NCACC staff notes: April 2010

Stephanie Woods

Stephanie Woods joined the NCACC's staff April 5 as paralegal/executive assistant. She will provide a wide range of support duties to Executive Director David F. Thompson and Deputy Director Patrice Roesler, serve as a paralegal to Executive Counsel Sharon Scudder, and eventually supplant Kathy DeMay as clerk to the NCACC Board of Directors. ... A host of MPA candidates from N.C. Central University have begun internships at the Association. On March 15, Randy Williams started his internship researching broadband issues and connectivity. On March 25, Kenneth Baker kicked off an internship during which he will research flexibility of e-911 funds. Finally on April 5, Wendy Cotten and Kevin Holman began three-week internships to collect information for the N.C. General Assembly's Select Committee on Global Engagement about businesses and industries in our counties that have a global presence. This information will be used by the committee to improve legislators' understanding of the magnitude of global economic interests in our state. ... Thompson joined legislators and other leaders from state agencies for a "rolling workshop" sponsored by the N.C. Rural Economic Development Center on March 22-23. The workshop included stops in Richmond, Anson, Stanly and Montgomery counties. ... Several members of the Government Relations Team (Kevin Leonard, Jim Blackburn, Rebecca Troutman, Anthony Allen and Alisa Cobb) traveled to Ashe County on March 29-30. The group toured the county's new justice center and met with department heads to hear about the county's perspective on major legislative issues facing counties, such as animal control, e-911 fee flexibility and broadband. ... Blackburn spoke March 8 on the NCACC legislative goals process and the involvement of affiliates at the N.C. Association of Registers of Deeds' (NCARD) annual legislative conference. … Allen traveled to Vance County on March 9 to participate in a Strategic Planning Council grassroots conference for Cooperative Extension. The group is working on developing several county-related initiatives. … Scudder represented the Association at the County Reinsurance Limited conference in Austin, Texas, on March 10. The Association is one of the founding members of CRL. ... Allen visited Cherokee County on March 12 to learn more about county 911 centers and how they operate. … Information Systems Director Judy Rhyne met with members of the Sandhills GIS User Group on March 18 in Pinehurst. The group includes GIS representatives from Cumberland, Harnett, Hoke, Moore, Richmond and Robeson counties. … Blackburn, Scudder and Property and Casualty Program Specialist Michael Kelly attended the annual AGRiP (Association of Governmental Risk Pools) conference March 22. Scudder was appointed co-chair of the General Counsel Track for next year. ... Blackburn traveled to Watauga County on April 7 to speak to a group of visiting government officials from South Africa, who were being hosted by Appalachian State University's International Education and Development Program. He addressed advocacy between various levels of government and the importance of developing relationships with the professional staff who service the various governing bodies. The South Africans are learning about all levels of government, and several delegates were imbedded within local governments across North Carolina to get a closer look at operations.