Last month, WSAC hosted the County Leaders Conference (CLC) in Renton, King County, WA! This 3-day long training brought attendees from every county in Washington State. It provided leadership training, issue updates, voting on critical legislative priorities, and the opportunity to network with their peers. Those of you who attended, THANK YOU. You made it our best conference yet, and we’re excited to have you back in Spokane County at the Davenport Grand next year!

With the cross-over of so many county leaders, multiple affiliate groups were able to meet during the conference, including the Washington State Association of County Engineers (WSACE), the Washington State Association of Public Health Officials (WSALPHO), the Washington Association of County Solid Waste Managers (WACSWM), the Washington County Administration Association (WCAA), the Association of County Human Services (ACHS), and more. These groups and attendees also had access to the largest selection of Exhibitors and Sponsors in recent history! Please be sure to thank them for supporting Washington State counties!

This was the premiere event for county leadership in Washington State.

The diverse learning opportunities ranging from budgeting, civility in government, land use, cyber-security, recycling, cannabis, broadband, and much more supported these educational opportunities. To download the presentations, be sure to visit the County Leaders Conference page.

The event also marked the transition of Executive Committee Leadership, as, now-former, President Jamie Stephens (San Juan County), handed the role to now-President, Mary Kuney (Spokane County).

Please welcome your new WSAC Executive Team:

• President, Mary Kuney, Spokane County Commissioner
• First Vice-President, Lisa Janicki, Skagit County Commissioner
• Second Vice-President, Rob Coffman, Lincoln County Commissioner
• Immediate Past-President, Jamie Stephens, San Juan County Councilmember

A particular emphasis throughout the County Leaders Conference was understanding the role county elected, and appointed officials can have in bridging the divide in polarized communities. Commissioner Kuney noted to conference attendees that, “[I]t is so important to create opportunities for those with diverse views in our communities to come together to have respectful and civil dialogue. It is incumbent on all of us to restore civility and to build strong community-based solutions on the challenging issues facing our communities.”