IAC Summer District Meetings Round-Up

July was a busy month for IAC’s districts. Districts 1, 2, 3, and 6 each met to provide and receive updates, discuss potential legislative resolutions, network, and more. IAC staff attended each meeting. It is always nice to meet with counties in their districts to learn more about the challenges they face and to see firsthand how the districts come together to support and learn from one another. Here are some highlights from each district meeting.

District 1 

District 1 members from all five North Idaho counties gathered in Kootenai County on July 10th. Kylee Wren, a new constituent services representative for Senator Risch’s Office, introduced herself to the group. District 1 IAC Board Representative Leslie Duncan highlighted IAC plans to create a County Commissioner School for new county commissioners, which will also include a track for newly elected clerks. The plan is for the school to hold monthly trainings starting at the IAC Midwinter Legislative Conference in January. Elected officials from each county office shared on-the-ground challenges they are currently facing, from rising property valuation appeals to the pending Idaho Supreme Court decision in State v. Hinkle, which could add to the workload for prosecutors and sheriffs depending on whether expert witness certification is required in order for a member of law enforcement to testify at trial. The district discussed three potential legislative resolutions: shifting funding for judicial staff attorneys to the state, cleaning up county fair statutes, and updating forest management and bare land tax rules. County reports touched on tight budgets, an active wildfire near Boundary County, and America250 celebrations across the district. The meeting closed with a reminder that the Fall Legislative Luncheon and next District 1 meeting have been combined and moved to November 13, 2026. 

District 2

District 2 members met at Winchester State Park in Lewis County for their summer district meeting. The day began with a tour of Marshall’s Meats, which also catered lunch for attendees. During the business meeting, members received legislative updates from local legislators, heard an update from Idaho Parks and Recreation on improvements and future plans for the park at the lake, and participated in an ethics activity. Additional reports included updates on the nominating committee, the National Association of Counties Annual Conference, and upcoming District 2 events before concluding with a tour of Winchester State Park.

District 3

The District 3 meeting was held at the Canyon County Administration Building in Caldwell. The district approved the bylaws as submitted and voted to support several legislative resolutions, including local control over DMV and Sheriff license transaction fees, standardizing and increasing recording fees, and letting the health district set its own fees after food fees were removed from state statute. Additionally, online public notice was discussed, and Canyon County is currently finalizing its online additional public notice portal. Canyon County Commissioner Zach Brooks will follow up on insurance bidding. Legislators are working with Commissioner Brooks to help with the fee increase details. The next District 3 meeting is planned for October at the Owyhee County Museum. 

District 6 

District 6 met at the Morgan Bar Campground in Lemhi County. ICRMP Director Tim Osborne gave an update on what to expect regarding rate increases. Counties reported a mix of struggles with environmental pressures and progress on regional and local issues. Fremont County continues to battle a cricket infestation affecting about a third of the county, a challenge Clark County has also faced for the past three years alongside ongoing fire concerns. Custer and Jefferson Counties both mentioned drought and fire as their biggest concerns, with other counties across the district agreeing that these are common themes for them as well. Lemhi County reported being in good shape overall, crediting a strong Forest Service fire response. Madison County expressed cautious optimism that transportation funding will improve during the next legislative session. Teton County is in the process of establishing MOUs with Teton County, Wyoming, to help cover the costs of law enforcement, roads, and solid waste following the Targhee Ski Resort expansion. Bonneville County passed an aquifer recharge ordinance after two years of work and is helping lead efforts on a regional family justice center, with Madison and Fremont counties also in talks about potentially hosting satellite locations. Other updates included planning to submit a legislative resolution to IAC for a lodging tax resolution and several counties moving forward with new tax software. 

Closing Thoughts

From cricket infestations to commissioner schools, aquifer ordinances to food fees, July’s district meetings offered a great snapshot of the wide variety of issues counties are tackling across the state. Whether discussing shared challenges such as wildfires and drought or celebrating local wins such as new park improvements, these meetings highlight the value of counties coming together to network and learn from one another. IAC looks forward to continuing these conversations at future district meetings. We encourage all members to attend and get involved.