IAC’S BLOG

L to R: Fremont County Sheriff Len Humphries; Valley County Commissioner Sherry Maupin; Idaho County Commissioner Skip Brandt; Bannock County Commissioner Jeff Hough; IAC Executive Director Seth Grigg Five county elected officials from Idaho attended the annual NACo PILT Fly-In this September. Idaho officials attending the event included Bannock County Commissioner Jeff Hough, Custer County Commissioner Wayne Butts, Fremont County Sheriff Len Humphries, Idaho County Commissioner Skip Brandt, and Valley County Commissioner Sherry Maupin. Idaho had the second highest turnout for…

The State of Idaho recently released its September 2022 Idaho General Fund Revenue Report (available here). For the second month in a row, state general fund revenues fell short of predicted revenues. Individual income tax collections once again were less than the same month of the prior year (down 10% compared to last August). For the year, state individual income taxes are down 4.5% compared to last year. The reductions in income tax collections shouldn’t come as a surprise given the…

The upcoming IAC Annual Conference agenda is packed with quality content and the IAC committee agendas are no exception. If you did not sign up for a 2022 steering committee, that’s okay; IAC members are still welcome to attend all committee meetings. This year during the committee meetings, we will pass around a sign-up sheet for membership in the 2023 steering committees so IAC members can get a jumpstart on planning for next year. Three of four steering committees will be…

According to the IAC Bylaws and the rotation schedule for elections, a treasurer is eligible to run as the IAC 2nd Vice President for the upcoming year (October 1, 2022 – September 30, 2023). Each candidate completed an application so they could share a little about themselves and why they are interested in the position. Candidates will also have a few minutes to speak at our IAC Annual Business meeting in September and voting will take place during the conference. Candidate…

The Idaho Association of County Assessors (IACA) met in Twin Falls, Idaho at the Canyon Crest Event Center August 22nd through the 25th for its 2022 Annual Conference. The event featured presenters and updates from the State Tax Commission, the Idaho Transportation Department, Urban Renewal, the Department of Motor Vehicles, and ICRMP. IAC staff also provided information on property taxes and legislative updates. Members of committees also connected during the conference, some of which included the ratio committee, agriculture committee, timber…

The Idaho Association of County Recorders and Clerks (IACRC) met in Sandpoint, Idaho at the Schweitzer Mountain Resort August 15th through 18th for its 2022 Annual Conference. Idaho’s county clerks gathered from all 44 counties to participate in the event, which featured committee meetings on elections, budget, nominating, education, and recording. There were workshops on Employment Law on HR Processes and How Effective Return-to-Work Programs Impact the Bottom Line, as well as presentations by the Administrative Office of the Courts, the…

This week, the Idaho Association of County Treasurers (IACT) met in Bonners Ferry, Idaho, for the 97th Annual Treasurer’s Conference. IACT is a non-profit, non-partisan organization comprised of 44 county elected treasurers. The conference attracted county treasurers from around the state for this multi-day event that included education sessions and workshops, the IACT business meeting, committee reports, and the installation ceremony for new Executive Board officers for 2022-2023. Dawn Erlewine of Clearwater County is reelected as the IACT Historian, Kristine Lund…

  The deadline to submit proposed legislative resolutions is fast approaching. Be sure to get your resolutions in to IAC policy staff by September 1st, 2022. This will ensure they are considered by the IAC Membership for inclusion in the 2023 IAC Legislative Package. Legislative resolutions may be submitted through your affiliate, districts, and committees. You may download the template here. Please contact IAC Policy Director Sara Westbrook (swestbrook@idcounties.org) with any questions regarding submission. Proposed legislative resolutions will be discussed at…

The National Association of Counties (NACo) held its annual conference in Adams County on the outskirts of Denver, Colo., at the Gaylord Rockies Resort this July. The event drew state and local government officials, subject-matter experts, and celebrated authors and innovators as keynote speakers from all nooks and crannies of the country. The event also boasted over 100 businesses and organizations in the exhibit hall, providing ample networking and growth opportunities for both counties and exhibitors. Among the attendees were many…

Imagine Idaho Foundation is now accepting 2022-2023 grant applications, which will range between 5-10 projects. Awarded applicants can expect grant amounts between $2,000, $5,000, and in some cases, up to $10,000 depending on need. The application window opens on July 1, 2022, and consideration will begin on July 18, 2022. The window closes on September 30, 2022, or when all 10 projects are selected. “We are happy to announce that we are conducting our 2022-203 grantee selection after the successful launch…

The Idaho Association of Counties (IAC) has named the 2022 recipients of the IAC Scholarship. After a competitive review process, eight students from across the state of Idaho were selected from a pool of 52 applicants to each receive a $1,000 scholarship from the IAC Scholarship Fund. Award Recipients: -Hannah Griffin, Sophomore, North Idaho College, District 1; -Samuel Grant, Senior, Moscow High School, District 2; -Ashlyn Creech, Senior, New Plymouth High School, District 3; -Hazel Fuqua, Senior, Wendell High School, District…

The Idaho Broadband Advisory Board (IBAB) has finalized a statewide strategic plan for structuring, prioritizing, and dispensing grants from the Idaho Broadband Fund. IBAB aims to serve 100% of Idaho businesses and homes with broadband speeds of at least 100 megabits per second minimum for download and 20 megabits per second for upload speed by 2027. IBAB intends the plan to serve as a roadmap for closing Idaho’s digital divide. IBAB also emphasizes the importance of engaging in partnerships with local…

County elected officials and IAC policy staff recently spent several days in Burley, Idaho, for the 2022 Idaho Association of Commissioners and Clerks (IACC) Annual Conference. During the conference, Boundary County Commissioner Dan Dinning received the Mills Adler Award for his many accomplishments and dedication to serving Idaho counties. New leadership was also established at the conference. Owyhee County Clerk Angela Barkell was sworn in as president, moving Twin Falls County Commissioner Jack Johnson to the position of immediate past president. Idaho…

  IAC has compiled a list of the results for the May 17th primary election: 2022 Primary Election Results. Results are being updated as they come in! You can also find the unofficial elections results from the State of Idaho Elections Department here.

Many, if not all, of the counties in Idaho are looking for ways to enhance broadband coverage. There are some great opportunities available right now through the use of ARPA dollars, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill (BIL), as well as state funding that has been set aside (both ARPA funds and state funds without federal strings attached) which will be distributed by the Idaho Broadband Advisory Board (IBAB).  The best way to access these funds is having a strong broadband plan in…

Help us celebrate National County Government Month by showcasing your county’s hidden gems all month long! National County Government Month (NCGM), held each April, is an annual celebration of county government. We invite you to take this opportunity to promote the important programs and services your county offers. You can use social media to show gratitude to the dedicated people behind the scenes that help keep counties running smoothly. You can also go out, explore and share photos of your county’s…

The Idaho Association of Counties (IAC) applauds Legislative Leaders and Governor Little for taking bold action on public defense reform by passing House Bill 735. “House Bill 735 provides historic reform regarding how public defense is funded,” says Seth Grigg, IAC Executive Director. “Instead of counties footing the bill using property tax dollars, state sales tax will be utilized to pay for public defense. This not only ensures consistent public defense funding across the state, it also provides around $33 million…

The Idaho Legislature adjourned last week sine die, marking the end of a session that will be remembered as one of the most important sessions for counties in recent history. Idaho counties scored major wins that reform public defense delivery (H0735), repeal the county medically indigent program (H0735), increase transportation funding (H0772, S1359), transfer funding responsibility for involuntary commitment expenditures to the state (S1327), and reduce county property taxes (H0735). IAC staff have relied on the IAC Legislative Committee and membership…

The 2022 IAC Salary and Benefits Survey is now available for electronic download. IAC surveyed all 44 counties and a total of 40 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 Kristin Cundiff and she will get the corrections made. Thank you for your participation in this year’s survey. We had a great response and…

This week will likely be the final week of the 2022 Legislative Session. Even though we are in the home stretch, IAC is still monitoring around a dozen bills. The bills highlighted below are still alive and need IAC members to be actively engaged, particularly with the Senate and in the case of one bill, Governor Little. IAC 2022 Priority Legislation House Bill 735 on Public Defense is scheduled for a hearing in Senate Local Government and Taxation today at 2 p.m….