IAC’S BLOG

The 2023 Western States Association Staff Meet-Up was hosted this August in Sacramento by the California State Association of Counties (CSAC). The annual event brings together state-based county association staff from western states to discuss issues and best practices regarding communications, policy, finance, and administration relevant to the associations. The resources and shared-knowledge gained at the meet-up can then be implemented back in the attendees’ state associations. “The opportunity to network with peers and learn from other associations is both enjoyable…

By Justin Baldwin, Gooding County Assessor Assessors from across the state of Idaho gathered among the pine-shrouded hills of Kellogg for the 111th annual conference of the Idaho Association of County Assessors (IACA). Shoshone County Assessor Jerry White welcomed the attendees to his county. He explained, the county was formed in 1861 and the main industries are timber and mining. “When you look outside, you can really see how important timber is to us,” said White. After a thrilling ride to…

By Lon Colton, Oneida County Clerk The Idaho Association of County Recorders and Clerks (IACRC) gathered in Salmon, Idaho, August 15 through August 17 for their 2023 Annual Conference. Meetings were held in the Lynch Center where 30 of Idaho’s 44 county clerks were able to attend and participate in discussions on elections, budget manual updates, possible updates for the records manual, and allowed expenses of opioid settlement money, with various committee members giving the presentations. Power County Clerk Sharee Sprague…

By Tanna Beal, Bingham County Treasurer The Idaho Association of County Treasurers (IACT) had the pleasure of meeting for their Annual Conference in beautiful McCall, Idaho, August 7-10. District 3 treasurers did a wonderful job of hosting the association. The 43 treasurers in attendance enjoyed a lively dinner cruise around the lake with scenic views and great company. Attendees heard from several presenters including Alan Dornfest, Idaho State Tax Commission Bureau Chief, and Kathlynn Ireland, Property Tax Policy Specialist. Seth Grigg,…

The deadline to participate in the legislative resolutions process is September 1st. With the deadline fast approaching, here is a quick reminder about the process to submit a proposed resolution to IAC for consideration for inclusion in the 2024 resolution packet. You can access the 2024 Resolution Template here. The first page of the template includes all of IAC’s guidelines for proposed resolutions. The second page is the template members need to use when submitting a resolution. While the guidelines do…

Idaho’s First Digital Government Summit was held on Thursday, August 10, 2023, at the Boise Centre. The event was created to bring industry experts, government stakeholders, and digital leaders together for meaningful discussions on Idaho’s technological challenges and solutions. “We need the ability to engage and the Digital Government Summit gives us that opportunity when we need it most,” said Alberto Gonzalez, CIO/Administrator with the State of Idaho. “The Summit is designed to help us learn from one another and prepare…

Mindy Linn, IAC’s Operations Specialist, has just celebrated her 10-year work anniversary with the organization. While her contributions to Idaho counties over the past decade are too vast to list, we wanted to recognize her dedication to the association and show our appreciation for her years of service and hard work. In addition to a small gathering with a theme from “The Office,” (one of Mindy’s favorite shows) we asked Mindy to share some of her insights from over the years…

Several of Idaho’s county elected officials, county staff, and four members of Idaho Association of Counties (IAC) staff traveled to Austin, Texas, to attend the 2023 National Association of Counties (NACo) Annual Conference & Exposition July 21 to July 24 at the Austin Convention Center. The event attracted county members and state associations from across the country to shape NACo’s federal policy agenda, share proven practices, and strengthen knowledge networks to help improve residents’ lives and the efficiency of county government….

The Idaho Association of Counties (IAC) has named the 2023 recipients of the IAC Scholarship. After a competitive review process, seven students from across the state of Idaho were selected from a pool of 57 applicants to each receive a $1,000 scholarship from the IAC Scholarship Fund. Award Recipients: -Miles Taylor, Senior, Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy, District 1; -Emily Mottern, Senior, Deary High School, District 2; -Devyn Young, Senior, Weiser High School, District 3; -Makaya Boyer, Senior, Gooding High School, District…

From PERSI, the Public Employee Retirement System of Idaho Senate Bill 1054 was passed by the Idaho Legislature and signed by the Governor on March 20, 2023. This legislation becomes effective July 1, 2023 and amends Idaho Code §59-1356 to allow for the reemployment of certain retired members. Under Idaho Code §59-1356(6) a retired member may return to work in a full-time capacity for any PERSI employer and continue to receive their PERSI retirement benefit, if the following conditions are met: Was employed as…

Resources for an Even Safer Idaho: An Open Invitation to Connect with the U.S. Attorney’s Office By Josh Hurwit, United States Attorney for the District of Idaho I joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 2012 as an Assistant United States Attorney because I wanted to contribute to public safety in a place that was home to my family. Every day since then, I have been grateful to be part of the larger team of public servants that seeks to maintain our…

The Idaho Association of Commissioners & Clerks (IACC) gathered in Moscow, Idaho, from June 6 – 8 for their 2023 Annual Conference. The conference kicked off with the Opening Session and welcome remarks from Owyhee County Clerk Angie Barkell, followed by an ethics presentation from Nez Perce County Clerk Patty Weeks and a discussion on impact fees from Colin McAweeney of TischlerBise. The event offered ample training and professional development with a slew of subject matter experts and presenters from many…

The 2023 Spring County Officials Institute (COI) has wrapped with four trainings taking place around the state during the month of May. IAC Policy Staff traveled to Idaho Falls, Twin Falls, Coeur d’Alene, and Boise to provide Idaho’s county elected officials and county staff a comprehensive review of the 2023 Legislative Session and training on county budgeting and government finance best practices. “Counties came out of this year’s Legislative Session triumphant, seeing several of our policy priorities become law,” said IAC…

With summer affiliate conferences just around the corner, here’s a quick reminder about the process to submit a proposed resolution to IAC for consideration for inclusion in the 2024 resolution packet. You can access the 2024 Resolution Template here. The first page of the template includes all of IAC’s guidelines for proposed resolutions. The second page is the template members need to use when submitting a resolution. While the guidelines do not require a member to go through their affiliate association…

The Idaho Sheriffs Association (ISA) and the Idaho Jail Administrators Association (IJAA) held their 2023 Spring Conference at the Sun Valley Resort from May 9 – 11. The event drew sheriffs, jail administrators, and deputies from around Idaho for presentations and training from subject matter experts, roundtable discussions, business meetings, committee reports, awards, and more. Additionally, the conference hosted a variety of high-level sponsors and dozens of vendors with ample networking opportunities. Keynote presentations included “Use of Force/Liability” by Providence, Rhode…

By Skip Brandt, Idaho County Commissioner, WIR Representative Idaho county elected officials and IAC Executive Director Seth Grigg traveled to St. George, Utah, this May to attend the National Association of Counties (NACo) 2023 Western Interstate Region (WIR) Conference. This event brings together county officials from across the nation to focus on pressing issues facing counties and our residents. I would like to thank my colleagues who attended this year’s conference. Idaho was well represented by Bannock County Commissioners Jeff Hough…

The 2023 IAC Salary and Benefits Survey is now available for electronic download. IAC surveyed all 44 counties and a total of 43 counties participated in this year’s survey. The electronic survey is available in an excel spreadsheet so that our members can use the data how they see fit. If you find any errors, please contact Sara Westbrook and she will get the corrections made. Thank you for your participation in this year’s survey. We had a great response and…

IAC is thrilled to join the National Association of Counties (NACo) in celebrating the accomplishments of Idaho’s county staff members who completed the NACo Leadership Academy this January. They contribute to more than 6,000 graduates and current participants from across the country benefitting from the 12-week online program, which enables existing and emerging county leaders to achieve their highest potential. January’s graduates: -Adam Schroeder, Director, Ada County -Brad Frazier, Inspector/Plan Review, Latah County -J.P. O’Donnell, IT Director, Twin Falls County -Jon…

By Sabrina Young, Washington County Treasurer and Tanna Beal, Bingham County Treasurer The Idaho Association of County Treasurers (IACT) provides an effective communication network and is a source of education for county treasurers while promoting integrity, credibility, and professionalism. To support this commitment, IACT provides ongoing educational programs that promote the professional execution of the constitutional and statutory duties of the Office of County Treasurer. IACT conducted New Treasurer Training on Tuesday, April 25, in Boise at the ICRMP Local Government…

Governor Little recently held a ceremonial bill signing for House Bill 236, capping off a two-session process to transition from a county-based public defense system to a state-based public defense system. While House Bill 236 was actually signed in March, the Governor wanted to recognize the efforts of county officials and public defenders in coming together to pass legislation that is hoped will provide more uniform indigent public defense around the state. While House Bill 735 (2022) established a dedicated funding…