transportation for the students was

provided by Johnson County Transit.

The county also issued aproclamationcelebrating NCGW.

In Mecklenburg County, N.C.,county agencies set up booths in a

local mall, where they provided localgovernment information. Highlightsincluded the free immunizations of-fered by the Health Department, a

hybrid-car display and the Mecklen-

burg County mascots MecklenBear,Scout and Ray, who entertained

Govern)ment Weekchildren at the mall. Bilingual em- acountygovernmentdayattho

Internet tax fight moves back to House for further consideration~ INTERNET TAXPompage /

a huge victory for local and state

governments because itsubstantiallyreduces the potential for a major un-

funded mandate.NACo opposed the original bill

introduced by Sens. George Allen(R-Va.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.)and the original substitute amend-

ment offered by Sen. John McCain

(R-Ariz.) because they would have

given major tax breaks to the tele-

communications industry, hurtingstate and local taxpayers by creating

a huge unfunded mandate.

The language would have greatlyexpanded the

definition

of�what

woul

be tax-fiee under the moratorium—substantially more than just "Inter-

net access." This was at least partiallyresolved by the compromise.

The Senate had expected to voteonAllen's billlast November, but the

legislation stalled when its supporters

failed to reach a compromise withSens. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.),Thomas Carper (D-Del.) and other

sponsors of a bipartisan alternative

calling for a two-year extension ofthe moratorium.

Allen's bill would have perma-

nently banned taxes on all types

grandfather-provisions that

some states to tax some

Internet access.

The fight now moves

House of Representatives

permanent moratonum, H.g.

already been passed by a

margin. Itis too early to

there willbe a conference oo

fenngbdls, or fftheHouse

the hard-fought S, 150 as

of Internet access, including directsubscriber-line services (DSL). Al-exander 's billwould have prohibitedstates I'rom taxing the end users ofDSL or other telecommunications-based Internet services. But unlikethe Allen bill, the Alexander billwould have allowed taxes on cer-

tain business-to-business transac-tions that occur during the deliveryof DSL services, and would extend

10,News, May 10, 2004

r ri inthe

:s.

il Ia

tent

ic

ly i 6 —20, 2004 ~

Maricopa Countyudi(ling

its ommuuity audDevelopment

er to

ment

3W.

ased

iewat

ages

.1

fs.

first

iools

and Workforcet Relationships:

Partnership or Uneasy'i

at the federal and

kvel are encouraging practitio-n build relationships between

and workforce develop-organizations. Come hear the

on how to integrate economicresources with those ofsystem. This workshop

forcounty leaders who wantbow to effectivelycollaborate

'evelopers to advance'nd workforce devel-

activities.

NACo AnnualConferenceand iixposlon

Phoenix Civic Center~ Phoenix, Arizona

process. Find out how you canreduce your administrative burden,makebetteruse ofyourstaffresources,and stretch your scarce agency dollarsbyofferingsmpluspropertyand assets

and purchasing goods online.

Responding To Rapid Growth:Strategies for Parks and OpenSpace

Are you facing challenges relatedto actual or expected burgeoningpopulation growth? Now is the timefor you to finalize your park and

open space strategies and put theminto practice. Ask park and openspace related questions and discuss

strategies withpark leaders who have

developed and implemented plans toensure the future livabilityofincreas-

ingly built-out counties.

Blocks forBusiness: How

ayEconomic Benefits to Countiesfrom Watershed and ForestRestoration

The economies ofour counties are

hurting and strategies that can rejuve-nate local resources are at the centerofour solutions. This workshop willexplore new possibilities with a look

at jobs created through watershed and

forest restoration.

Communitydevelopment plays a

role in a community's abilityfor its present and future. Youintroduced to concepts thatcounties evaluate economic

atioiu strategies that can be ap-a your communities. County

looking to boost business

and expand economicopportunities willben-

this session!

),.ic

ties

a Youth Services One Stop

help youth service is more im-

v tutoring or substance abuse

by,' Does a young personskills more than parenting

" What ifa teen trusts the staffA, but needs the services

by Agency B? Ifyou thinkshould be comprehen-

and tailoredneeds, this workshop

hat

tack tii

R4L<

tw

on tbi

will

ao Internet AuctionFuture?

in maximizing returnssale of surplus, seized and

orpurchasingand supplies at the lowest

More and more governmentaie tunung to the Internet to

their surplus asset sales,programs and purchasing

Implementing Successful CountyBusiness Development Initiatives

One of the most pressing chal-

lenges faced by counties is business

recruitment and retention. You willsee how small and mid-sized coun-

ties positioned themselves as attrac-

tive business centers, and developed

paitnerships that brought in develop-

ment that bolstered their economy

From Sticks to Bricks: Keys toDeveloping Affordable Housing

As the housing market continues

its boom, afFordable housing for allAmericans is more important now,than ever before. Listen to lessons and

practical advice from public, privateand nonprofit sector groups that have

developed partnerships, policies and

the political will to strengthen af-

fordable housing opportunities incounties. You will also learn about

practical ways to incorporate hom-

eownership into strategic and longterm planning.

while preserving their community Save Money and Energycharacter. Thesessionisacontinuance Through ENERGY STARo

ofthe NACo—International Council Nearly one-third ofthe energy used

of Shopping Centers Partnership for to run typical government buildingsEconomic Opportunity. goes to waste. The NACo ENERGY

STARe Courthouse Campaign can~ Environment, Land Use, help your county save taxpayer dol-aud Quality ofLife lars and energy by improving the en-

ergy performance of your facilities.TheAirWeBreathe: HowtheNew Come find out what this campaignAir Nonattainment Designations is all about, how energy projects canWillAffect You be financed through energy savings,

This year, a new round of air and howENERGYSTARe can helpquality designations are set to be yourcounty.announced for ozone and PM 2.5standards. Traditionally, nonattain- County Open Space Protectionment areas have been urban centers; —National Trends and Fundinghowever, this new round ofdesigns- Optionstions targets not only urban areas, but Is open space protection an issuerural and suburban areas —and this for your county? Across the countrycouldgreatlyaf'ecttransportationdol- counties are using a variety of toolslars a county can receive. Find out and teclmiques to protect and fundsome of the innovative ways to get open space. Come listen to a panelyourcountyintoairattainmentorhelp of experts speak on national trendsyour county stay in attainment. in county open space protection ef-

forts And discover different fundingMold Alert! techniques such as counties creatingThe Fungus Among Us! dedicated funding for open space

Because ofextensive recentmedia through bafiot measures.exposure and a 300 percent increase inmold-related lawsuits since 1999, the Using Low Impact Developmentissueofmoldisbecomingmcreasingly Approaches to Reduce Stormimportantto counties. This workshop Water Runoffwillcover the basics ofmold, its health Withover 1.5 millionacres oflandafFects, prevention and clean up, as being developed in the United Stateswell as the legal and liability issues every year, it is more important thanfor county governments. ever to ensure that new development

occurs in the most sensihve way pos-

sible. Faced withvarious storm waterregulatory requirements itis especiallyimportant that counties encourage con-

servation development, such as lowimpact development (LID). Repre-sentatives &om counties, developers,and the building industry willprovideexamples how LID approaches wereimplemented in new development tominimize storm water runoff.

Planning for Septic Systems inRural and Developing Areas

Onsite/decentralized wastewatertreatment systems, commonly called"septic systems," are here to stay. Theyserve approximately 25 percent ofthe

U.S. population and one-third ofnewdevelopment. A comprehensive man-

agement approach for the installationand maintenance ofseptic facilities is

critical to protecting water quality at

the local leveL Youwillhear actual ex-

amples Irom counties and other state

ofthe art programs that detail tools tomanage the planning, installation andmaintenance of septic systems.

~ Health, Humanaud Social Services

Managing Health Care Costs: AModel forQuantifying, Budgetingand Funding

~ See WORKSHOPS on page 8

Ifa reporter asks, "Why are you Center. A partnership between thespendingtaxpayermoneyandwhat National Association of Countyare you accomplishing at the NACo Information Officers (NACIO),Annual Conference," do you know NACo and the Marciopa Countyyouranswer? Are youtiredofhow Public Affairs Office, will useyouappearonthelocal newsand want professional public-information of-to polish your media-relations skills ficers and videographers to interviewand improve your presentation? conferenceattendeesaboutwhat they

For the first time, those attend- are learning in Phoenix. Participantsing NACo's Annual Conference in willreceiveavideotape(oraudio)ofMaricopa County (Phoenix), Ariz. the interview to take home for usewill have the opportunity to show by their local media or governmentthe folks back home what is being channelaccomplished ontheirbehalf,andat In addition, NACIO's PR prosthe same time, get some real-time, will conduct mock TV interviews,televised media-relations training, allowing you to feel the heat of awith instant feedback and tips. media grilling, then see for yourself

Btith opportunities occur July how well you perform, Based onlg-20 at the Phoenix Convention yourperformance,ourstafi'willof-

fer suggestions and tips to improveyour interview performances andmake your public presentation thebest it can be.

Since this is the first time suchan opportunity has been availableto NACo conference attendees,organizers would like to prepare forwhatever demand may exist for theseservices.

Ifyou are going and would liketo participate, let us know one oftwo ways. Call NACIO headquar-ters at (704) 336-2597, or go towww.nacio.org and sign up for a

specific time. GLACIO.org also has

details of other communicationworkshops and opportunities thatwilloccur in Phoenix

Take-home video interviewsplanned for Annual ConferenceTools willhelp county officials inform publicback home about MACo's many benefits

preventing child abuse in theircommunities. This presentation willprovide a fiamework for the HealthyFamilies home visitation program thathas proven successful in rural and

urban counties. Take home ideas forimpmving what your county is doingand resources on how to begin thiskind ofeffort

Bring New Federal Dollars intoYour County (and Assist LowIncome Residents) —The EarnedIncome Tax Credit

If lower income residents havemore money to spend they willneed

fewer social services andbusiness wiII

benefit

as

these

dollars�are

spen. Findout how counties are increasing usage

of the Earned Income Tax Credit to

bring federal dollars back home. Tool

~ WORKSHOPS ftumpage 7 kits and practical ideas to take homewillbe available.

Howto Help YourConstituents withthe New Medicare PrescriptionDrug Benefit

As implementation of the newMedicareprescriptiondrugbenefitb-

egins

thi summer withtheprescriptiondrug card, county officials are hkelyto receive numerous inquiries aboutthis and future benefits. Come take a

look at the community resources and

technical assistance available to helpsenior and disabled citizens navigatethe complexities of the new law.

IsAmerica'sOverweightpopulationCosting Your County?

NACo is joined by the U.S.Conference of Mayors, National

How secure is your county?

you done the analysis sought

solutions, identified the costs,

ined the risks and

programs necessary to assure

citizens'afety? NACoPartners GraybaR, MotorolaGTSI will provide the

hear, see, and touch homelandrity-related products andFrom ruggedized and wire(est

tops to physical securitysystems, from disastertems to integratedsotbvare, this interactivewillgive you the hands-on

ence that could save yourtime and mone .

Governor's Association, Interna-tional City/County ManagementAgency and the Robert Wood John-son Foundation in implementing anational effort to promote increasedphysical activity and combat obesity.ln this session, you will learn howstate and local government leadersare working to address this growingnational cnsis, the cost m human anddollar terms paid by localities because

of inactivity, and a series of actionsthat you can implement within yourowll county.

How can a county tame volatilehealth care costs while maintaininga predictable budget pmcess? Cost

pressures continue to grow as the

liability for current and retired em-

ployeehealthcarejumps, while facingtougher GASB reporting. Whether

your health careorworkerscompensa-tionprograms are self-funded or fullyinsured, management is forced to be

reactive rather than proactive. Findout about a new approachthat attempts

to control and manage these costs.

cull

ona

~ Homeland Security andPublic SafetyDemonstrate the Return on Your

County's Investment in HealthCare Access

Have you ever heard someone state

that investing in access to health care

for the uninsured is not only the rightthing to do but that itmakes goodbusi-ness sense? Did you want them to

prove it? Learn how employing theReturn on Community Investment

(ROCI) approach. Pima County,Arizona has demonstrated ROCIand they willshare their process and

results with you.

y

~ See WORKSHOPS on

Is Your Homeland Really Secure?

Products and Technologies forCounties

Frequently Asked Questions

2004 NACo Elections: General Votinplus one) ofthe total number v<

being cast. Voting may stillafter the fifiyone percent mad.

been reached cast

~ On what issues or for whichcandidates do counties/parishes/boroughs vote?

Counties vote on resolutions thatset NACo legislative and association

policyforthe coming year. Delegates

also elect NACoofficers for the com-

ing year. In 2004, one ofthe four of-ficers'lots is contested, that of the

second vice- president,

identification form to NACo.Whatshould I do?

You can still return the form, butyou must call Membership Coordi-nator Emily Landsman at (202) 942-

4242 to let her know the form willbe

late. Ifyou i/ave misplaced the form,it willbe available at wwwnaco. orgbefore the conference. Print out thisform and fax it to NACo/EmilyLandsman at (202) 393-2630. Yourchief elected official can also writea letter on county stationary stating

the name and job title of the votingdelegate and alternate delegate.This letter can be used by the votingdelegate to pick up your county'sballot at the credentials desk. Yourdelegate can also fill out a votingdelegate authorization form at the

credentials desk at the conference.

Itmust then be signed by a credentials

committee member to be valid.

has no rule as to how counties de-

cide to allocate their votes. Coun-

ties may split their vote amongst the

candidates running for second vicepresident ifit is desired.

How will the 2005 BudgetResolution Impact County HealthCare Services?

The 2005 Budget Resolutionproposes significant changes andreductions to various health care

programs, specifically Medicaid. The

cuts proposed could reduce Medicaidpayments to states and counties byBILLIONSofdollars. Counties relyheavily on the Medicaid program and

the proposed reductions are certain toraise lots ofquestions and concerns as.

already strapped county budgets face

the upcoming challenges.

ha~ What is the c

committee?The credentials committee

sures the credibility of the

and is charged withresolvingabout election issues. t

~ Our county executive is the onlyperson from our county attendingthe conference, but he willbe leav-

ing before the voting takes place.Can our county still vote?

Yes. Your county may vote byproxy. The executive can give thecounty's ballot to either your state

association's executive director/president or to another county of-ficial within your state.

~ How can my county vote?Acounty mustbe aNAComember

"in good standing" in order to vote.This means your county's dues for2004 must be paid before the votingoccurs. Also, the county must have

at least one paid registration for the

annual conference and have propercredentials.

~ How are committeeselected?

The current NACopoints elected officials fiomcounties to fill the positions

Credentials Committee. Thit 'gPresident Karen Millerthe following to serve on the

Credentials Committee:

~ I'e heard the term "unit vote"used. What is that?

Some states, by custom or policy,cast all of their votes as a block or"unit."However, NACobylaws per-mit each county to cast its vote as itchooses. State associations typicallyhave a meeting before the election todetermine how they willhandle the

voting process. Check withyour state

association regarding the time, date

and location of this meeting.

Is Your County Ready to Age? AnIndividually Tailored Assessment

Last year NACoand theUniversityofGeorgia partnered to survey coun-

ties on two related topics: workforcesuccession, and counties'lans forproviding service to an aging popu-lation. This year we merge surveyresponses to U.S. Census data toaddress your key question, "Is mycounty prepared to age," at a level ofdetail not feasible with either source

alone. Before and during the session

you can obtain a private, individualreport that directly compares yourcounty to responding counties and tothe nation as a whole. This workshopwillhelp you understandyourplans inthe context ofyour county's relativeresources and demographics.

~ What are credentials?Credentials attest to a county's eli-

gibility to vote. Credentials containinformation on the number ofvotes

a county is eligible to cast, as well as

the identity ofthe delegate that is au-

thorized to cast the county's vote.

ChairOscar Soliz, Clerk Emerion

Lifetime NACo BoardNueces County, TX

Committee MembersBetty Knight, Presiding

sioner, Platte County, MO

Juha Gouge, ComnussionCarroll County, MD

~ How does NACo determinethe number of votes each countyreceives?

The number of votes is determined

by the amount of dues a county

pays. Dues are based on population.NACo's bylaws allot one vote per$500 in dues. Therefore, counties

with dues of $360 to $499 receive

one vote, counties with dues of$500

to $999 receive two votes, counties

with dues of$ 1000 to $ 1,499 receivethree votes, and so on. The maximumnumber ofvotes a county can receive

is 83.

~ How is the credentials formdistributed?

The form is mailed to the chiefelected oflicial of member coun-

ties so that the county can providethe name of the voting delegate toNACo. Only counties that have paidtheir 2004 NACo dues will receive

a credentials form. This form is

mailed in the second week of May.

The deadline to return the form is

Friday, June 25, 2004.

~ When does the voting takeplace?

This year's election willbe heldon Tuesday, July 20.

CalvmNewsom, Supervisor,

County, MS

ParliamentarianTom Finley CorporationMarathon County, Wl

~ How does the voting occur?Counties withina state sit together

as a delegation. The reading clerk willcall out a state. Astate appointed rep-resentative willapproach the micro-phone and call out that state's vote.This will continue until one of thecandidates has a majority (50 percent

Tally ClerkJulia Moeller, Treasurer and

Officer, Adams County, NfiCounties Save Money and PreventChild Abuse Through HomeVisitation

Counties are improving children'lives and SAVING MONEY by

~ My county has 10 votes. Howcan our 25 commissioners divideor share the votes?

That is up to your county. NACo

Reading ClerkPat Conway, CountyBuchanan County, MO

~ I missed the June deadlinefor returning the credentials

8 County News, May 10,

Workshop to focus on budgeting for unpredictable healfh care costs o]

10 County News, May 10,

'America's Best Preacher'o address NACo Annual ConferenPastor, community advocate,

humanitarian, author, songwriter,playwright, conference speakerand broadcaster, Bishop Thomas D.Jakes, Sr. was born on June 9, 1957

in South Charleston, WVa. His par-

ents, businessman and entrepreneurErnest Sr. and educator Odith, were

charitable benefactors in their corn- pastor ofGreater Emmanuel Templemunity,andtowhomtheirsoncredits of Faith, a small storefront church

for his own integrity, discipline and in Montgomery, W.Va., which origi-self-reliance. nated with only 10 members. Now,

From a very young age, he was he's climbed the pastor ladder todevoted to the gospel and, in 1979, head what Christianity Today calls

Jakes began fulfillinghis call to the 'one of America's fastest growingministry by founding and serving as mega-churches."

Named "The Potter's House,"this multiracial, nondenominationalchurch with 48 active outreach min-istries has dominated church growthrecords since 1996. Inonly fiveyearssince relocating the church fromWestVirginiato Dallas, The Potter's Housegrew from 50 families to more than

28,000 members.

In January 1999, the New

Times named Jakes as "one of

top five evangelists most

cited by scholars, theologismevangelical leaders to step up ta

international pulpit behind the

BillyGraham," wiule Time

featured Jakes on a September

cover and named him "Best Preacher."

I found a laser printer with

incredible color. At a breathtaking

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Often referred to as a

the Shattered," Jakes has made

strides in Dallas County to help

around the lives of the

drug addicts, prostitutes,mothers, and others ining circumstances. In addition.

Potter's House has created

such as Ravens Refuge, a

ministry; Operation Rehab, an

reach to prostitutes; a GED

program; the Transformation

ment Program for drug and

abusers; an AIDS outreach

and a prison outreach program

A devoted advocate ofoutreach to prison inmates

been to several prisons to

person, most recently at a thesummer crusade at San

He also created The Potter'

Prison Satellite Network,provides gospelmore than 325 prisons in 35

touting a viewership ofover

inmates.

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Pastor Thomas Jakes heads

church in Dallas County,iofI ~

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The 2004Annusl Acts ofCaring Awards were presented during sluncheonon Capitol HillApril 21 during National County Government

Winners (rom around the nation were on hand to receive their awardsNACo President Karen Millerand Nationwide Retirement Solutions

President Duane Meek. NRS sponsors the awards program. SeveralofCongress also attended the ceremonies. Ruben Barrales, White

director of intergovernmental affairs, addressed attendees on theofvolunteering their services to the community.

Photos David Hsthcox

of Counties

I

ion, /

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lakes

Ithe Quality of Life for Seniors, a Coffee County, Ala. pro=

received an award forElderly Services. Pictured (1 to r): MarthaCoffee County Administrator Wilson Mobley, Jr.; U.S. Rep.

Everett (R-Als.); and Chairman Robert G. Stephens.

A Health Services sward was presented to the Dental Center for Childrea of Cape Msy County, NJ. Pic-tured (1 to r): Stephen O'Conaor, county administrator; Gerald Thoraton, freeholder director of healthand humaa services; Rep. Frank A. LoBioado (R-N2.); Lenora Boninfante, communications director; andPatricia Devaney, human resources director.

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l"she County, Utah collected an award in the Programs forChildren

category with the Utah State University Extension/Youth sndwith Promise program. Pictured (1 to r): Cheryl Christy, site

, Rep. Chris Canaon (R-Utah); Melissa Bagley; volunteer, snd Kriss Jacobson, site coordinator.

Howard County, Md. won an sward forEmergency Management with its Community F merge ncy ResponseNetwork. pictured (1 to r): Victoria Goodman, public information administrator; James N. Robey, countyexecutive; Dr. Richard Krieg, president, Horizon Foundation; Rep. Bea Cardin (D-Md.); aad Chief JosephHerr, Department of Fire and Rescue.

12County News, May 10, 20Q

AWARDS

ssocintion ol'

O

A Criminal Justice award was presented to Volunteers in Probatiss i M

Inc. of San Diego County. Pictured (I to r): Ardy Shaw, volunteer sst wi

public service coordinator; Rep. Susan Davis (D-Calif.); and

Martinez, volunteer board member.

For achievement in Civic Education and Public Information, Montgomery County, Md.'s CulturalAmbas-

sador Volunteer Program won an Acts ofCaring award. Pictured (I to r): Meek; Parker Hamilton, assistant

chief administrative officer;Alexandra Teaff, director ofthe Gilchrist Center forCultural Diversity; Sharon

Knapik, program specialist of the county's recreation department; and Miller.

1f Coun!i',)/ IOli

Rltilln . <tt loll Dl (Summit County, Ohio received an Arts and Culture award for its

Remembrance Participation Project. Pictured (I to r): Meek;

community outreach/public information oflicer; and Miller.

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An Elderly Services award was presented to Seniors: Feeding Their Bodies and Souls from Contra Costa

County, Calif. Pictured (I to r): Miller;Diana Gatlin, volunteer, Senior Peer Counseling Program; Ed Monk,

volunteer and board of directors member, Meals on Wheels; and Meek.

c

dk

Johnson County's (Kan.) Art from the Heart was the recipient ol

Arts and Culture award. Pictured (I to r): Meek; Eric Wade,

county manager; Rep. Dennis Moore (D-Kan.); and Miller.

!004 News, May 10, 2004 13

AWARDS

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>1ayor's Youth Advisory Commission ofEast Baton Rouge Parish,woa an award for Civic Education and Public Information and a

Service award for the Mayor's Youth Advisory Commission.(I to r): Miller;Juliana Rome, vice president; and Meek.

pn

ioa o$

Johnson County, Kan. won an award for its Route K—Olatbe JoFlex program in the category of ElderlyServices. Pictured (I to r): Miller;AliceAmrein, transit director; Marg Vnis Moore (D-Kan.); Chuck Ferguson, assistant transit director and corn

!

4~ VictiroAssistance UnitofJohnson County, Kan. received an award

ts 9lli ~< riminalJustice. Pictured (I to r): Miller;Deborah Floyd, volunteeridea!s ', Rep. Dennis Moore (D-Kan.); and Meek.

ational ion of

Count'he

Montgomery County (Md.) Mental Health Crisis Response VoluntEmergency Management. Pictured (I to r): Miller;Carolyn Colvin, direrment of Health and Human Services; Sharon Friedman, executive direHealth Association; Parker Hamilton, assistant chief administrative offi

nt of

dcpst

«unty's(Fla.} Water Matters Program won an EnvironmentI«red (I to r): Miller; Mary Peters, director of extension

division; Dr. Jennifer Jurado, water resources manager;

14 County News, May 10, 2(i

AWARDS

31 Cm

i)'Os'

Polk County, lowe accepted an award in the Environment categuB

its Corps of Recovery program. Pictured ft to r): Miller;Kamicommunity relations coordinator, Polk County ConservationLorans Lown, natural resources specialist; snd Meek.

Montgomery County, Md. garnered an award for Health Services with The People'g Community Wellness

Center. Pictured f) to r): Miller; Rev. Joan McCarley, director of the Social Action Agency of the People'

Community Baptist Church; Tins Clarke, Montgomery County African American Liaison; Patricia Hus-

ton, senior administrator of community health services; Wilbur Malloy, project director of the People'

Community Wellness Center; Parker Hamilton, assistant chief administrative officer; Erin Grace, CEOof Primary Care Coalition; and Meek.

North Regional-Brows rd Community College LibraryFriendsProgram ofBroward County, Fla. accepted an sward in the

category. Pictured fl to r): Miller;Arline Packqci, president;Morton, vice president and tutoring chair; Debbie Passalacqus,

ward County regional library manager; snd Meek.

i Si

ve

Teller County, Colo. collected sn award for Social Services with its Community of Caring Project. Picture

fi to r): Miller;Mary Bielz, board ofdirectors; Ted Borden, coordinator, Aspen Mine Center; Lisa Nobel,

representative, Community of Caring; Rep. Joel Hefty (R-Colo.); Liza Hermes-Dickerson, board of direc-

tors; Gerald Bergeman, chairman of the board, Teller County Commissioners; aud Meek.

Highlands County, Fla. collected an award in the Librariesfor its Born to Read program. Pictured f) to r): Miller;

Giuft'lure,

administrator; Katrinka Howe, volunteer coordinator;

McKinney, representative from theAmericanAssociationWomen; snd Meek.

News, May 10, 2004 15

AWARDS

The Teen Diploma Academy ofDurham County, N.C. won anaward for Programs for Childrenand Youth. Pictured(t to r): Miller;Lucy Haagen, executive director,Durham Literacy Center; Rep.David Price (D-N.C.); Fred Fos-ter, president, Durham VoterCoalition; and Meek.

',ory

Mighty Kids Steering Committee/Program of Ramsey County,picked up an award for Parks and Recreation. Pictured (1 to

Miller; Victoria Reinhardt, county commissioner; Judy Yungers,of parks, services and operations; and Meek.

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ta,

Buddtes ofOrange County, Va. won an aw~rd for Programs for Chddren andp, Mmfisyt, Ch k K ' to r): Miller;Ruthe Anne Paisley, director, office on youth; Kathy Taylor, mentor leader; Janice LaPrade,, Carole Beatty, director, MillerCommunity House; and P g P

'ationalg lion of Count

'+librh Q ~

gerCosta, County, Calif. was presented with a Youth Literacy

award for tbe Technology for Teens in Transition program.(t to r): Miller;Anne Cain, county librarian; Susan Weaver,

assistant; and Meek.

ASocial Services award was presented to Reston Community Center's Thanksgiving Food Drive in FairfaxCounty, Va. Pictured () to r): Miller;Haywood Hopson, special events director, Reston Community Center;Rep. James Moran (D-Va); Gerry Connolly, chairman, Fairfax County Board ofSupervisors; and Meek

16 County News, May 10,

~ OVERTIMEfrtrmpage /

"highly compensated" test (deemed

exemption &urnovertimeprotection)only applies to individuals earningmore than $ 100,000 per year. Thisnew highly compensated test maycause 107,000 employees to loseovertime protechon according tothe department.

Pay of police officers, fire-fighters, others protected

The overtime regulations spe-cifically mention that police, firefighters, paramedics and emergencymedical technicians are entitled toovertime pay as well as licensedpractical nurses. The departmentoutlines that these new regulationsdo not affect "blue-collar" workers.Furthermore, the rule cites that theFLSA provides the minimum stan-dard forovertime pay, which cannotbe waived or reduced, and that therule does not relieve employers &omtheir contractual obligations under'collective-bargaining agreements.

Initially, NACo applaudedthe Labor Department's proposalto streamline and simplify theimplementation of the Fair LaborStandards Act by reorganizing theregulations and addressing out-dated salary tests, and replacingantiquated job descriptions withexamples that more closely resemblejobs in today's workplace. A largepercentage of the county workforce

includes white-collar workers.When'he

FLSAregulations were originallywritten, the white-collar exemptionswere written with only the privatesector in mind. In the public sector,civil-service rules and collective-bargaining statutes affect the wayemployees are hired, fired and paid.The existing regulations have made itvery dif5cult forcounty employers toproperly manage their employees.

Labor unions, some congressio-nal members and others opposed theLabor Department's proposed over-time-pay rule released last March be-cause of concerns that as many as

eight millionworkers wouldhave losttheir overtime pay. The departmentoriginally claimed these changeswould cause only 644,000 workersto lose their overtime pay. Somecongressional members and laborunions still have concerns about the

department's

final

regulation and thenumber of workers who could losetheir overtime protections.

On May 4, the Senate adopted anamendment to a corporate tax bill(S.1637) sponsoredby Sen. Tom Harkin(D-Iowa) to block the final LaborDepartment overtime pay regula-tions. The Senate adopted a similarmeasure last year during debate ofthe Labor-HHS Appropriations bill,which was supported by the Housebut was eliminated Rom the FY04omnibus appropriations. While theHouse has not adopted a similarmea-sure this year, the possibility exists.However, ifsuch a measure passedCongress, it could likely be vetoedby President George W. Bush.

Implications for countiesThe final rule offers mixed results

forpublic-sector employers, including

Summary ofFinal OvertimePay Regulations

Minimum Salary Level for Exemption

Current Regulation Final Regulation

$ 155 per week/ $8,060 annually $455 per week/ $23,660annually

Salary Level for Standard Duties Tests (3)(Administrative, Executive & Professional Employees)$23,660-$ 100,000 annually

Salary Level for Highly Compensated Test$ 100,000 or more annually

First responders entitled to overtime payretained the proposed changes to the"disciplinary docking" suspensionrule, which allows employers tosuspend "exempt" employees forperiods ofone or more fullworkdays.NACo endorsed this improvementover the current regulations, whichprohibitsuspensions for less than a fullworkweek This new regulation willgive employers, including counties,more llexibility.

The final version, however, madeonly slight changes to the "dutiestests" —description of job dutiesrequired for overtime exemptions.For "administrative employees,"the department opted to keep the

confusing requirement that suchworkers "exercise discretion and

independent judgment," abandon-

ing the proposed requirement of"holds a position of responsibility"and "high level of skill or training,"which NACo supported.

The department also retains the

proposed language for"exempt exec-

utive employees," requiring that they

have the authority to "hireor fireother

employees or must make suggestionsand recommendations as to the hiring,

any otherchangeofstatus... [... are given particular weight."language may force state and

governments to reclassify manytheir currentlyexempt executive managerssupervisors as non-exemptmost do not exercise authorityhiring and firing due to virtuallystates and localities beingby civil service systems wherepointment is based on merit and

ness. This regulation could result

millions of dollars ofannualliabilityto these currently "public employees.

The Labor Departmentweakened the final version of"professional employees"tion by not making any change;

the educational requirements.final version removesto training in the armed forces,

tending a technical school ormunity college from the

employees exemption &omprotections.

Visit the Department of Labor

Web site at wwwdot gov/frrirfrayview these final regulations.

Word Search

Counties inthe State of Ohio

under new regulationscounties. The Labor Department firing, advancement, promotion

avaj

description of the development,components, and issues related to e-

Government together with a numberofcase studies. Topics include: e-Govmodels,portal strategy, access andpri-vacy policies, technology, standards,

and institutional issues.

~ WORKSHOPSPom page 9 to the present outsourced ServiceLevel Agreement, contracted onsiteto an Indian-owned firm. The transi-tion addressed customer expectations,

personnel and process changes and

the public's reaction to the foreign-owned firm

Whip and Chair:The Right Way to Run a Meeting

Elected officialsofienfeeluncom-fortable running a public meeting.Government public meetings resultin o15cial actions, minutes, and re-cords, which are ofien disclosed tothe media and in some cases, must bedefended in litigation. Meetings maybe controversial and debates heated.

Elected of5cials must know how tocorrectly run a meeting and makea record, while maintaining properdecorum.

Improve Services with The 2004 Presidential Election:Wireless Technology Are You Ready for the Spotlight?

As wireless technology moves Counties will be administering

beyond cell phones and local area a presidential election this fall fornetworks (LANs), counties are the first time since passage of the

starting to leverage these and newer federal Help America Vote Act. Dotechnologies to improve services and your county's voters have confidence

responsiveness and lower costs. This in the equipment that they will be vot-

session willreviewthenewtechnolo- ing on? Is your county ready for the

gies such as countywide broadband, media attention that willaccompany

ad-hoc networks, Voice over IP and a close election? This session willPublic Wireless LANs. Videos and discuss how counties are gearing up

demonstrations willconfirm that the forthe2004presidentialelection and

future is here and being deployed what assistance is being provided in

today! this effortby the new federal ElectionAssistance Commission.

Outsourcing IT:Challenges and Lessons Learned

Faced with an exploding demandfor information technology servicesand budget cutbacks, counties are

searching for a productive andcost-et5cient solution. CharlestonCounty, South Carolina seized an

opportunity to save miifions in ITcosts as it evolved from an in-houseemployee-based effort to an out-sourced Full Time Equivalent model

E-Government:The New Reality

E-government —it' notjust about

having a Web site and e-mail systemThis workshop provides an overall

QtJIK FACT: When Teton County, Wyo.,became a county in 1923, its county seat,

Jackson, was nationally renowned because

all of its elected ottlclals were women.

Technology workshops aplenty P H Y

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F ANCIAI. ERVICES NEWS

The Three LittlePigs-A Financial Fairy Tale

Bv DONNE MEE77

RE77RENENT SOEU77ONE (MRS)

What do the three littlepigs knowfinancial education? "You'

surprised what pigs know these

says Maggie Kwasny ofRetirement Solutions.

an adaptation of the story oflhree littlepigs, Nationwide cre-

a program to educate childrenthe importance of saving,and spending. This program

irailable to access via the Web at

corn.

Three Little Pigs—Financial Fairy TaleNationwide Retirement Solutionstaken its education focus to a new

by creating a fun-fiBed curricu-targeting grade-school children7-11. Called "kidshops," the

presentation includes a

a workbook to take homeand several activities,all de-

to teach children basic moneyconcepts and skills in a

that's totally kid-fiiendly.A Financial Fairy Tale is a

that follows the trialstribulations of the three pigs

Pig, Stingy Pig and Smart-us they set off into the woodsgold to build their homes. As

trouble lurks in the forest

g~,TA~~i

Ql f7t< P(g~+

sin n 7u

in the character of Mr. B.B. Wolfe,who tries to tempt the pigs to spendtheir nest egg before they are ableto build their brick homes. Childrencan relate to the familiarity of thisfairytale and learn &em the decisionsthe pigs make as they manage, andmismanage, their money.

In addition to the storybook,which is illustrated with cartoons byJeff Smith, Nationwide associate, theworkbook allows the child to workwith an adult to establish a budget,discuss allowances and set savingsgoals. Other fun activity pages likea word search and crossword puzzlehelp familiarize kids withbasic finan-cial terms and concepts.

Why now?Today, more than ever, people are

realizing the importance of savingand investing for retirement. Unfor-tunately, awareness doesn'tnecessar-

ily translate into action. Each year,new reports show that Americans arecreating even more debt and savingless than the prior year.

Many studies have been conductedto examine how we can create a na-tion of savers, instead of spendersand borrowers, no one has come upwith an approach that has altered our

financial

habit. The problem has beenwell identified and documented, butthe solutions are much more difficultto find.

It is generally believed behaviorpatterns (good or bad) are formedearly in lifeand over a certain lengthoftime. For example, ifyou develophealthy eating and exercise habitswhile you are young, you are morelikelyto have these same attributes inyour adulthood. This is why there aremore programs being established toteach children about the importanceof eating right and exercising. Na-tionwide intends to spur a similarbehavior pattern for savings with itsnew savings curriculum.

NACoand The U.S. Conference ofMayors have supported the develop-ment of this financial education pro-gram. For more information, contactMaggie Kwasny at (614) 854-8697.

'trash in Broward County, Fla

IN THE NEWSNACo President Karen Millerresponded in the April20 edition

of USA Today to a letter to the editor that expressed disgust at countygovernments raising property taxes to pay the salaries of govern-ment employees. Miller replied, "Counties have severely limitedways of raising revenue —property taxes are the primary way. Theessential services citizens need have a price tag. Property taxes arenot a 'senseless passing of the buck.'hey are necessary to pay forthe services citizens want and deserve."

Also on April 20, Millerreplied to a Baltimore Sun editorialthat had noted how the blame gets placed on local governments foradded tax burdens. Millerwrote, "The Sun was right on point. Localgovernments bear the brunt of the blame f'rom citjzens for raisingtaxes. Until the federal and state governments are honest with theAmerican people about why their local property taxes are continuallyrising, local governments willcontinue to be unfairly blamed."

~ Steve Swendiman, managing director/CEO, NACo's FinancialServices Center, was quoted in an article about Oklahoma coun-ties'ffice-product purchasing entitled "County Bidding Processto Change Under New Law" in the April 19 Daily Oklahoman.Counties throughout the state can avoid the formal bidding pro-cess on purchases up to $ 7,500; that limitwillrise to $ 10,000 inNovember.

NACO OFFICERS AND COUNTY OFFICIALS'ACo Second Vice President BillHansell attended a meeting of

the Advisory Panel of the Nationwide RetirementEducationlnstituteinNew YorkCityonApril20.TheInstitute's objective is to

fill

the

vacuum

oinformationthat exists regarding public-sector retirement. Theinformation and the results being developed are de-signed for use by retirement-plan sponsors, industryleaders, policy makers and employees.

BillHnnscn

NACO STAFFOn April 23, Associate Legislative Director Donald Murray

toured a Montgomery County (Md.) prisoner re-entry program, accompanied by two JusticeDepartment officials —Deputy Assistant Attor-ney General Richard Hertling (Office of LegalPolicy) and Deputy Assistant Attorney GeneralCheri Nolan (Office of Justice Programs). ArtWallenstein, director ofthe county's DepartmentofCorrections and Rehabilitation Services hostedthe group.

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Br M. MINOYMonurrlSENIOR STAFF IYRITER

Once the trash goes out to theor into the dumpster,

people don't really thinkuor necessarily care, wherenext.

gut Darcy Gardiner, educationmanager for the Broward

(Fla.) Office of IntegratedManagement (OIWM)wants

lu care. She wants you to knowwhat you throw away and howdispose of it has long-lasting

Rat's why OIWM cre-tic Wonderful World of Waste0.W.) Kiosk and Talkin'Trash

(nested in the Museum ofDiscov-tud Science in Fort Lauderdale,husk was envisioned as a way

to educate a large number ofpeoplefor little money.

Thecosttothecountyofthekiosk,which features a continually loopingvideo and several posterdisplays, wasa one-time fee of $ 10,000. BecauseOIWMpartnered withthe museum, itwas able to save thousands ofdollarson the start-up cost, as well as about

$25,000 per year in salary costs be-

cause museum staff'now administersthe Talkin'rash program.

"Kiosks are a great way to con-

tinually get information to peoplewithout using many resources,"Gardiner said.

The Talkin'rash program fea-

tures table-talk presentations run

by museum staff at least five times

per week. The presentatio(ts include

props and printed materials, and al-

lows for hands-on activities.

Of course, OIWM still supple-ments its educational efforts withother endeavors such as newspaperadvertisements and brochures.

Originally scheduled to only beon display at the museum for oneyear, W.W.O.W. is now a perma-nent installment at the museum, andOIWM has another exhibit installedat a children's museum in a differentpart of the county.

"We'e always looking for newand interesting ways to educateresidents," Gard incrsaid. "Especiallychildren and their parents."

(For more information aboutthe IV.IVO.IV. kiosk, contact DarcyGardiner, education program man-ager for the Broward County Ojgceofintegrated 8'aste Management, at(954) 765-4202 8%I. 273.)

Deputy Legislative Director Jeff Arnoldparticipated on a panel at the National Associa-tion ofTelecommunications Officers and Advisors(NATOA)Litigationand Regulation Seminar April23. Held at the Georgetown University ConferenceCenter in Washington, D.C., the panel discussedthe future ofthe local role in telecommunicationsregulation.

NACo Associate Legislative Director Joe Dunn attended theCapitalizing on Rural America conference inPolk County (Des Moines), Iowa April 15-16.Sponsored by the Federal Home Loan Bank ofDes Moines, the conference started offwith anaddress by President George W. Bush. Inaddition,Iowa governor Tom Vilsack, Iowa Sens. CharlesGrassley and Tom Harkin and four representa-tives spoke at the conference. Jne Dnnn

(On the Move is compiled by Paul Mackle, staffwriter and DanMI?Ier, editorial assistant)

County News, May 10,

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NEWS FRO NATION S COUNT S

Tbe ongoing wars in the Middlehave prompted a need for the

CLARACOUNTYBoardto extend its ordinance

mmpensate county employees onmilitary duty for one more

Prior to 2002, the county'sextended benefits for 180

but that was revised to 365last year.

Iupervisor Pete McHugh, chair,Clara County Board ofSupervi-noted, "Anadditional one-year

willhelp ease the financialthese families face."

Currently, six county employeesreceiving their salaries. Anotheremployees have exhausted the-year salary continuation and areunpaid military leave. And there

four who exhausted theirextension, were placed on an

leave of absence and havereturned to work.

Officiafs said the change wouldapproximately $ 105,000 thisand $ 115,000 next fiscal year.

Communications system, many of an indefinite period as part of athem from older-model cellphones package of changes to preventthatarepreprogrammedtoautomati- post-September 11 terrorism atcally dial 911 when the "9" key is City Hall.pressed or bumped. The nearly completed walkway

Sothecountyhastakencareofthe that is supposed to provide accesslittlenuisance.OfficialsclaimPinel- to the tunnel now essentially goeslas is the first county in the nation to nowhere. The tunnel closure followsdistribute cell-phone button guards a security-related decision by cityto prevent citizens from acciden- officials to shut down public accesstally dialing 911. Cell-phone users to the covered parking garage nextcan contact the county to receive the to City Hall. Future security plansfieebutton-guardkit,whichcontains include limits on public access toanadhesive-backedrubberguardthat upper floors of City Hall.fitsoverthephone's "9"key. Thekits County officials are now beingare valued at about $3, and officials told thatit could take years to reopennote that the guard doesn't interfere the tunnel, which was frequentlywith the normal operations of the used by city and county workers,phone. as well as lawyers and clients who

have to go back and forth betweenKANSAS the county and city courts.

So much for working together. "I nearly got pneumonia goingAfter just spending $40,000 in back and forth last winter," Yernimprovements to keep its end of Miller, a former sheriff, districta public tunnel that links Wichita attorney and state attorney generalCity Hall to the SEDGWICK who is now inprivate law practice,COUNTY Courthouse, the county told The wichita Eagle. He said hehas received word thatcityofficials thinks the city's security concernsplan to keep the tunnel closed for areoverblown,adding,"Theynever

WIUSSEX COUNTY celebrated

Day in grand fashion. Thepitched in $400,000 for im-

to a regional wastewaterirrigation plant, which was un-in a ceremony on Earth Day.

is hailed as a model in thebecause ofthe variety offunding

f'rom all levels of govern-the affordability to the users

the lack ofimpact the project hasIbe state's Inland Bays.Along with the county's portion,

state and other local fundingfoot the $ 8.2 millionconstruc-

tab. At the unveiling, officialsthat no problem is more sig-or more expensive for small,

communities than access to safewater and sanitary disposal

according to the Cape

»

The new capacity of the plant isgallons per day withan ad-

90 acres to handle increasedfiomthe Sussex Cor-

Institute and other locales.in population created the

for expanded water-processing

RIDAfast year, more than 70,000 ac-

calls wereplacedtoPINEL-COUNTY's 911 Emergency

VIRGINIAMany Virginiacounties, including FAIRFAXand LOUDOUNCOUN-

TIES, got into the spirit ofEarth Day by planning a variety ofactivities.This year inFairfax, the county sponsored a fashion show ofsorts. County

children were encouraged to design haute couture out of recycled itemssuch as newspapers, old socks, grocery bags or bubble-wrap. The contestwas designed to highlight the fact that household products can have morethan one use and can be recyc led or reworked into something practical. Giftcertificates for $50 were awarded to the winner in three age categories.

Because every day is Earth Day, about a week before the actual day,around 15 Loudoun County employees (pictured here are Karen Stapelton,assistant county attorney, and MarkMoszak, administrator, Loudoun CountyEnvironmental and Historic Resources Program) used annual leave or ex-

change time to participate in a tree planting. The streamside planting willhelp enhance the

floodplain

an streamside buff'er that filterstorm runoffthat

flows into Big Spring Brahch and the Potomac River. The Loudoun CountyEnvironmental and Historic Resources Program oversaw the planting.

resolution to its congressionaldelegation and each of the other 82counties in Michigan.

had a problem. Our society is gettingafraid to do anything."

County Commission ChairmanTom Winters told the paper he'disappointed the tunnel is stayingclosed, but he understands the city'desire for increased security.

NEW YORKThe officialnumber ofcounties in

the United States has always varieddepending on whether you go withNACo's numbers or those ofthe U.S.Census Bureau.

However, both NACo and theCensus Bureau may have to addone more county to their final tallyifsome officials in New York havetheir way with the creahon ofa newcounty called Adirondack County.

The new county would comprise10 towns in the northern Adiron-dacks, nearly all of what is nownorthern ESSEX COUNTY. Someofthe area for the new county wouldalso come &om the southern portionofFRANKLINCOUNTY.

MARYLANDThe immigrant facility that

MONTGOMERY COUNTYopened two years ago is being con-sidered a success. The Charles W.Gilchrist Center for Cultural Diver-sity now helps acclimate more than1,500 new arrivals each month, andit has helped people &om more than60 countries.

New immigrants go to the centerto attend citizenship classes, studyEnglish,seekprobonohelp&ompro-fessionals and, one evening a week,play games withtheir contemporaries.There had been a need for the center,named fora former county executive,because at least one out ofevery fivepeople living in the county was bornoutside the United States.

The center's budget has stayedroughly flat since opening, withnext year's proposed appropriationat $33 1,000. While the demand forthecenter has grown since its inception,stafling has shrunk &om 3 I/2 staf-fers to I I/2. Ilowever, Rita Howard,a division chief in the county's rec-reation department, which overseesGilchrist, says the fullstaffing effec-tively willbe restored July l.

Also, The Washington Pos/ re-cently noted that the center has wonseveral awards f'rom NACo.

NORTH CAROI,Another county has decided that

maybe wild animals do not makegood pets after all.

WILKES COUNTY Commis-sioners recently voted unanimouslyto ban private ownership ofinherentlydangerous exotic animals.

The decision comes after a 400-pound "pet" tiger killeda 10 year-oldboy, who was the nephew ofthe tigerowner.

Sylvia Smith, co-chair of thecounty's animal control board, saidthe legislation was necessary to pro-tect the public, treat people fairlyandto protect the animals.

Owners ofexotic animals have sixmonths to find them homes outsidethe county. After that, penalties forcontinuing misdemeanor violationswould be $500 for the first day and$250 per day afler that.

TEXASIt may not be growing by leaps

and bounds, but SAN PATRICIOCOUNTY just got a little bigger—literally.

Although the decision was mademore than a year ago, officials in SanPatricio and neighboring NUECESCOUNTY didn't know DistrictJudge Kemper Stephen Williamshad ruled in favor of San Patricio ina land dispute.

According to the Corpus ChristiCaller-Times, the two counties hadbeen wrangling in court since 1972over boundary lines along severalarea waterways. The judge's rulingawards San Patricio the dry land andassets touching the shoreline such as

piers. It does not include submergedland that the county had sought.

San Patricio had argued in courtthat the boundaries it sought existednaturally, legally and historically

~ See NEWS FROM on page 20

MICHIGANLAKE COUNTY has passed

a resolution that both supportsveterans'ights and opposes theGeorge W. Bush Administration'sslated increase —for veterans —ofdrug-prescription co-payments andan annual hospital-care fee.

The Board of Commissionersnoted that many veterans voluntarilygive up employment to defend thecountry and return home to jobs thatno longer exist. They said the increaseofthe VAdrug co-pay fiom $7 to $ 15is "unthinkable and morally wrong."They also note that it is "totallydisre-spectful" to charge veterans an annualfee of$250 per year for treatment atVAhospitals.

"We deem these new proposalswould indicate to our service per-sonnel an attitude and belief thattheir government is not workingin their best interest. We suggestmilitary budget reductions shouldaffect other areas, such as weaponsprograms, but not those that willharmany veteran m today's economy," theresolution reads.

The Lake County commissionershave forwarded a copy of their

NACowelcomed 16 children andgrandchildren ofits employees to ob-serve Take Your Children to WorkDay April22. The children ranged inage &om 4 to 14. Allofthe childrenwere given NACo IDcards with theirpictures on them.

Those 10 and younger spentthe day in'rganized activities thatincluded storytelling, including thereading ofThe Three Pigs: AFi�na-nci�alFaiTale, garnes, an office tourand helping NACo staff accomplishsmall tasks such as copying, mail

sorting and envelope stuffmg. Theolder children "shadowed" theirparents for the day.

't

the end of the day, the chil-dren received "paychecks" for theirhelp. Each check included detailedinformation on taxes and otherwithholdings. The final reviews forthe day were that the children thor-oughly enjoyed themselves; theNACo staff enjoyed the diversionsthey offered; and the stafforganizerswere exhausted!

Members of the NACo Planning

Committee forTake YourChildren toWorkDay included: Laronda Schine,chair; Tiffany Black, Lisa Cole andDuwanda Mimms. Volunteers in-cluded: Betty Thomas, Phyllis Wil-liams, Jackie Byers, Daniel Miller,Beth Bleil, Sandra Nnaji, RodneyScantlebury, AliMuhammad, AnnePowell, Victor Scott and Jack Her-nandez

Nationwide Retirement Solutionsand NACo's Financial ServicesCenter co-sponsored the day's ac-tivities.

State's shifting demographics push for change

!20, i

NACo brings kids to workCounty News, May 10, 200t

I I

I I

ACounty Air-Standard ResourceWith the recent announcement ofpoor air-standards m 4'74 coun-

nes throughout the nanon, localAlliartcg governments need all the helpF~er~ they can get to attain the EPA's

goals. Agood place to start is at

Web site —www.ase.aq,. Thefill~~ site provides busmess-f'nendly

tips on steam efficiency as wellas a hnk to the U.S. Department'»

ogy Program, which offers Webtools such as manufacturing

plant energy audits and diagnostic sofbvare. There are links to bestpractices and useful contacts that can help county officials find waysto help local industry reduce emissions and save on fuel costs.

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oth

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Developing DevelopmentsWestchester County, N.Y. has introduced a handy little search en-

gine for local developers Ratherthan trying to track down theindividual reviewer within thecounty's Health Department, sw-~~»

"It's not going to come out with 'weneed to do away with five

counties,'ut

itmay come up witha way to lookat more efficient ways to do business.I think it could have some positiveresults."

In 1997, then-Governor GastonCaperton tried to get authorizationto form metro governments, but vot-ers did not approve and the measurefailed. Sorrenti thinks things willbedifferent this time around.

"Ithink the main objective ofthiscommission is to get the people to al-lowforthis to happen so consolidationcan actually be an option," Sorrentisaid. "What we'e saying is we wantto pass a law to allow two counhesto merge ifthey want to, and then thesales job has to be a local thing."

And of course, any time anyonebrings up consolidation or regional-ism, there is a concern about lost jobs,lost identity and lost control.

"Losing control, losing identity,is a legitimate concern and you haveto be sensitive to that," Sorrenti said."Butwithoutsome compmmise, someconsolidation, you'e not going to beable to get the same services with thesame price and I think when it comesdown to dollars and cents, that's howyou convince people. How things arerun now is not practical anymore.West Virginia needs to take a sec-ond look at this, as I'm sure manyother areas across the country doas well."

~ WEST VIRGINIAframpage 4

arin West Virginia in the 20th centuryabout government and now we'e inthe 21st century and we must thinkabout our counties," said WoodCounty Assessor Steve Grimm, whois one ofthe eight county officials onthe commission. "Government needstobe on the cutting edge. Often timeswe'e too content withdoing businessas usual."

And with changing demograph-ics, changing expectations and ever-shrinking budgets, doing business asusual gets more difficult each year.The commission is looking intoseveral possibilities for the futureof local West Virginia governmentincluding consolidating some of thelarger counties into economic statis-tical areas and the regionalization ofsome services.

"West Virginia is a small statethat has a dwindling population andit is becoming more and more dif-ficult for local government to meetthe expectations of the citizens withbudgets that are becoming less andless," said John Sorrenti, HancockCounty commissioner and memberof the 21st Century Commission."Aconsolidation of governments orgovernment services seems to be oneofthe answers, but it's not necessarilyright for every area."

Added Patti Hamilton, executivedirector of the West Virginia

~~» ri+a'op

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developers can simply clickon www.westchestergov.corn/healthIRealtyhtm and quicklyfind out where their subdivi-sion plans are in the approvalprocess. Here's how it works:

»the subdivision plans are submit-ted to the Health Department forreview and approval. The depariment then assigns a project number tothe plans and notifies the applicant by e-mail of the new Web site as

well as the applicant's project number. Frequently updated informationthat is displayed includes the name and phone number of the review-ing engineer, the dates of all correspondence, meeting and telephoneconferences, and the date of the final approval.

Association of Counties, "This isreally looking at bigger areas andmaking them more viable. It's notbeing driven by the desire to dissolvesmall counties."

In fact, Hamilton noted, oncepeople had the chance to digest thenews about the creation of the com-mission, people began to look at itas an opportunity to bring the moreeconomically viable areas togetherto provide an engine for the entirestate.

Because West Virginia countiesare constitutionally created, theonly way to consolidate any of thecounties would be through a ballotreferendum regardless of what thecommission decides.

'This could come out with somevery positive results," Hamilton said.

cotA Full Vending Machine in Broward CountyTo save money and maximize potential vendor-contract bids, Bro-

ward County, Fla» has introduced e-mail bid announcing. The newsystem eliminates the county's need to mail formal bid announcements,

requests for letters of interestsaaavNaatxaatixsulalaa "ti and addenda to bid opportuni-

ties to registered vendors, saving

thousands of dollars in mailingR 'icosts. Registered vendors have

been notified and have their e-

mails on file with the county,

and future potential vendors

can register at wwwbroward org/

'urchasing,whicbbasotheruse-ful information for vendor/county-related business.

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(Pau/Mackie, sta+writer, compiles 5'eb 5'atch. Ifyau have asiteyau would likefeatured, pIease contact nmackie&siaco.ore.)

/'

plFoiJudge sides with San Patricio County, Texas in land dispute

~ NEWS FROMPom page I9

before the Texas Legislature removedthe areas in 1858.

The San Patricio County Commis-sioners Court voted unanimously toaccept the judgment, Nueces CountyCommissioner Chuck Cazalas told theCaller-Times that he and his fellow

commissioners have not determinedwhat they willdo about the ruling.

WASHINGTOThings have gone frompersona!to

human in PIERCE COUNTY.Well, not really, but citing a need

to enhance and improve services, thePierce County Council unanimously

approved the change of the county'sPersonnel Department to a HumanResources Department.

The ordinance approved by thecouncil notes that the magnitude,scope, range, and complexity ofcounty

government services andresponsibili-ties hasgrown since the inception oftheCharter form ofgovernment in 1981.

vices and human capital manageiats

pmvided to county deparunents."

'The department bas redefined itsrole fiom a regulatory entity to one ofconsultant, customer service pmvider,and strategic partner," explained Di-rector Betsy Sawyers, who, alongwith County Executive John W. Lad-enburg, requested the change."HumanResources more accurately reflects thebmaderrangeofexpertise, scopeofser-

(Ifews Fmm the Nations Ctiin

ties is compiled by Pout Mac/aa

writer, and M. MindyMoretti, senisi

sta)/" writer. Ifyou have news, pltsst

e-mail thematpmackieSsiaco.argo'morettitRnaco.ore.)

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200(News, May 10, 2004"'I

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We grow and develop as individu-based upon structure in our lives.

the structure comes in uteroour mothers. It comes from our

in the initial few years ofourand gradually expands to take

other dimensions. We start schooL'evelop friendships. We begin a

We end up with families ofowll.

All of these elements replacewould otherwise be chaos, un-

and an inabilityto function.we would not survive.

society would not survive.Inside a bureaucracy, structure isaround. You can't buy paperclips

following the rules of theDepartment. Certainly, if

work in a Sheriff's Department

or Fire-rescue department, there arestructures that govern day-to-day ex-istence Call them rules, regulations,chaih cf command, policies —thereare mauy names, but they all refer tothe same thing —the process ofsub-stituting some formofproductive andshared protocols for randomness inorder to produce something ofvalue.Structure is, therefore, essential to ourindividualwellbeing and to thehealthof society.

On the other hand, too much struc-ture killscreativity and makes explor-ing new or controversial subjects verydifficult and uncomfortable for anindividuaL Arguably, it is creativityand innovation that have the greatestpositive eff'ect on an organization andon an individual.

In other words, there is a tensionbetween adhering to structure mind-lessly at one end ofthe spectrum andcreative disregard forconvention onthe other end. Neither extreme ishelp-ful, nor is it healthy.

"HR is the architect ofstructure as well as thebalance-beam champion."

Anoverly structured organizationis not a happy place to spend a ca-reer. Rules that disregard the realityofwhat is going on in the real worldwifl doom an organization to highturnover and low productivity. Therules in a successful organization

for prison parentsAmerica's prison population is

Mandatory sentencinghave contributed to the wealth

convicts on probation, parole, orcustody. Many ofthese men

women are parents who leavebehind if they become

The most recent datareports that, in 1999, an721,500 state and federal

were parents to nearly 1.5

children under age 18. Ap-10 percent ofthese were

inmatesWhile in prison, many parents dohave interaction with their chil-

on a regular basis. Accordingfie Bureau ofJustice Statistics, a

ofboth fathers (57 percent)(53 percent) in state pris-

reported never having a personalwith their children since entryprison.

For these children and parents,the family structure

be mutually beneficial andthe lives on both sides of

prison bars. Research suggestschildren of incarcerated parentsmore likely than other children

or)tibit behavioral problems andinvolved with the juvenile

criminal justice systems."ortunately, some states and

jurisdictions are beginningocknowledge the importance

of parent-child relationships byintroducing pioneering programs.

Monroe County, Ind. administersthe Families in Transition Program(FIT). Parenting and life-skills edu-cation, contact visits with their chil-dren, and support services to familiesconstitute the FITprogram. The pro-gram model is drawn f'rom researchdemonstrating apositive relationshipbetween parole and success, and themaintenance of strong family tieswhile incarcerated. Family contactvisits are the centerpiece of the FITprogram. The visits give inmates an

opportunity to apply concepts &omtheir classes.

McCracken County, Ky. beganoffering parenting classes to femaleinmates in 2002. Volunteers from theFirst Baptist Church coordinate theactivities and work with approxi-mately 20—25 inmates per month.Classes cover areas such as relaxationexercises, helping children with theirhomework and balancing a check-book. The county plans to imple-ment a sentence-reduction programfor those inmates who successfullycomplete the training classes.

The Ohio State UniversityExtension-Clermont Countyoffers educational programs inhorticulture, agriculture, and familylife to misdemeanor offenders at the

Clermont County JaiL The program

isapartofthecomprehensiveinmaterehabilitating process. The familyandconsumer science agent uses theActive Parenting Today program forparents ofchildren ages 2—I2, and theActiveParenting ofTeens forparentsof teenagers. Using the power ofvideo drama, the programs portraysituations between parents and theirchildren orteens. Thisprogram coverstopics &om discipline techniques tocommunication skills.

PATCH (Papas and Their Chil-dren), run by the Bexar County(Texas) Adult Detention Center andDetention Ministries, encouragesinmates to attend parenting and lifeskills classes —sessions intended tohelp reduce recidivism. For eachone-hour class attended, a father isentitled to a one-hour "contact" visitwith his child (sitting in a room withhis child, instead ofspeaking througha glass window).

For more information on pro-grams that help prisoners and theirfamilies, contact the SentencingProject at wwwsentencingproject.otg, the Bureau of Justice Statis-tics at www.ojp.usdoj.govtbjs, orthe Aid to Incarcerated Mothers atwww, takingaim. net.

(Research News was wrinenby Christina Crayton, researchassociate.)

SEARCH NEWS

What counties can do

mustnotonlyaflow,butmustencour- can help guide a chief administra-age, innovation and the willingness tive officer or city manager in mak-to experiment, even at the risk of ing the most effective and balancedsome failure. policy decisions possible. The more

Oneoftheabsolutelygreatpoints complicated the world of publicabout a life in Human Resources is administration becomes, the morethat HR is in a position —or should a "gatekeeper" is needed.be —to be a gatekeeper in thistension HR is the architect ofstructure asbetween innovationandstructure. HR well as the balance-beam champion.can be a center ofpolicydevelopment This is a recipe forgreat contributionand rule enforcement, especially in to an organization's success —ifthea civil service system or in a system staffmembers individuallycan keepbound and limitedbylanguagein col- &om going crazy in the process!lective bargaining agreements. The message for top elected and

However, HRalso sees the human appointed leaders is that the most im-reality ofthe need forflexibilityin an portent decisions you mayever makeorganization. HR patrols the border willbeHRdecisions: in the selectionbetween rigid rules and the need for ofadvisorsandagencyexecutives,infamily flexibility.It sees the need to thedevelopmentofbalancedpolicies,balanceorganizationalefficiencyand and inrespondingtochangingneeds.personal flexibility.It sees the health Demand that the organization havetroubles, discipline issues, great be- a proactive and energized HR func-havior and poor behavior that goes tion, professionally staffed, housed,on every day when multiple human fundedandaccountable fortheresultsbeings find themselves in the same itproduces. Use HRto enhanceyourorganizations, at the same time, in successandtheorganization's.Buildthe same place. a building using an architect! Build

It is one thing to follow the rules an organizational structure withwhen it comes to our purchasing re- the blueprints developed by thequest to buy new paperclips. It is an- "HR'chitects."other thing to deal with an employeewho has been diagnosed with a fatal Allthe best,illness, to constructively and effec- ~258 t2 ~~ Qtively address the behavior ofa bullyat work, or to recognize employees Phil Rosenbergwho have done amazing work. The HR Doctor

HR becomes the centerpiece that www.hrdr.net

PublicatiOBS

Proceedings &om the Biosolids Research Summit are available fordownload from the Water Environment Research Foundation Web site(www.werforg). The report captures the highest-priority research projectsregardinglandapplicationofClassAand Class Btreatedsewagesludge/biosolidsas determined by participants ofthe 8iosolids Research Summit. The top-rankedresearch project identified at the summit, Methodology for Implementing aRapid Incident Response Mechanism, aims to create a rapid response systemto investigate reported health effects &om land application ofsolids.

The download is &ee. Additionally,a &ee copy ofthe fulltranscripts fiomthe main sessions are also available for download.

The Economic Report ofthe President, released by the Council ofEco-nomic Advisers for the President, provides an overview of the economicchallenges America has faced in recent years. It discusses the current actionsbeing taken and their results in the improvements and growth ofthe economy.The report covers five broad topics: macroeconomic policy, fiscal policy,regulation, reforms of the health care and tort systems as well as issues ininternational trade and finance.

The report is available for purchase f'rom the U.S. Government PrintingOffice for a price of$33. To order online, visit http: //bookrtore.gpo.gov. Toorder by phone, call (866) 512-1800 or (202) 512-1800. All orders requireprepayment by check or credit card.

(Dan Miller, editorial assistant, contpi les Notices. You may contact himvia e-mail at dmifler/anaco.org or (202) t/42-4256)

22 County News, May 10;

Marin County sees benefitsin quality of life for- teleworkers~ TELEWORKINGfrompage 5

and Assessor-Recorder. Some ofthe employees have gotten relevantsoflware installed on their personalcomputers by the information Sys-tems and Technology Department.

"The benefit is the quality of theworklife for employees, as wellas greater productivity and fewerdistractions for in-depth analyti-cal work and writing," said LauraArmor, director, Human ResourcesDepartment.

Not an option for allcounty governments

"We are here to serve the public,not hide from them," said Jack Paul,county coordinator, Hubbard County,Minn."We are so barebones withstaffthat everyone, and Imean everyone,has to deal with the public or clients,and you cannot do that at home."

The majority of counties acrossthe nation seem to fall into HubbardCounty's category. Lack ofstafferswas also noted in the survey as a

problem for Columbia County,Ore. But there are a variety ofotherconcerns, including implications forunion employees; employee safetyand worker's compensation issues;lack of technology; employer dataand information security; dedicatedworkspace; customer or client con-tacts; and equipment ownership,installation and maintenance.

Bev Monahan, personnel direc-tor, Trempealeau County, Wis.,said that telecommuting has notbeen discussed "or even remotelymentioned" by county officials, norwould such a program have muchpossibility to be approved by the

County Board.'rempealeau County has not

experienced any recruitment or re-tention problems that would cause

the county to look at this type ofac-

t commodation at this point. We alsooffer quite a bit ofwork-hour liex-ibilityto employees to accommodatetheir needs," Monahan said.

Hutchins, from MecklenburgCounty, noted,'Thebiggestproblemis the reluctance of supervisors tosupport and approve teleworkingarrangements, probably becauseof the challenge of supervisingsomeone &oma distance. Generally,our teleworkers are some ofour highest performers, whereproductivity and work ethic arenot going to be issues."

Mecklenburg County also re-quires that employees sign a tele-working agreement that establishesexpectations and guidelines, as wellas training for both the supervisorsand the teleworkers that must be

completed prior to implementation,Hutchins said.

Smith, &om ITAC, added, "Anygood manager, whether that per-son is five feet &om you or 1,000miles, should measure your workby results. If an employee needsthat kind of close supervision, thenthat employee is probably not fitforteleworking."

Andrea Denton, personnel direc-tor, Morrow County, Ore., said hercounty has been interested in pursu-ing telecommuting as oflice space has

become more crowded and budgetconstraints don' allowpurchasing orrenting additional space. But she hada lengthy listofquestions that wouldfirst have to be answered.

"Doyou have the right to inspectthe workplace? Ifan employee fallsdown the stairs at home, how do youknow ifit was work related or theywere going downstairs to put in a

load of laundry? If the employeedevelops a disability, would yoube required to retrofit [the employ-ee's] home to make it accessible?Ifthey'e required to provide theirown equipment, how do you assure

that it's ergonomically appropriate?Ifyou provide the equipment, howdo you assure that the employee isnot violating Oregon ethics laws forhaving a personal gain through theirpublic oflice?" Denton asked.

How counties haveconstructed policy

Despite the many concerns, thecounties that have implementedpolicies seem to have includedsafeguards formost of those issues,

and there were no complaints at all&om the nine counties respondingto the County News survey that havetelework policies in place.

InGarfield County, Colo., the of-ficial telecommuting policy speci-fies that employees are not entitledto be able to work from home, butthat such an arrangement can be

approved by certain supervisors.Other interesting aspects of the

policy include:~ Telecommuters don't use

personal computers because ofsofiware integrity and the possibilityofviruses

~ Telecommuters must designatea workspace at their remote worklocations

~ Work hours for telecommutersmust be identified, and county em-

ployees can make random site visitsduring work hours for the purposesofevaluation, and

~ The identified work hours are

the times when worker's compensa-tion covers the telecommuter.

Sacramento County, Calif.'stelework policy was implemented in2001 and replaced the telecommut-

ing policy that had been approvedin 1992. County olficials stress

the need to review such policieson a periodic basis to determinethat customer-satisfaction levelsare satisfactory, teleworkers aremeeting performance standards,and whether teleworkers'rrange-ments should be modified.

Minneapolis is a citythat has three

area counties (Hennepin, Ramseyand Anoka) with formal teleworkingpolicies. AndMelanieAult, director,Human Resources, Anoka County,believes the city and county benefitI'rom telecommuting.

"[There is] very littlecost. Iflnter-net access is already available at theoffsite location, e-mailing and cal-endaring is easy. Some departmentsopted to buy portable laptops insteadof standard desk PCs when it cametime to replace the olderdesktop PCs.

That way, the departments didn'have to replace the desktop PC andpurchase a laptop and then face hav-ing two people want the same laptopfor the same day," Ault said.

"And some employees have anincredibly long commute, and oc-casional telecommuting —or evenjust working &om home when it'snowing hard —is much appreciatedby those employees."

(For more resources on tele-working and telecommuting,please go to the ITAC Web site atwww.telecommute.ore or FairfaxCounty, Va. s telework Web page atwww.co. fairfax.vs.usltel cwork)

The results ofcounties that responded to a Count> tVews sum ey on the,

extent of county-administered telccommutiug policy and practice:

No Telecommutino t43BBaldwin County, ALKings County, CALake County, CALasseu County, CADuval County (Jacksonville), FLCandler County, GACoweta County, GAHall County, GAOcouee County, GATippecanoe County, INSaline County, KSCumberland County, MEHubbard County, MNSteams County, MNSteele County, MNAlamauce County, NCBurke County, NCCabarrus County, NCCumberland County, NCHalifax County, NCMacon County, NCMoore County, NCNew Hanover County, NCPitt County, NCRobeson County, NCRowan County, NCWarren County, NCMerrimack County, NHEddy County, NMBroome County, NYHenderson County, NYLincoln County, ORLexington County, SCPickens County, SC

Bedford County, VAOkanogan County, WALa Crosse County, WI

Mauitowoc County, WISaint Croix County, WlTrempealeau County, WIWalworth County, WIWashington County, WlWsupaca County, WI

Considering AllowingTelecommutinu i41:Palm Beach County, FLIredell County, NCMorrow County, ORSauk County, WI

Allowed Occasionally,But No Formal Policv t8hTulare County, CAOrange County, FLJohnson County, KSSt. Louis County, MNCatawba County, NCColumbia County, ORBeaufort County, SC

Florence County, SC

Has Formal Policy andAllows Telecommuting To

Some Extent (91tMarin County, CASacramento County, CAGarfield County, COKalamazoo County, MlAnoka County, MNHennepin County, MNRamsey County, MNMeckleuburg County, NCFairfax County, VA

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In light of President George W. Bush's recent proposal for workforce investment, de-

creasing appropriations for Workforce Investment Act (WIA) programs, and dimming

prospects that Congress will reauthorize the Workforce Invest Act (WIA) this year, the

Local Coalition has designed a National One-Stop Day for you to invite your congressional

members to local One-Stop Centers during the week of May 24—31, the Memorial Day

congressional recess and district work period.

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The Local Coalition, which includes NACo, the NationalAssociation ofWorkforce Boards,

the U.S. Conference ofMayors, and the National Workforce Association, is actively devel-

oping strategies to build increased support for the local workforce system.

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It is imperative that members ofCongress understand the important work being accom-

plished in local One-Stop Centers. This is a perfect opportunity foryour local congressional

members to visit your One-Stop Center and become familiar with the value of One-Sts>

services for business, citizens and the local economy.

The Local Coalition willbe tracking these visits to conduct follow-up and share succest

stories nationally; go to wwwnawb.arglsurvcy m'one stop day.httn to register.

LinDis

BillSss

Local Coalition staff willbe available to assist you as you plan your visits. Please contad

Daria Daniel at (202) 942-4212 or ddanielnaca.org for more information.

National One-Stop Day ~

During the Week ofMay 24-31

20News, )vfay 10; 2004' 3 23

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'~ JOB MARKlt:T/CLASS DS

the media upon request. Please call priorto submitting your resume ifconfidential-ity is important to you.

CITYMANAGER-'OF PANAMACITY, FLA.

. Negotiable, DOQ.City is located in the Florida

between Tallahas-Pensacola This beautiful St.

Bay coastal community ofFers

amenities, includingneighborhoods and reasonable

costs.

City is a full-service citythat

i "commission/manager" form ofItemploys about 550 people

a current general-fund budget ofand a total budget of $ 129

CHILD PROTECTIONAREAMANAGER-HENNkpttN COUNTY, MINN.

Salcuy: $56/20-$ 87,960Hennepin County Human Ser-

vices Department seeks an experiencedcandidate to work with managers oncommunity-based service delivery andimprovement; create dialogue withcommunity; and sponsor strategies inpermanency planning, early intervention,technology, ICWA,and assessment. Youwillresolve client concerns, litigationandpermanency issues; collaborate with at-

torneys, courts, guardians ad litem, etc;act as contact with agencies and provid-ers; pmvide clinical leadership on child-welfare issues.

Candidates should have a master'degree in social work, public admin. orrelated field, and at least 5 years'hildwelfare managerial experience. (Abache-lor 's and 7 years'imilar experience maybe considered.) We require solid knowl-edge ofchild-welfare programs, targetedcase management and social-work bestpractices; experience in outcome-basedmanagement, casework practice, andChildren and Family Services reviewregulations and standards; knowledge ofTitle IV-E funding and local resources;exceptional communication and interper-sonal skills; and the abilityto partner withvarious groups and individuals: ability tolead change.

Annual salary is $56/20-$ 87,960and benefits package. Deadline forapplications is June 4. Apply online atwww.hennepin.us. Questions to (612)348-2163. AA/EOE.

Assistant City Manager (ACM)position. The ACM willbe ap-

the CityManager.

i '1ine" position that, when fullyis planned to be a full as-

assume oversightfor the City's day-to-day

as well as to serve as actingin the manager's absence.

willserve as a chief advisor toManager in policydevelopment

matters and willprovideto a variety ofboards, com-committees and willactively

in community activities.training and experience

to a master's degree inAdministration and three yearsIovernment management-level

including both programand staff supervision.

broad knowledge ofmunicipalkeen analytical and problem-

and excellent interpersonal/skills. Must be able to

snd maintain effective workingwith a wide variety of

and external stakeholders.hc able to develop trust, have a

and non-con &ontationalbe persuasive.recruitment will remain openposition is filled. The City is

ts complete the process. Pleaseyour resume along with yoursalary without delay to: Robert

SLAVIN MANAGEMENTTANTS; 3040 Holcomb

Road, Suite B-1; Norcross,30071. Phone: (770) 449-

Fsx: (770) 416-0848. E-mail:

COUNTYADMINISTRATOR—CENTRE COUNTY, PA.

Salary: Competitive.Centre County has an exciting career

opportunity for an experienced and mo-tivated individual to lead a progressiveand growing county.

Located in the center of Pennsyl-vania, Centre County is home to Penn

State University. The County providesexcellent educational, cultural, andrecreational opportunities in a safe and

attractive envimnment. For additionalinformation, please visit our Web site

wwwcocenire pie us.

Under Florida Law, resumes aresod willbe provided to

Job Market - Classijied Rate ScheduleRates: $ 7 per line, NACo member counnes/ $ /0 per line, others.

bhplay Classified: $50per column inch, NACo member counties; $ 70column inch others

sit«ngr Invoices willbe sen/ afier pub/i cari on.llai/advertising copy rur Job Marker, County News, 440 First Sr.

ty, lrnshingron, DC 2000/.y'U(advertising copy ror Job Marker, County News, (202)393-2630.

adverticing copy ro: edassisrinaco.org.sureioinclude billinginformation along with copy.

given prior ro publication am appmximarions only and donecessarily rejlecrfinal cost.

For more information,contact the Job Market representative at (202) 942-4256.

The Administrator is appointed byand reports to a three-member Boardof Commissioners. The individual is

responsible for implementing the poli-cies of the Board ofCommissioners andoverseeing the day-to-day functions ofthe County. This is a high-profile posi-tion that requires a significant amountof interaction with the public and theCounty's departments/agencies.

Qualifications include a master'degree (or equivalent) in Public Admin-istration or related field, witha minimumof eight years experience in public ad-ministration. The candidate must clearlydemonstrate superior management andleadership ability.

In addition to an excellent benefitspackage, the County ofFers a competitivesalary which is negotiable depending oncredentials and experience.

To obtain a confidential application,please contact the Human ResourcesOffice, Willowbank Building Room219, 420 Holmes Street, Bellefonte, PA16823; call (814) 355-6748; or visit theWeb site atwww cocenrre paurlu4asp.ApplicationdeadlineisMay15. Positionavailable immediately.

COUNTYADMINISTRATOR/CONTROLLER—JACKSON COUNTY, MICH.

Salary: $90,000Under the general direction of the

12-member Board of Commissioners,carries out directives and implementspolicies related to personnel and em-

ployee relations, budget and financialmanagement, purchasing, iinformationtechnology, grant funding and other ar-eas as directed. Serves as liaison betweenother agencies and the Board of Com-missioners. Jackson County is located insouth central Michigan, witha populationof 156,000 and total budgets of$96 mil-lion, including a general-fund budget of$40 million. Significant executive-levelexperience in a complex county/cityorganizaiton is required. Proven recordof accomplishments that demonstratevision and ability to work with diversegroups in government and community.Master's degree inPublic Administrationor closely related field required. Salaryis mid-range at $90,000 DOQ. Excel-lent &inge benefits. Equal opportuoityemployer. Submit resume by May 31

to: Ms. Joni Johnson Jackson CountyHuman Resources, 120 W. MichiganAve., Jackson, Mi 49201.

DIRECTOR OF CABLECOMMUNICATIONSANDCONSUMER PROTECTION-FAIRFAXCOUNTY, VA.

Salary: $71,248-$ 118,747Fairfax Co. Govt. is seeking a

dynamic and progressive individual tolead and direct Consumer Protection,Communications Policy and Regulation,Cable Communications Production andDocument Services. Ensures provisionof necessary resources and pmgrams.Oversees budget and expenditures.Represents agency before legislative/judicial bodies, national consumer andtelecomm. org., news media and com-munity groups. REQ: BS/A and fiveyears of related exp. PREFER: Exp. w/budget and financial mgmt., managing

consumer protection, video production,communications policy and regulationsand document-savices activities, work-ing in a medium-to-large municipalgovt. or private-sector organization. To

apply and/or to obtain details, visit ourWeb site at wwwfairfaxcouniy govjlobs.EEO/Reasonable Accommodation.

DIRECTOR, CHILDREN'SERVICES—HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FLA.

Salary: $ 87,755-$ 131,622Department pmvides wide range of

residential and non-residential services forat-risk children andparents, Head StartandEarly Head Start, ChildCare Licensingof-

fice�and�Parent�Education

classe. Directoris responsil>le for a complex departmentcomprised of432 staiFmembas chargedwith a multifaceted delivery system thatincludes serving clients inresidential care,24/7. Seeking hands-on, detail-oriented,no-nonsense business person with topleadership and organizanonal develop-ment skills, social-service delivay ex-

perience, familiarity with child welfare,juvenile. justice, children's mental healthand early-childhood education systems;onewiththeabilitytosuccessfullydevelopstmng/positive relationships withpartnersand community leaders; one who isbudgetdriven and able to focus on long/short-term goals when implementing pmgramsand p ocedures; able to multi-task whilecommunicating eff'actively with electedofficials, dministration, community advi-sory boards, clients and vendors. Requiresdegree, master's preferred, in BusinessAdmin, Behavioral Sciences or relatedfield. Desire candidates with extensiveknowledge in administration of largepublic, private or non-pmfit organiza-tion. Salary range $87,755-$ 131,622;exceptional benefits package.

Send letter of interest, resume and fivework references to; George A. Williams,Director, Human Resources, ExecutiveRecruitment, P.O. Box 1110, Tampa, FL33601. E-mail:dahmnd@hi Ilsboroughcounry.org. Position opened until filled.

AA/EOE/Drug Free Workplace.

and evaluating employee performance.Identifies revenue sources and meets withvarious County, state and cityofficialtopromote support foravailable programs.Responsible for developing, monitoringand administering the division's budget.Base salary $49226; excellent benefits.

Requires a master 's degree in publicadministration, government, humanservices or a closely related field, andextensive (6-9 years) experience in anincreasingly responsible managementposition in the human-services field, orany equivalent combination of trainingand experience.

AYorkCounty application is requiredand may be obtained &om the HumanResources Otfice, 120 Alexander Ham-iltonBoulevard, Second ffoor,Yorktown,Virginia 23690; &om the County's Website wwwyorlccounrv.gov; or by calling(757) 890-3690. Hearing impaired onlycall TDD (757) 890-3300. Applicationswill be accepted until the position is

fille. EOE.

PLANNER, BUILDINGANDPLANNINGDEPARTMENT—CAMPBELLCOUNTY, WYO.

Starting salary: $40/31-$ 48,638Campbell County is seeking appli-

cants forthe full-timeposition ofPlanner.Duties include assisting in the develop-ment and implementation ofsubdivisionand zoning regulations for CampbellCounty. Applicant must have excellentcommunication skills, the abilityto workwith the public and the desire to work in a

self-directed workenvironment. Three tofour years ofplanning experience and a

degree in a related field is preferred.Interested persons should contact

Building and Planning at (307) 682-1970, send a resume or pick up an ap-plication at: Campbell County HumanResources, 500 South Gillette Suite212, Gillette, WY 82716. Or visit hnp:i/cog. co. campbell.wy. us/HR.

Starting Salary Range: $40,531 to$48,638, depending on qualifications.Includes an excellent benefit package.Posinon closes May 28.

RURALECONOMICDEVELOPMENTMANAGER—ISLE OF WIGHTCOUNTY, VA.

Minimum salary: $33,548Exciting opportunity to develop and

protect the rural economy in a rapidlygrowing suburban community. Isle ofWight County is located in the HamptonRoads metm area of coastal Southeast-ern Virginia The region has 1.6 millionpeople and 1oW is one ofits most rapidlydeveloping and aiffuent members. Theselected applicant willbe responsil>le forexecuting strategies to gmw, preserve andenhance the quality oflifeas part ofa dy-namic economic development team. Thisincludes developing tools such as a LandTrust, PDR's, farm markets and specialtyagriculture to increase the productivityof the rural economy. Bachelor 's degreein economic development, business ad-ministration orrelatedfiel;AND at leasttwoyearsofexperienceinrural economicdevelopment; OR an equivalent combina-tion of training and experience.

MinimumSalary: $33,548. Excellentgovernment benefit. Immediate responserequested. Open until filled.

JUVENILE SERVICES CHIEF—YORK COUNTY, VA.

Salary: $49226Position available in the Juvenile

Services Division of the Departmentof Community Services. Performsresponsible planning, administrativeand supervisory work in the directionof the Juvenile Services Division, andthe regional delivery of a wide rangeofjuvenile justice programs, includingresidential care. Plans and directs the ac-

tivitiess

ofDivisionemployees, resolvingpmblems as non-routine situations arise

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITYSERVICES-CLINTON COUNTY, N.Y.

Salary: $61,640 —$ 85,096Serve as CEO of the Clinton Co.,

N.Y, mental hygiene system. Sal-ary: $61,640 —$85,096. AA/EOE. Seewww.co. cl/n ion. ny. us/DCS. «im. Sendresume and 3 letters of ref. to: Lori A.Cantwell, Esq., Chair, Community Ser-vices Board, 18 Ampersand Dr., Platts-burgh, NY 12901. Fax: (518) 566-0261.Deadline: June 30.

County News, May 10, 2S24

MCo hosts 2004 Counties Care for Kids AwarBv Kstsrcu Bcarssm

Cohtu«N«Y SERVICES ASSISTANT

The 2004 Counties Care forKids Award ceremony wss held atthe Hyatt Capitol Hill in Washing-ton D.C., April 20 during NationalCounty Government Week. Winners&omacross the country received theirawards &omNACo President KarenMille rand NACoExecutive DirectorLany Naake.

This year, four county programsand one county olficialwere selected,out of a strong group of applicants,to be recognized for their outstand-

ing work in support of children andfamilies.

Alex Penelas, mayor, Miami-Dade County, Florida

Dakota County, Minn., DakotaHealthy Families

El Paso County, Colo.,Alliancefor Kids

Fairfax County,VanEarly HeadStart

Napa County, Calif., Therapeu-tic Child Care Center

"Counties across the nation haveand willcontinue to take the lead indeveloping early childhoodprogtamsas they pay both immediate and long-term benefits," Millersaid.

Renowned pediatrician T. BerryBrazelton was also on hand as theinspiration for the Napa CountyTherapeutic Child Care Center.He addressed the attendees on theimportance of investing time andenergy into programs and trainingto improve the health and welfareofall children.

(For more information about theCounties Carefar Kids Awards, con-tact Gary Gortenbuq;, CSDprogramdirector, at (202) 942-4287)

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Napa County, Calif. received an award for their Therapeutic Child Care Center. Pictured ft to r):Rippey, supervisor; Dr. Kristie Brandt, chief of public health; Miller;and BillDodd, supervisor.

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El Paso County, Coloys Alliance for Kids was recognized with anaward. Pictured (1 to r): Roni Spaulding, manager of child welfare;Miller; and Naake.

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The Healthy Families program of Dakota County, Minn. collected anaward. Pictured () to r): Leu Killion, representing Fairview RidgesHospital; Pat Adams, director ofpublic health; and Miller.

Fairfax County's Early Head Start program garnered an award. Pictured f) to r): Anne Taggartcare specialist; Jennifer Branch, Head Start director; Gerry Hyland, supervisor; Judith Rosen, OI«Children director; Moe Gaines, Provider Services director; Miller;Naake; Anne-Marie Jwohie, CbHd fAssistance Program director; and Carol Keil, Child Care Assistance Program assistant director.

Photos by David