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Nebraska Association of County Officials
1335 H Street Lincoln, NE 68508
Phone: (402) 434-5660
Fax: (402) 434-5673
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New Searchable County Officials Directory
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NACO is excited to announce that there is a new searchable Directory of Nebraska County Officials available on our webpage. The interactive directory assists in quick access to easily lookup contact information by name, county or office. Please visit our website at
www.nacone.org
and select the blue button that says “County Officials Directory Online” to start using the directory today. Please send an email to
Deb.Spira@nacone.org
if you have any questions or concerns about the content of the directory.
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NACO has been working on its social media presence, and plans on using these tools as a means of quickly disseminating information relevant to county government. We hope you will find them helpful.
We have updated our Facebook page, and will use it to provide news on what is going on in the office, as well as upcoming events of interest to the counties. We have also registered an account on Twitter, as @NACO_Nebraska, and will use this account to provide newsworthy items and to get information out more quickly if needed.
As part of this initiative, we are developing a policy on social media use, which will be presented to the NACO Board for approval. We would certainly welcome any suggestions or feedback. The Facebook and Twitter icons will be coming soon to the
NACO
homepage
, and please friend us on
Facebook
and follow us on
Twitter
!
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2019 NACO Scholarships Available
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Nebraska high school seniors who are the children, stepchildren, or under the legal guardianship of county officials or employees are encouraged to apply for one of twelve $1,000 NACO scholarships. In addition, the special award of the Ronda Dix Memorial Scholarship may be presented to an applicant planning a career in nursing, physical therapy or another medical field.
Additional information and the application form can be found on the front page of the NACO website.
The scholarship application deadline is March 1, 2019.
To access the application from this article, click
here
.
NACO began its scholarship program in 1999 when it presented six high school seniors with $500 awards to be used toward their post-secondary educations. Since 2004, NACO has presented twelve high school seniors with $1,000 awards. Scholarships are available for one year and are not renewable. Since its inception, NACO has offered nearly $200,000 to students of higher education due to this scholarship program.
To be considered for a NACO scholarship, students must complete the required application form, submit a seven-semester transcript from an accredited Nebraska high school and prepare essays on the importance of county government in Nebraska and their future goals and career plans.
Scholarship recipients must attend a post-secondary educational institution within the state of Nebraska and may use the NACO scholarship for any costs associated with their continuing education.
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Reorganization Meetings in January
& New Officials Sworn In
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After elections, questions arise of swearing in dates and related issues. Terms of office, oath of office, bonds and in lieu of individual bonds and pro-rata salaries are addressed in
this article
that is intended to provide an overview of those issues.
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WOTUS Public Hearing Delayed
Due to the federal government’s shutdown, a January 23 public hearing on the proposed “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) definition has been delayed.
The proposal would rewrite the controversial 2015 rule that was intended to protect some small streams, tributaries and wetlands from pollution and development under the Clean Water Act. Counties were concerned about the potential impact of 2015 rule on county-owned and maintained roads and roadside ditches, bridges, flood control channels, and stormwater systems. Litigation at all levels has delayed the implementation of the 2015 rule.
The new proposed rule resulted from President Donald Trump’s 2017 Executive Order directing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of the Army to review and rescind or revise the 2015 rule. It outlines six categories of regulated waters that would be considered WOTUS and lists 11 exemptions.
The proposed rule specifies that if water does not meet one of the listed categories, it will not be considered a WOTUS. The categories are: traditional navigable waters, tributaries, certain ditches, certain lakes and ponds, impoundments, and adjacent wetlands.
It would clarify that certain other waters will no longer be considered a WOTUS, such as ditches, features that are only wet during rainfall events, groundwater, stormwater control features, wastewater recycling infrastructure built in uplands, converted cropland and waste treatment systems.
The proposed definition was scheduled to be published in the Federal Register followed by a 60-day comment period. However, the publication has also been postponed. A new timeline is dependent upon the duration of the shutdown.
Editor's Note: Legal Line is a feature that will periodically appear in NACO E-Line. This article has been prepared by Beth Ferrell of the NACO legal staff. Legal Line is not intended to serve as legal advice. Rather, it is published to alert readers to court decisions and legal or advisory matters important to county government. For a specific opinion on how the information contained in this article or that which will be discussed in future issues relates to your county, consult your county attorney or personal counsel.
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County Government Day PowerPoint
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The PowerPoint presentation is available electronically at no charge (sent via e-mail) for use by counties during their annual County Government Day. The PowerPoint provides a comprehensive look at county government functions in the State of Nebraska and can be customized by each county. CD's are also available for $10.00 each to cover processing, shipping and handling. To request the County Government Day PowerPoint electronically, please e-mail your request to
larrydix@nacone.org
.
The CD order form is available
here
.
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Registration is Now Open
2019 NACo Legislative Conference
March 2–6, 2019 | Washington Hilton | Washington, D.C.
The National Association of Counties (NACo)
Legislative Conference
brings together over 1,500 elected and appointed county officials to focus on federal policy issues that impact counties and our residents. Attendees engage in relevant and timely policy and educational sessions, interact with federal officials and participate in congressional briefings and meetings.
Don't miss this unique policy advocacy opportunity!
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“Stepping Up” Your Efforts to Reduce Mental Illness in Jails
Feb. 14, 2019
1:00 pm – 2:15 pm
(202) 942-4289
Since May 2015, more than 450 counties have joined the national Stepping Up initiative to reduce the number of people who have mental illnesses in jails. Counties have shown significant progress on impacting this goal, but many still struggle with how to get started or how to keep their team motivated and moving toward their priorities. The Stepping Up partners have released a number of tools to help counties at various phases of their efforts to get to the next level. On this webinar, hear from the national Stepping Up partners and your peers about how to best leverage the resources available through the initiative to help your county meet your goals.
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New Treasurers Training
NACO Office, Lincoln
February 8, 2019
Nebraska Weed Control Association
Lied Lodge & Conference Center, Nebraska City
February 11 - 13, 2019
2019 NACO Institute of Excellence
Lincoln & North Platte
First Sessions
March 7, 2019 - North Platte
March 14, 2019 - Lincoln
Southeast District Meeting
Southeast Community College, Career Academy, Lincoln
March 14, 2019
Northeast District Meeting
Northeast Community College, Lifelong Learning Center, Norfolk
March 15, 2019
Central District Meeting
Leadership Center, Aurora
March 21, 2019
Panhandle District Meeting
Prairie Winds Community Center, Bridgeport
March 27, 2019
West Central District Meeting
Ogallala Convention Center, Quality Inn & Suites, Ogallala
March 28, 201
Nebraska's Stepping Up Initiative
Cornhusker Marriott, Lincoln
April, 17, 2019
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Thank you for keeping up to date on the latest NACO News,
Sincerely,
Nebraska Association of County Officials
1335 H Street Lincoln, NE 68508
Phone: (402) 434-5660
Fax: (402) 434-5673
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