2023 Spring County Officials Institute Recap

The 2023 Spring County Officials Institute (COI) has wrapped with four trainings taking place around the state during the month of May. IAC Policy Staff traveled to Idaho Falls, Twin Falls, Coeur d’Alene, and Boise to provide Idaho’s county elected officials and county staff a comprehensive review of the 2023 Legislative Session and training on county budgeting and government finance best practices.

“Counties came out of this year’s Legislative Session triumphant, seeing several of our policy priorities become law,” said IAC executive director Seth Grigg. “Providing county officials with a legislative review is critical to ensuring they have resources to navigate changes to the laws, as well as a chance to see first-hand the outcomes of the important work our membership has done.”

House Bill 236, Public Defense Reform, is one of the laws from this year’s session that will directly impact counties. The passing of this bill is a significant win for counties, as IAC’s membership had been working toward public defense reform for several years as a policy priority. The new law transitions public defense to a state-based format. Property-tax relief was also a major win for counties, and the new legislation was outlined in detail at the COI training.

The second component of the 2023 Spring COI was county budgeting. “Introduction to County Government Finance: Budgeting Roles & Responsibilities” was led by experienced county clerks from around the state. County officials and staff learned about the nuts and bolts of county budgeting, including a basic understanding of the budgeting process, revenue sources available to counties, an overview of property taxes, financial accountability, procurement, and expenses.

“Hearing from peers who have shared experiences and have been in the trenches with you makes the training that much more relevant and impactful to attendees,” said Sara Westbrook, IAC’s director of government affairs. “It also provides a great opportunity for seasoned clerks to share their experience and establish themselves as a resource to newer county leaders.”

Fremont County Clerk Abbie Mace taught the training in Idaho Falls, while Kristina Glasscock, Twin Falls County Clerk, presented in Twin Falls. Patty Weeks, Nez Perce County Clerk, led the budgeting training in Coeur d’Alene, and Boise County Clerk Mary Prisco taught the training in Boise, Idaho. All four clerks worked collaboratively with Seth Grigg on the curriculum to ensure continuity in the training.

“IAC’s County Officials Institute provides vital information and updates for county officials throughout Idaho,” said Mary Prisco, Boise County Clerk. “These shared resources greatly improve our ability to serve our constituents.”

Mary has been a county clerk since 2011. Prior to her election, she worked for many years as a CPA and has a wealth of expertise.

“It was an honor to work with Seth and the county clerks who presented in the regional trainings,” said Prisco.

To see and download the photo album from all four trainings, visit our Flickr page.

And be sure to keep an eye on our events page for all upcoming events, including the IAC’s Annual Conference at the Boise Centre this September.