President's Message - May/June 1999

Alabama Provides Strong Leadership on NACo Board of Directors
It's hard to be perfect. But we've made it. At least at one thing. A few months ago the Association's Board of Directors established a goal to have all 67 of Alabama's counties become members in the National Association of Counties, the organization that represents county government up in Washington, D.C. When we started that project, we didn't have all that far to go. Alabama has always been active in NACo, but we've made it unanimous now and we're one of the few states that can make that claim.

Our state has a rich history of support of and participation in the NACo effort. Certainly there are few states today that are more active or that have more influence on NACo policies than Alabama. We are very well represented on NACo steering committees and have more than our share of sub-committee chairs. But for the last several years we have been a couple of counties short of being a 100 percent membership state.

When the Board of Directors setout to encourage 100 percent participation, it asked two of its most active members to "lead the charge," if you will. Former ACCA President and Lee County Commissioner Dick Key, along with my colleague Mobile County Commissioner Gary Tanner, were both excited to spread the word about NACo.

I know a number of other county officials assisted in getting out the message that membership is important and that participation is even more important. Programs sponsored by our national organization are much like those sponsored on the state level - a county official or employee usually brings back home useful ideas and information in direct relation to their participation. I am constantly amazed that the most faithful participants in ACCA activities are those who you might classify as experienced enough to "make it on their own." But it never fails that those people are the very ones who leave a meeting with a new idea or with a renewed purpose to improve their local communities.

I've always found that to be the case with NACo events. One can only worry and fret about what things would be like in Washington D.C. if there were no one to speak for county government. The mandates would rain down on our heads like a south Alabama thunderstorm in August. And you all know what that's like.

There is no other voice for county government in our nation's capitol than NACo's voice. And I'm very proud that during my year as president of the Association of County Commissions of Alabama we renewed our 100 percent membership status.

I also want Gary, Dick and the others who helped promote this effort, to know how much I appreciate their dedication. Again, it always seems that the people who are the most active are the very ones willing to volunteer for more work. I am truly thankful for the participation of all county officials.

This 100 percent membership has another benefit to our state. According to NACo bylaws, each state has one seat on the national Board of Directors ensuring each state a voice. Madison County Commission Chairman Mike Gillespie occupies the Alabama seat this year and has served faithfully as Alabama's representative for several years.

In addition, we were lucky enough this year to receive a second seat on the Board from Alabama when NACo President Betty Lou Ward appointed Morgan County Commission Chairman Larry Bennich to one of her 10 presidential seats.

Now, as a 100 percent state, Alabama has received another seat on the NACo Board of Directors. In early June the ACCA Board of Directors saw fit to appoint the current state president to this extra seat on the NACo Board. I pledge to you that I will work to make sure that NACo knows about Alabama and that Alabama is aware of NACo activities. This extra seat brings our total representation on the NACo Board of Directors to three. And that's reason enough for us all to work hard to keep our 100 percent participation next year.

It was just more than a year ago that Alabama counties helped push a resolution to the floor of the NACo membership meeting establishing the organization's opposition to a proposed federal law that would have greatly increased the number of lawsuits against county government. And it was that resolution that helped ensure the defeat of that legislation in Congress.

Certainly the work on that issue would have been made easier had Alabama enjoyed the same kind of voice on the NACo board that is now available. And that is just one example of why Alabama must maintain the strong position it now enjoys.

It won't be long before each Alabama county will be receiving its notice of payment of NACo dues for the year 2000. Even though I will not be president of this Association when that time comes, I want each of you to know that it is important that we continue our 100 percent membership. Again, it's not often that you get the chance to be perfect and I'd like to keep our record unblemished.