Idaho County Officials and Staff Meet in Nampa for 2023 Fall County Officials Institute

The 2023 Fall County Officials Institute (COI) kicked off with the first training taking place in Nampa, Idaho, on Thursday, November 9th. The training was conducted by Seth Grigg, IAC’s Executive Director, and Sara Westbrook, IAC’s Director of Government Affairs. Both covered topics on Conflicts of Interest, Local Governance in Idaho, and Intergovernmental Coordination.

Washington County Prosecutor Delton Walker also presented on Open Meeting Law and the Idaho Public Records Act. Owyhee County Planning Director Mary Huff presented on an Introduction to Planning and Zoning, and Ada County Deputy Prosecutor – Civil Division Ax Yewer provided training on a Planning and Zoning Toolkit. 

“IAC’s County Officials Institute started as an effort to provide standardized training to county officials at a local level,” said Grigg. “In its first two years, it has grown to be the premier training curriculum for local officials.”

IAC staff will be conducting four trainings around the state during the month of November. The remaining two trainings will be offered in Idaho Falls on November 28th and in Burley on November 29th, with the primary focus of this fall’s trainings on local governance in Idaho, ranging from local government transparency and intergovernmental relations to planning, zoning, and land use.

“We chose these topics because of their relevancy and importance to Idaho’s county officials, county staff, and to partner associations,” said Grigg. “Understanding and embracing the principals taught at the COI not only fulfills legal obligations but also contributes to transparent governance and fosters trust among constituents at a time when public confidence in government is low.”

The trainings, while directed toward counties, can be useful to various agencies and roles in local government. “Attending IAC’s Fall County Officials Institute helps local government entities strengthen their capacity to respond to the growing demands of their constituents,” said Grigg. “The curriculum of this fall’s training encompasses many wide-reaching areas impacting officials and staff regardless of their agency, such as open meeting law. I’m looking forward to seeing our members and colleagues at our trainings around the state this month.”

To see and download photos from the COI training in Nampa, visit our Flickr page.