IAC’S BLOG

The Idaho Association of Commissioners and Clerks (IACC) gathered in Coeur d’Alene for their 2025 Annual Conference this June 3-5. The event kicked off with IACC President Sharee Sprague welcoming everyone to the conference and IACC Vice President Zach Brooks delivering the pledge of allegiance. Kootenai County Commissioner Leslie Duncan wrapped up by welcoming attendees to Kootenai County. The first day offered commissioners and clerks two workshops to receive credits as part of IAC’s County Officials Institute (COI). Carl Ericson, Legal…

The 2025 Idaho Association of Counties (IAC) Spring County Officials Institute (COI) successfully concluded after four one-day training sessions across the state throughout April and May. IAC policy staff traveled to Idaho Falls, Twin Falls, Coeur d’Alene, and Nampa to deliver essential legislative updates and budget training to county officials and staff. “We are incredibly proud of the engagement and enthusiasm shown by county officials across the state,” said IAC Executive Director Seth Grigg. “These trainings are not only an opportunity…

IAC’s 2025 Directory of Idaho County Elected Officials is still available for purchase! Published annually, this directory is a valuable resource for those looking to reach Idaho’s nearly 400 county elected officials, hundreds of county staff, and members of affiliate organizations. The directory provides the names, phone numbers, and email addresses for all 396 county officials (if available at time of printing). Additionally, the directory includes Idaho’s federal and state officials, IAC’s Board of Directors, and affiliate association leadership. The directory…

Over 100 law enforcement professionals from across Idaho gathered at the Sun Valley Resort last week for the Idaho Sheriffs’ Association (ISA) and Idaho Jail Administrators’ Association (IJAA) Spring Conference. With more than 60 sponsors and exhibitors from across the country, the event offered a unique opportunity for attendees to explore new technologies, build partnerships, and expand their knowledge in key areas of public safety. The conference opened with remarks from ISA President Sheriff Sam Hulse (Bonneville County) and a special…

The Idaho Association of Counties (IAC) is proud to present the first Daniel G. Chadwick Civility Award during its Annual Conference in September 2025 to one deserving individual. The award has been created in the memory of Daniel G. Chadwick, or “Dan,” as most knew him during his 27 years of leading Idaho Association of Counties as the Executive Director. “Whether you were brand new to county government, whether you were a vendor, or whether you were the president of the…

The Idaho Association of Counties (IAC) is now accepting submissions for the legislative resolution process. We invite you to submit a resolution for consideration at the upcoming IAC Annual Conference. In order to be considered for adoption by IAC, the proposal must fulfill the following criteria: Focus on a single issue within the general realm and scope of county government; and Affect more than one county; and Affect more than one elected office or department; and Affect taxation, spending, revenue-generating authority, or create significant…

The Idaho Association of Counties (IAC) Board of Directors met in Sun Valley for their Spring Board Planning and Development Meeting on April 24, 2025. Attendees were welcomed with opening remarks from John David Davidson, IAC President and Blaine County Treasurer. Board members spent considerable time reviewing the proposed 2026 budget and eventually approving it. The budget overview covered IAC, IAC Service Corporation, Public Lands Trust, the Scholarship Fund, the Corporate Partner Program, and more. IAC Executive Director Seth Grigg presented…

The 2025 IAC Salary and Benefits Survey is now available for electronic download. IAC surveyed all 44 counties and a total of 38 counties participated this year. The electronic survey is available in an excel spreadsheet for your convenience. Thank you for your participation in this year’s survey. We appreciate the time and effort counties took to complete it. If you have any questions, please contact Chase Christensen, IAC’s research analyst.

Three of IAC’s six Districts held their respective meetings throughout the month of April in various locations around the state. IAC District meetings provide a valuable opportunity for local government leaders to connect, cover reported information ranging from the Legislative Session to county budgets, and elect new District leadership. District 1 Meeting:  The IAC District 1 meeting convened on April 11, 2025, at the Kootenai County Administrative Building. The session opened with introductions of first-time attendees, followed by officer and subcommittee…

As the 2025 Legislative Session winds down and the Legislature (hopefully) adjourns this afternoon, I want to thank the IAC Legislative Committee, IAC membership, and IAC staff for their thought, deliberation, and action during the Session. The IAC Legislative Committee in particular, spent countless hours reviewing proposed legislation, analyzing the impacts on counties, and directing IAC staff in its advocacy efforts this year. The Session stretched longer this year with a record number of bills. We couldn’t have done it without…

As the Legislature wraps up its 12th week of the session, a number of key issues impacting counties remain in flux. At the top of the list is transportation funding. The Senate Finance Committee introduced Senate Bill 1205 late this week providing funding for the strategic initiatives program. Senate Bill 1205 appropriates $110 million to counties, highway districts, and cities through the Highway Distribution Account (HDA). This amounts to a $10 million dollar reduction in funds from last year. In spite…

The legislative session, which may conclude within the next couple of weeks, is a critical period for us. Despite being in the final stretch, we are diligently monitoring several significant issues that could affect counties. Transportation Funding Earlier this week, the Joint Finance Appropriation Committee made a decision that could significantly impact us. They set the funding for ITD’s Strategic Initiatives Program at a lower level than the past two years. The Governor’s recommendation to increase Strategic initiatives to $311M this…

The legislature has moved very quickly this week, except when it comes to budgets. Multiple budgets were voted down this week in the Senate and the House, putting the Joint Finance Appropriation Committee a couple of weeks behind its original budget-setting goals. The Idaho Constitution requires a balanced budget to be set before the legislature may adjourn. If the legislature continues at the current rate, it will still be in session in April instead of finishing up on its original target…

There are ongoing discussions in the Legislature about cutting $50 million from the Governor’s proposed budget for state and local highway maintenance. If advanced, it would result in a loss of $21 million in local road funding through the highway distribution account. IAC is concerned that this is the first step in further general fund reductions in funding for local highway maintenance. Click here for an estimated revenue loss for your county. Please reach out to your legislators and voice your…

Written by Kathy Ackerman, NACo Board Representative and Idaho County Clerk  The 2025 NACo Legislative Conference is a wrap! Idaho had great, diverse representation with our delegation from counties across the state, including Ada, Bannock, Blaine, Custer, Idaho, Latah, Lemhi, Power, Twin Falls, and Valley counties. We were also joined by Seth Grigg, Sara Westbrook and Kristin Cundiff from IAC. We made a great team, working to learn and advocate for Idaho and Idaho counties. Key speakers for the conference included…

The IAC Legislative Committee met in person on February 26th at IAC’s downtown policy office. Those who could not make the trip to Boise joined virtually.  The meeting started off with the approval of February 19th minutes, followed by an update on current IAC priorities. Committee members discussed several bills relating to public notices, consolidated elections, tourism tax, public defense reform, and more. Discussion wrapped up with potential new legislation on the horizon.  Don Hall, Twin Falls County Commissioner and chair…

State of Play We’re now about two-thirds of the way through the 2025 Idaho Legislative Session, and things are moving quickly. Bills are often advancing through committees and floor debates at a fast clip. The Idaho Association of Counties remains fully engaged, advocating for all five IAC legislative priorities alongside several policies. With crossover deadlines looming (Monday, March 3rd is the target for bills to be transmitted to the other legislative body), IAC is working hard to ensure that our priorities…

As the legislative session progresses, three IAC Priorities continue to move forward. Below are critical updates and action items for the upcoming week. House Bill 166 – Public Notices Passes the House  House Bill 166, which modernizes public notice requirements by allowing notices to be published on the state’s website, passed the House by a razor-thin margin. This was a hard-fought win. Thank you to everyone who reached out to their legislators. Please reach out to legislators who voted YES to…

This week, we saw movement on two of our priorities. House Bill 211, which would simplify the e911 payment process and expand the permitted use of the county fee was introduced in the House Local Government Committee. House Bill 166 on Public Notices made it out of the House State Affairs Committee on an 8-7 vote. Now is the time to engage on these issues and let legislators know why these issues matter to counties, your constituents, and the legislature as…

As the Idaho Legislative Session progresses, several bills and policy discussions are shaping the future for counties across the state. Here’s a breakdown of the latest developments and how they impact county governments. Top Priorities: – Public Notices (H0166) – A revised version was introduced this week. This new version would allow local governments to publish a shortened notice with a link to their website to the full notice. Then in 2027, local governments would be allowed to publish notices on…