2026 NACo Annual Conference Report

Written by Idaho County Clerk, Kathy Ackerman

The heat and humidity of New Orleans, LA greeted Idaho’s attendees Jenny Rosin (IAC President/Lemhi Co. Assessor), Andy Creech (IAC 2^nd VP/Payette Co. Sheriff) Kathy Ackerman (NACo Board Rep/Idaho Co. Clerk), John David Davidson (NACo Board Rep/Blain Co. Treasurer)  Skip Brandt (WIR Board Rep/Idaho Co. Commission Chair), Will Naillon (WIR Board Rep/Custer County Commissioner), Rod Beck (Ada County Commissioner), Jeff Hough (Bannock County Commissioner), Vic Pearson (Franklin County Prosecutor), Carol Moehrle (NACo Board Member), and IAC Staff members, Seth Grigg, Kristin Cundiff, Sara Westbrook, Kelli Brassfield and Gracee Gorrell.

Once again, Idaho attendees demonstrated strong engagement at the 2026 NACo Annual Conference. Will Naillon participated as a panelist in the National Center for Public Lands Counties presentation on mining development and county coordination on public lands.  Kathy Ackerman sat for a taped interview regarding election administration with the NACo media team. Seth Grigg sat on a panel for the National Trends in State Policy Challenging County Authority and Revenue Generation. Additionally, our members participated in various standing committees, working to review and discuss platform changes and resolutions that were then routed to the NACo Board and, ultimately, on to the general NACo membership.  Topics at the forefront were the SAVE America Act (Elections), the Road to Housing Act, and the proposed OMB rewrite of 2CFR which would significantly change Federal grant awards and management.  There is a lot going on nationally that impacts Idaho counties.  Many thanks to IAC staff for staying on top of ALL of the issues and reminding us to stay engaged.

Keynote speaker Col. Chris Hadfield, astronaut and former commander of the International Space Station, gave an inspiring and entertaining talk about challenging ourselves to be better mentors to our young people by encouraging dreams and goals that may seem out of reach.  As leaders in our own communities, we can identify with being regular people who stepped up and into opportunities—maybe not commanding a space station, but certainly, making a difference in our communities and on the national stage.

New Orleans also offered sights, sounds and food that will not be forgotten—a ghost tour through the French Quarter, the WWII Museum, the unique and historic architecture of the Garden District, the Aquarium, the Natchez Steamboat, and the closing reception at Mardi Gras World where floats for the magnificent Mardi Gras Parade are stored and created.  All Louisiana parishes (counties to us) demonstrated Southern hospitality that dispelled the heat—or at least made it more bearable!

To view more photos provided by IAC Staff and our members, click here!