2025 IAC Midwinter Legislative Conference Recap

By Jessica Roth, IAC Communications & Marketing Manager

The Idaho Association of Counties (IAC) held its 2025 Midwinter Legislative Conference at the Boise Centre from January 27 – 30. The association’s premier event hosted the largest gathering of Idaho’s county commissioners in the state as well as county treasurers, assessors, clerks, prosecuting attorneys, sheriffs, and coroners, with representation from all 44 Idaho counties.

IAC’s event had an impressive turnout drawing over 300 attendees, 43 collective sponsors and exhibitors, a world-renowned keynote speaker, and Idaho’s local and state officials, including Governor Brad Little and members of Idaho’s House and Senate.

The purpose of the signature event was to delve into timely legislative matters impacting counties, with this year’s conference focusing on connecting counties to vital resources, professional development, subject-matter experts, trusted partners in public and private sectors, and county mentors.

“This conference is not just a gathering – it is an opportunity to exchange ideas, network with peers, and gain critical insights that will shape the future of our counties,” said John David Davidson, IAC President and Blaine County Treasurer.

Attendees spent the week connecting with their peers across the state as they participated in committee meetings, roundtable discussions, curated workshops with 16 different topics to choose from, and a tour of the Idaho State Capitol Building. Some county members, like Power County Clerk Sharee Sprague, took the opportunity at the Capitol to meet directly with their legislators and introduce newly elected county commissioners, while others sat in on committee hearings. Sara Westbrook, IAC Director of Government Affairs, along with Misty Swanson, Executive Director of the Idaho School Boards Association (ISBA), testified during one particular hearing focused on digital publications notice, giving attendees a first-hand look at the legislative process in action.

The tour of the State Building concluded with IAC Executive Director Seth Grigg giving an insightful presentation on how a bill becomes a law in Idaho, offering a review to seasoned officials and providing foundational knowledge of Idaho’s legislative process to newly elected county officials. Before leaving the Capitol, Idaho’s county members gathered on the steps for a group photo to commemorate the experience.

Conference goers had several opportunities during the conference to hear from and further connect with Idaho’s House and Senate members. Tuesday afternoon’s general session featured a legislative panel that included President Pro Tempore Kelly Anthon, Speaker of the House Mike Moyle, Senate Minority Leader Melissa Wintrow, and House Minority Leader Ilana Rubel. Seth Grigg served as moderator while panelists discussed and debated their positions on key issues impacting state and local governance, including budgeting, taxes, regulations, water, and more.

Attendees also heard directly from Governor Brad Little during Monday’s general session, as he discussed many pressing issues faced by Idaho’s counties and the state, including water curtailment, affordable housing, and population growth. The governor expressed his sentiments that Idaho is well-positioned financially and that public education in Idaho is on an upward trajectory, staying consistent with his State of the State Address. County members were invited to ask Governor Little questions and raise concerns about issues in their respective counties, with some focusing on jails and infrastructure, while others took the opportunity to thank the governor for his work and partnership.

Members had a final opportunity to meet with their senators and representatives during Wednesday night’s invite-only Legislative Reception, which afforded a unique chance for new and seasoned county elected officials, along with IAC’s top-tier partners, to develop and strengthen relationships with their state decision makers. These relationships are crucial to advancing county interests, as Seth Grigg often reminds members. “Communication is the key to effective lobbying, so hopefully you’ve fostered a relationship in which regular feedback and communication between you and your legislators is the norm,”said Grigg. “If not, it’s never too late to start building those relationships.”

Outside of legislative-focused activities, attendees enjoyed hearing from a wide range of speakers, including Rita Reynolds of the National Association of Counties (NACo) who presented both NACo resources available to counties and best practices regarding artificial intelligence in local government.

Other workshop offerings included Managing Workplace Stress & Vicarious Workplace Trauma, Area of City Impact – The New Approach, Ethics for County Officials, Impacting Culture Through Design & Construction, Mock hearing: Testifying at the Legislature, and Benefits of a Unified Vision, to name a few.

 A highlight of the event was the keynote address given by Tareq Azim, seven-time world champion head coach and author of Conquering the Disease of Fear. In a conversational presentation with Idaho County Clerk Kathy Ackerman, Azim’s address centered on leveraging fear as a powerful catalyst for growth and transformation, as he shared his experience as an immigrant who rose to prominence building his coaching company, the Empower Performance Institute, which hosts top NFL and UFC athletes.

Following the address, attendees were able to purchase Azim’s book and have the author sign their copies. Proceeds from the book sales will benefit the IAC Scholarship Fund. The fund is designed to help the children of county employees and the children and grandchildren of county elected officials with the rising costs of tuition for post high school programs, including colleges and vocational schools.

Another notable event of the conference included the IAC Board Meeting Dinner sponsored by SIF, Idaho Worker’s Compensation, where board members received a full report of the annual audit which was completed under the supervision of Kristin Cundiff, IAC’s Director of Operations. “The audit is a massive undertaking, and we’re very pleased with its outcome,” said Grigg. “Kristin is the glue that keeps our association together.”

Board members also heard from some of IAC’s top Corporate Partners, CES and Syringa, who each presented their early-stage proposals to provide cost-saving procurement services to Idaho’s county members. Both organizations will be invited to present their fully-fledged proposals in greater detail at the Annual Board Planning Meeting in April. “CES and Syringa are already proving to be valuable and trusted partners, and I’m confident that their procurement platforms will serve counties well,” said Grigg.

When not participating in committee meetings, workshops, roundtables, or general sessions, attendees were encouraged to connect with the 42 exhibitors at the conference. IAC’s exhibit hall was yet again completely sold out, with a wide variety of vendors from different industries looking to build connections with county members and educate them on their services.

“It is really exciting to see so many companies, both locally and nationally, recognizing the value of serving Idaho’s counties and jumping at the opportunity to win their business,” said Jessica Roth, IAC’s Communications and Marketing Manager. “The record turnout we’ve had from conference sponsors and exhibitors and the massive growth in IAC’s Corporate Partner Program is proof that Idaho’s counties aren’t just small potatoes.” 

Among the exhibitors and sponsors were some of IAC’s highest partners – those who have committed to support IAC’s mission and values and serve Idaho’s counties at the highest levels. These outstanding companies include ICRMP and GemPlan, IAC’s Premier Partners who each sponsored a conference lunch; Safe Haven Defense, IAC’s first and only Elite Partner; and Blue Cross of Idaho, CORE, CES, D.L. Evans Bank, and Western States Cat, all Presidential Partners. Western States also sponsored the heavy vehicle equipment display, which elevated the lobby atmosphere and tied into the Connecting Counties theme.

“I can’t thank our Corporate Partners enough, especially our top-tier partners, for the impact they make on our association and Idaho counties,” said Roth. “I encourage county staff and elected officials to build relationships with these trusted partners and utilize their services whenever possible.”

Thhe conference officially concluded on Thursday with affiliate meetings. This year’s Commissioner’s meeting featured a Natural Resources Summit, welcoming county planners to join the discussion. Lt. Governor Scott Bedke opened with insights on the 2024 Surface Water Agreement, followed by presentations from the Office of Energy and Mineral Resources, the Department of Environmental Quality, and the Idaho Policy Institute. Boise State’s Hazard and Climate Resilience Institute led a hands-on team-building exercise, guiding county officials through an interactive challenge and solution tree activity to strengthen community resilience.

Additional affiliate meetings were held by the Idaho Association of County Assessors (IACA), the Idaho Association of County Recorders and Clerks (IACRC), the Idaho Sheriffs’ Association (ISA), the Idaho Association of County Treasurers (IACT), and the Idaho Association of County Juvenile Justice Administrators (IACJJA) & IAC Misdemeanor Probation Administrators Association (IACMPAA).

The Idaho State Association of County Coroners (ISACC) also conducted their Midwinter Conference. Conference documents for the Coroner’s event and more information about the ISACC can be found here.

“This was a truly powerful conference and one that we are very proud to have hosted,” said Grigg. “I am so thankful for all of our county folks, state and local partners, and our Corporate Partners who participated, making this event one for the books. I’d also like to highlight IAC’s Events Coordinator, Savannah Renslow, for planning our largest conference of the year and directly contributing to its success.”

IAC’s next event will be the Spring County Officials Institute (COI) followed by the 2025 IAC Annual Conference at the Riverside Hotel from September 15 – 17. Visit our website to see all upcoming events.

To view and download photos from the IAC Midwinter Legislative Conference, please visit our Flickr account. 

To access conference documents for the IAC Midwinter Legislative Conference, visit our website.