Listening and leading

Conference focuses on how counties can achieve success through collaboration

One of the themes that emerged from our long-range strategic visioning project a few years ago is that counties play a critical role in our state’s intergovernmental system. As a result, one of my presidential initiatives was for the Association to increase its dialogue with state officials.

During the past year, key public officials such as Speaker of the House Joe Hackney; William Ross, secretary for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources; Chief Justice Sarah Parker of the North Carolina Supreme Court; and Reps. Becky Carney (Mecklenburg) and Carolyn Justice (Pender) came before the NCACC Board of Directors to discuss critical issues.

Hearing their concerns and perspectives helped our Board get a better understanding of complex issues, such as court funding and solid waste. Leadership involves listening to all points of view – even those you may not necessarily want to hear – and then taking into account all perspectives given when seeking solutions.

Counties do not operate in a vacuum, and it is with that thought in mind that intergovernmental relations will take center stage at this year’s NCACC Annual Conference in Cumberland County on Aug. 16-19. The Association is working on a series of workshops and educational sessions designed to help commissioners understand the role of counties in our state’s intergovernmental system.

North Carolina is expected to add more than 3 million residents over the next 23 years, and they can’t all live in Wake or Mecklenburg counties. All counties will feel the impact of this growth.

Counties can play a crucial role in making sure that the state is ready for this influx of new citizens and has the infrastructure in place to accommodate their needs. But we cannot do it alone. Now, more than ever, counties must cooperate with our partners – school boards, municipalities and state agencies – at both the state and local levels.

This year’s Annual Conference will highlight that theme. Guest speakers will discuss ways that counties can think regionally or can look for other partners to accomplish their goals. Our featured speaker, Michael Gelb, will serve as the keynote speaker in Friday’s general session and then lead a hands-on training exercise Saturday morning to help county officials learn and master the leadership techniques they will need to guide the state through the unprecedented growth it is experiencing.

Several years ago, county officials found that counties are positioned to be leaders during the state’s significant transformation. This year’s Annual Conference will help provide us with some of the tools and perspectives we need to lead this transition.