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VoL Na. 19 ~ October 11, 1993

Property taxes cannot pay for our nation's health safety net The list ofquestions concerning the county role in the Administration's health reform package grouJs )3, ~ and hospital services, and provid- By Tom Goodman ing care to 40 million people each public affairs director year. In more than 30 states, coun- ties are legally responsible forindi- County officials strongly sup- gent health care and required to pay port many aspects of President a portion ofthe non- federal share of Clinton's health reform proposal, Medicaid in more than 20 states. although the number ofunanswered "Counties have been providing questions regarding the proposal has health services to those Americans grown quickly from single digits to who have nowhere else to go," a list of 37. At a news conference, Shipnuck said. "Buttreating a basic Oct. 4, in Washington, D.C., NACo illness in a county hospital emer- representatives outlined their reac- gency room is notefficientoreffec- tions. tive. The president's plan, which "We applaud the president for emphasizes prevention, public including in his proposal universal health and having the basic benefits access, abroad, basic benefits pack- package, is the type ofreform that is age and the mandate to employers needed." to provide coverage," said Monterey However, county officials do County (Calif.) Supervisor Barbara have concerns with the proposal. i Shipnuck. "We need this proposal The list of 37 questions will be x because property taxes cannot con- raised with the president and Con- "os tinue to pay for our nation's health gress as the proposal moves for- safety net." ward, Shipnuck said. Photo by Tom Goodman County governments are the gov- Two such concerns, Shipnuck 0-r) St. Louis County (Minn)Commissioner MarilynKrueger, chair ofNACo's Health Steering Committee, ernments of last resort for health takes questions from Penelope Lemov, senior writer for Governing iuagazine, after the news conference. care, spending $30 billionon health See HEALTHREFORM, next page Subtitle D landfillextension finalized New Yorkstate Hundreds of counties throughout comply with Subtitle D. By Diane S. Shea the nation had written to EPA urg- The rule also: director dies associate legislative director ing final adoption of the extension ~ providesaone-yearextension association rule that had been proposed in June. ofthe effective date ofthe financial Edwin L. Crawford, longtime leader in the movement to modern- EPA has officiallypromulgated (See County News, July 5, 1993, assurance requirements, from April ize and strengthen county government thmughout the country, and the finalrule to delay, forsix months, page 1.) 9, 1994 to April 9, 1995 executive director of the New York State Association of Counties the deadline for compliance with Published in the Federal Regis- ~ requires arid or remote land- (NYSAC)since 1977, died Monday, Sept. 27, in Binghamton, N.Y., Subtitle D landfill regulations. ter on Oct. 1, the new rule provides fills that accept less than 20 tons of cancer. He was 68. School in 1943, additional time for "small" land- per day to monitor for ground Aftergraduating from B in gham ton Central High fills, those accepting less than 100 water contamination, but extends Crawford entered the U S. Army and served in Europe during World I gga (Oo 5 tons ofsolid waste per day, to meet the effective date of their compli- War II. He received the Purple Heart and two battle stars for heroism the minimum federal criteria. ance with Subtitle D until Oct. 9, during the Battle of the Bulge. Upon his discharge from the Army, To be eligible, such sites must 1995, and he entered Cornell University and earned a B.A. degree and a J.D. 0 NACo forms a new accept on average no more than 100 ~ extends the period of time to degree from Cornell Law School. served as presi- public/private partnership tons of waste per day, not be listed install a final cover for landfills While serving as Broome County executive, he was of the New York to examine waste compost- on the Superfund National Priori- opting to close before the relevant dent of NYSAC from 1975-76. He president from 1974-76 and of ing. ties List and be located in a state compliance date to Oct. 9, 1994. State County Executives Association president Executives from 1974-76. See page 3 that has submitted its application to Because states may have earlier the National Council of Elected County EPA for approval of its permit pro- effective dates or other requirements He served as a member ofthe NACo Board ofDirectors from 1970- Register now for gram. To date, all states except beyond the minimum federal stan- 76. 0 In NACo's 22nd Annual Iowa have submitted an applica- dards, counties should consult with Crawford became the executive director of NYSAC in 1977. funds Employment Policy and tion. their state environmental agencies that position, he worked diligently to obtain the legislation and New York to operate Human Services Confer- The new rule also extended the to ascertain whether the extension needed to enable county governments in States have been and productively. ence in San Francisco, Nov. deadline forsix months forlandfilis will be helpful. efficiently 45 Dorothy; four children; 19-22. of all sizes in the Midwest flood provided significant flexibility to He is survived by his wife of years, brothers; and several nieces and See page 6 regions. adjust timetables and waive some five grandchildren; a sister; two This extension is avail able at the requirements. nephews. NACo staff members attending the funeral services, held 0 Don't miss County state's discretion if it determines For more information, contact Sept. 30, were NACo Executive Director Larry Naake, Legislative land- at 202/942-4269. To Director Ralph Tabor and Legislative Assistant Brian Lagana. News 'special report ex plor- that the time is needed for the Diane Shee Main Street Baptist Church, 117 ing the latest in new tech- fill to accept flood-related waste orderacopy oftheFederalRegister Donations can be made to the or to the American Cancer nology and what itwillmean from any of the nine states with notice, contact the RCRA Hotline, Main St., Binghamton, NY 13805, would like to to local governments. federally designated disaster areas. Monday-Friday, 8:30 am-7:30p.m. Society, 57 Front St., Binghamton, NY, 13905. Ifyou her address is: Dorothy See pages 7-14 States may also provide these same EST. The national toll-free number extend your condolences to his widow, landfills with an additional six is 800/424-9346; TDD(forbearing Crawford, 608 Midvale Rd., Vestal, NY 13805. months beyond April 9, 1994, to impaired) is 800/553-7672. County News, October /I, /993 Todcl's Travels N.C. Association of County Commissioners, 100 percent committed (This is the second in a senes on ment, Rockingham, Alamance, counuesfonnnovauvepmblem solv sane associations prepared by NACo Catawba and Orange counties were ing in the areas ofwetlands manage President Barfntra Todd) honored for their achievements for ment, groundwater pmtection inte The state of North Carolina ap- pmgrams relating to the introduction grated solid waste management and pointed allcounty officialsuntil after of an innovative paralegal intern anti-littering. the Civil War and the provision for project, a working prisoners program, Human services category winners county elections in the 1868 state a multi-jurisdictional Geographic include the counties ofCatawba, for constitution. Information System (GIS) program its employee sign language skillspro- Today, residents in each ofNorth and a program of integrated E911/ grams; Wake. for its comprehensive Carolina's 100 counties elect aboard CAD/GIS in emergency services. services for substance abusive preg- ofcounty commissioners, a sheriff, a Recognition in the public aware- nant women and postpartum women register of deeds and a clerk of the nesscategory wasgiventoAlamance, and their chddren; Robeson, for its courL Iredell, New Hanover, McDowell program ofphysicianrecmitmentfor Judges, district attorneys and and Mecklenburg counties. Each the provision of prenatal care to clerks of the court are considered county's program was unique and Medicaid-eligible women; Cabarrus, state officials as the General Assem- effective. for its pro-active initiative of ensur- bly consolidated all county courts Topics addressed included: de- ing child support by assisting fathers into a statewide court system. to find necessaty job skills training and NACo President Barbara Todd addresses North Carolina county velopment of public awareness of Although the boards of county the importance of the county's agri- subsequent employment; and Davie, commissioners have re- officials at the Annual Conference of the North Carolina Association the general cultural history; an information re- foritsprenatal education/incentivepm- of County Commissioners in Durham County, N.C. To her left is sponsibility of county government, ferral system which provides a coor- gtam for low-income residents. must develop- North Carolina Association First Vice President Betty Lou Ward they share their policy dination mechanism for public and The leaders of NCACC are opti- with consti- from Wake County. ment authority the other private agencies involved in the pro- mistic about the future of county tutionally elected county officials, government in their state. Clearly policy. County leaders have been ing and educational initiative co- vision of assistance and social ser- and must also approve the budgets of they have forged positive working consistent in their opposition to un- sponsored by the state association vice programs; amulti-jurisdictional independent boards, relationships with state leaders, as funded mandates. As a result, the and Chapel Hill awarenesscampaign forelectedoffi- The independent boards have au- evidenced by the presence of most governor has established a Partner- cials initiated by the county health thority to establish policy relating to major state officialsduring the coun- ship Council which is charged with Outstanding county department; theproductionofavideo education, alcoholic beverage con- ties'nnual conference. studying the mandates issue and programs by the county to assist fourth grade trol, elections, health, mental health When state policies are for- making specific recommendations NCACC recognizes counties for students in their understanding of major and social services policy. Although mulated, counties are consulted. for the resolution of this major con- their successes in finding innovative county government; and a public many ofthese sepa- boards operate as solutions to local challenges. Cat- awareness campaign which sought When the counties speak, state lead- rate administrative units, none have Additionally, the egories for recognition include gen- to promote understanding of mental ers listen and they listen carefully. taxing authority. association has taken the initiative in a eral government, public awareness, illness and available prevention and Before Ileftthe conference, Iwas The state association for North developing proactive relationship withstategov- environment and human services. In treatment programs within the given a T-shirt which Iproudly wear. Carolina's counties is a vibrant and 1993, a total of 19 counties received county. Itis emblazoned with a picture ofthe strong organization which was emment officials in resolving prob- lems which impactcounties and their special recognition at the annual con- Recognition in the environment great state of North Camlina and its founded in 1908 and has had a full- constituency. ference. category was given to Burke, Cra- counties and the words, 'One hundred time staff dedicated to serving all Fo example, the state and coun- In the category ofgeneral govern- ven, New Hanover and Randoph reasons why NACo works." I agree. 100 member counties since 1959. ties are partners in the development SigniTicant past and future of a human services automation pro- legislative challenges gram which willultimately result in HEALTHREFORM from previous page Through the collective leadership a more effective and efficient deliv- pointed out, are that two major government must recognize the role and administer health services they and hard workofcounty officialsand ery system for the state and local groups are not covered in the plan: county governments currently play know that strong local delivery sys- their state association, North Caro- governments. jail populations and illegal aliens. in the health care system and the tems are the key to success. It is lina counties attained some signifi- Each of North Carolina's 100 According to the National Com- need to be reimbursed forthis role." imperative that local governments cant legislative victories including counties agreed to cover upfmnt the mission on Correctional Health Krueger said one of the key ele- —county governments —have a the following: initialcosts required forinitiatingthe Care, the costs of health care in ments is that counties must be desig- voice in the system." ~ earmarking of local revenue automation pmgram so that from the county jails may be as high as $ 11. 1 nated as essential community pro- Other questions raised by county shares of state-collected revenue onset, the pmgram would be coordi- billion per year. viders (ECP). Having this designa- officials include: ~ resolution of some economic nated throughout the state. More than 90 percent ofthe funds tion would guarantee that counties ~ Arecountiesorgroupsofcoun- development finance issues Programs and services used to pay for health care in county receive equitable reimbursement for ties eligible to create a health plan, to ~ relief for low-income and eld- ofthe NCACC jails comes from local property tax services provided. establish regional alliances, or to be- homeowners estab- dollars. One ofthe questions on the list come involved on regional alliance erly through the The comprehensive legislative of lishment of a higher level home- Further, the proposal is couched 37 asks."Why are school-based clin- boards? of program ofthe NCACCis paralleled stead exemption, and in a way that suggests that pretrial ics specifically identified and auto- What assurances are there that by an equally aggressive menu of ~ school bus replacement. detainees are ineligible for cover- matically designated as essential counbes will be consulted on pre- services which are provided to mem- Already, North Carolina county age. These are persons who, under community providers and notcounty mium inflation factors since coun- ber counties. 'The best money we leaders see some substantial con- our criminaljustice system, are con- facilities providing similar services ties have a closer view of the actual spend in our county is our member- cems with which have to sidered innocent untilproven guilty. to similar populations?" operation the system? they will ship fee to our state association," of in areas relating to solid waste 'This must be clarified so that Krueger said the proposal also How could a regional alliance deJ says former state association presi- management and control of waste pretrial detainees are covered and states that health plans would be al- or state assure that two tier systems dent BillOwen. "Just by being in the that steps will be taken to assure lowed, on appeal to the state, to claim service not be created? flow, land use and growth manage- 'county family,'e counties have of will financing for all incarcerated per- they do not need ECP participation. Where the funding foren ment issues, health care, and saved thousands of dollars." does workmen's sons," Shipnuck said. This puts vulnerable populations at services for the underserved compensation. County The state association provides fi- abhng officialswillbe focusing Regarding illegal aliens, Shipnuck risk and could create a dual system, come from? What happens if the their efforts nancial services, legal assistance, said that immigration policy is a fed- threaten continuity of access and state incentives are not on future legislation that willprovide information referral, training and decides these eral responsibility, but the failures of cause costs to rise, she alternative revenue sources, local education ofcounty officials, imme- said. needed? that policy are borne by county gov- 'The ECP designation of ef option taxes and general authority diate analysis of the impact of state must be How is the maintenance emments. "Solutions must be found done at moni- for the tourist tax. and federal legislation and the federal level and must fortforaccess grants measured, its impact to relieve local governments of this include The North Carolina Association upon I~ov~~~~-and numer- all public hospitals and other tored or collected? What constitutes burden," she said. ofCounty Commissioners (NCACC) ous other program~s. ~- county health facilities and programs services to vulnerable populations continues to have substantial influ- The Institute of Government, for Also, county officials are con- on a uniform basis, with equitable —hospital, clinic, public health de- ence upon the development of state example, is a highly successful train- cemed with the structure ofthe new funding assistance during the transi- partment services? health system and how counties will uon, Krueger said. 'howillmakeMedicaideligi- fitinto it. Concerning the re- bilitydeterminations forregional al- County News invites Letters to the Editor "We governance of want tobecertainthatcounty formed system, Krueger said it must liances? Ifyou have a compliment, complaint or different point ofview, let have a direct role governments in the assure operational efficiency as well 'ow will the National Health us know. Please indude a phone number withyour letter. Mail or new system," said St. Louis County as political viability. "Consumers, Board implement an increase in pay- fax to: County News, NACo, 440 First St., N.W., Washington, DC (Minn.) Commissioner Marilyn employers and governments at afl ments forIoweffortstates contnbut- NACo's 20001-2080, 202/393-2630. Ktueger, who chairs Health levels must be involved she said. to Medicaid program and 'The ing the Steering Committee. federal "Because counties deliver, purchase when? County News; Ocrober //, /993 ~ 3 NACo forms alliance to examine composting The National Audubon Society tion goal. Results from the study include governmental concerns. Staff kets for the compost, tracing the By Naomi Friedman and the Procter & Gamble Com- willbe forthcoming. time, and in the case ofEPA, labora- sources of contaminants in the end research associate pany have conducted research on NACo, and its public sector tory assistance. will be devoted to product, and determining how other composting for the last few years, partners, will further expand the assessing the cost of this recovery counties and municipalities can NACo, in conjunction with the and in 1992, they jointlysponsored agenda of this research alh ance to system, evaluating appropriate mar- implement similar programs. U.S. Conference ofMayors and the a source-separated composting EPA's Office of Research and De- study in Greenwich and Fairfield, Example of Source-Separated Composting Process d v ~h 6 velopment, has formed a research Conn. partnership with the National The success of this pilot Audubon Society and the Grocery prompted the expansion of their Industry to investigate the viability research partnership to include the of source-separated composting. Food Marketing Institute, repre- The Composting Research Alliance senting food retailers and whole- was established this past summer as sales, and the Grocery Manufactur- an outgrowth of NACo's Munici- ers of America, the trade organiza- pal Solid Waste Cooperative tion for food manufacturers and Project, in the effort to expand local products. This group, known as the governments'olid waste manage- Compost forEarth' Sake Program, ment options. willsponsoraseriesofsource-sepa- Source-separated composting is rated pilotprograms throughout the a waste recovery system in which United States over the next few yard trimmings, food scraps, and years. soiled and non-recyclable paper are Santa Barbara County, Calif., separately collected and composted. recently completed a two-month

Research from Europe, Canada and wet/dry pilot project, in conjunc- A W the United States indicates that tion with the Compost for Earth' ~T~) source-separated composting, in Sake Program. This waste collec- conjunction withrecycling (or "wet/ tion program, which involved 1,400 dry" recovery, as the system is also households, was aimed at deter- known), can divert from disposal mining the most economical method vw l~( f~ vlf 50 to 70 percent of a locality's mu- for the county to reach its state- ~ ~ y p nicipal solid waste. legislated 50 percent waste-reduc-

~ I ~ ~ o I ~

~ o ~

Dear Fellow County Officials,

Radon is a natural, radioactive gas that can cause lung cancer. According lo the EPA, it is the second-leading cause of lung cancer. Between 7,000 and 30,000 deaths a year are attributed lo radon-induced lung cancer. Everyone is susceptible to the effects of radon. There- HlI'Chi'f fore, it is extremely appropriate lo focus attention on radon in our homes, schools and workplaces. Elevated A Chi i iW'trld levels ofradon have been found in every state, in many counties and in one out of 15 homes nationally. Information is one ofthe most powerful tools we have ~o — —~ lo fight radon. Among the many activities occurring during National Radon Action Week (Oct. 17-23), I particularly encourage testing for radon. We need to know where itis und where itis not. By testing, we move from the world of statistical estimates lo the realm of certain knowledge. We can know the extent of the problem and the distribution of the threat. ENERGY As the problem is further defined, ifexcessive levels AWARENESS of radon are found, then there are successful and eco- NONTN nomical solutions lo it. However, before people fix,they OCTOBER need lo test. Before they will test, they need lo know. Therefore, a successful role counties can play is lo 1993 actively promote radon education and testing during National Radon Action Week. I strongly encourage my fellow county colleagues to actively participate in National Radon Action Week.

Sincerely,

Barbara Sheen T NACo president

4, STATES DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 4 County News, October II, /993

Stand with us on National Unfunded Mandates Day, Oct 27 Dear Fellow County CNficial, tively involved. Here is what we want Enough is enough! We, at the local you to do: level, can no longer bear theburden ofthe ~ Hold local activities to inform the federal government's costly programs. public about the impact of mandates. October 27— Coordinate these activities with city, National Un- school board and other local government funded Man- officials. You may also want to coordi- dates Day —is nate activities with your governor and the first day of a other state officials. long-term cam- ~ Work to get media coverage ofthis paign to stop un- issue. funded federal ~ Contact members ofCongress who man dates. represent you, send them your resolu- We will ac- tions opposing unfunded mandates and complish this by urge them to co-sponsor legislation that Tax uaw' raisingpublic awareness andunderstand- stops unfunded mandates. ing of Washington's practice of impos- Ifyou haven't already done so, I urge ing, but not funding, a program or re- you to begin planning your activities quirement that local governments are ernmentofficials and is being sponsored today. This is a crucial issue forcounties. directed to carry out. by NACo, the U.S. Conference ofMay- President Clinton has vowed to stop un- We all agree that clean air, safe drink- ors (USCM), the National League of funded mandates. Members ofCongress ing water, fair wages, assisting the dis- Cities and the International City/County have said they are opposed to them as abled and protecting endangered species Management Association. At a news well. We need to turn this rhetoric into are commendable national priorities that conference inWashington, D.C., NACo reality. should be carried out. will release a national survey of 400 However, we believe that the federal counties that details the impact of man- Sincerely, government must be willing to pay to dates on counties. USCM willalso re- support these programs. lease a similar survey ofcities on that day. $gi g(X li National Unfunded Mandates Day I hope you willjoinusinthis fight. We Barbara Sheen Todd (NUMDay)is a jointeffortby local gov- need all county officials to become ac- NACo president

mn~; rmm~~rO~.vie County. hews + NACo President Barbara Todd's latest state Jerry McNeil spoke before the California Conference "THE WISDOM TO KNOWAND THE association visit was with the New York association at ofEnvironmental Health Directors on the federal-local COURAGE TO DEPEND THE PUBLIC INTEREST" their meeting in Syracuse, Sept. 19-22. Membership partnership in environmental protection. coordinator Susan Parrish was also there to promote + On Sept. 29 in Wichita, Kan., Associate Legis- NACo membership. lative Director Diane Shee addressed the Kansas As- NACo President Barbara Sheen Todd Pubtuherl Larry Nsske + Doug Bovin, NACosecond vicepresident, spoke sociation ofCounties on Subtitle D landfillregulations. Pubhc A+airs Director: G. Thomas Goodman on behalf of NACo at the Wisconsin Association of + Project Director Sandy Markwood and Re- counties meeting in Oconomowoc, Wis. the same week. search Assistant Peter Lane have hit the road to Editor: Beverly Anne Schloueybeek + Associate Legislative Director Tom Joseph promote NACo's Volunteerism Project. Lane spoke Edi /oriel Stag. Jill and Legislative Assistant Brian Lagana met with before the South Dakota Association ofCounty Com- Coaley, reponcr Susan D. Gvubb, yeponer Jay Sevidsl, graptuc anin Broward County Commissioner Nance missioners (Flad Lori and the Wyoming County Commissioners Advenisi ng Sugfl Parrish on Sept. 22 to discuss the agenda for NACo's Association meetings. Markwood willbe talking itup AlJuage, Coy gs Associates, narionai accounts rcpresenmnve Aging Subcommittee, which she chairs. at the Idaho and Tennessee association meetings. 55 Forest SI., Stamford. CT 06901 Senate action on health reform was the topic of a At the Work Force Minnesota Conference in 203/327-4626 FAX 203/359-9266 Hsnie Market meeting Joseph and Executive Director Larry Naake Towasend, Job rcprcscnlarivc Minneapolis, Minn., Sept. 23- 24, Senior Research 202/942-4256 ~ FAX 202/393-2630 had with Ken Rynne, staff to the Senate Democratic Associate Neil Bomberg gave a legislative update and Policy Committee, and coordinator of the bipartisan discussed the future ofprivate industry councils.... On Published biwcckly except August by: Nslioasl Assecialiou of CounUes Rcseagcb FoundaUon, inc. contpessional health workshops. ,Oct, 4, Bomberg was in Fountain Head, Okla. at the Joseph also met with Chris Meister on Sept. 24 to 440 First Slycet, N.W. Oklahoma State Employment and Training Confer- Washington, D.C. 20001-2000 discuss health issues. Meister oversees intergovern- ence to give attendees an update on employment and 202 393-6226 FAX 202 393-2630 mental outreach for the national health care campaign, training legislation. Thc ofpaid advclummma is Gamy News in ao way nap lies su ppon or sado as mens an arm of the Democratic National Committee. by the~Nadonal Associalion ofCou sees forsoy oflbe products, saviecs or mcmagcs Iieniscd. Research Associate Robin Fernkas and Legis- mrna cue passgv pudu wal glc 0 C. Lcd aha emcee Mal «dacn paces uv ssxm pcs yvsr for eve- At a meeting of the recently created state and local navvaL pcs yew fa vm-asalva ammms Icplc mpas advsslaasl cunlcdoa au. Sll.gs pvy lative Assistant D'ArcyPhilps traveled to St. Peters- IM I work group for the Heal th Care Financing Ad min istra- year Masvaaaslysvpplcamulalwcnpeaas glgsnadsmmp mmcmuadnaamdaachssgcs lv Nxco. ddo phn sL N w.. waacaoa a/c ylaol. tion, Sept. 28, Joseph voiced NACo's concerns burg, Russia, Sept. 27-Oct. I, to speak at a conference to ~ Naa csccol I» yvspvcahlv Ia v yhmd amacnpu newly appointed Medicaid Bureau Director Sally for Russian job training professionals. They made syussyaa ~ Ma ~ I~ Imasa Iva Iuw wmaeas ac aal (usps 7066m) USSN: 07LLplvs) Richardson. presentations on various job training and employment + In Tahoe City, Calif., Sept. 22, Project Director programs in the United States. vn > i1 vast vt County News, October IL f98 Getting the media to tune in on unfunded mandates withbusiness leaders to let them Presentations To raise public awareness about Editorial board meetings National Unfunded Mandates Day, ing know how mandates affect their the impact of unfunded mandates, Schedule meetings with edito- but that's okay. to community groups companies. commu- you need to work with the media to rial boards to discuss the problems Getting on programs before Give presentations to activi- like Rotary, Kiwanis get your message out. Here are some posed by mandates and provide NUMDay can help promote nity groups, on after the day is Visithigh schools and civic associations. suggestions for getting media cov- backgroundthatcanbeusedin writ- ties and getting Give presentauons to civics or erage: ing the paper's editorials good follow-up. history classes and to student gov- Employees Editorial boards are made up of Local cable companies newspa- ernment leaders to let them know Also, through your employee News conferences writers who prepare the Most cable companies have pub- On larger, daily that their futures are affected by newsletter and staffand deparunen- Hold a news conference on Na- pers editorials. lic affairs programs. Contact your work separately unfunded mandates. tal meetings, brief your employees tional Unfunded Mandates Day to newspapers they cable companies to ask them to editors and reporters who write on the impact of unfunded man- present information about the cost from schedule local programming that news stories. Public forums dates. of mandates for your county and willaddress the issue of unfunded or a weekly, Schedule public forums to ex- Remember, your employees can their impact on local services. For a smaller daily mandates. Make sure to contact television, you may want to meet with the plain the impact of mandates on help you explain this issue in services. live.the'ommunities radio and newspaper reporters and publisher or the editor. Opinion articles local taxes and in which they stress the local angle in this effort. Submit op-ed pieces and guest You may want to choose a site TV and radio talk shows columns to newspapers, magazines for your news conference that will Participate in television and ra- and local newsletters that explain visually explain the problem— diotalkshowsinyourcounty. These the problem ofunfunded mandates. Sample Resolution landfill, treatment plant or a local could be call-in shows on radio or that are being forced public affairs programs on televi- Meet with business leaders program you WHEREAS, the numberof unfunded mandates. sion. They may not be held right on Plan a briefing or luncheon meet- to cut because of federal mandates on counties and cities have significantly increased during the last decade, whilemany federal programs, ... and answers which were made available to local gov- Questions you might get ernments to ease the burden of carrying out federal mandates, have been termi- you might give ... on unfunded mandates nated or drastically reduced; and Here are some questions that In short, the federal govern- local circumstances or capacity to WHEREAS, such mandates stem require- you may be asked by the media or ment is using our property taxes as implement the federal from federal laws and regulations that the public, with some suggested its credit card. We get stuck with ments; 2) they strain already tight require counties and cities to provide ser- answers. the bill. budgets (forcing increases in local vices and programs, and perform certain tax rates and fees to pay for man- responsibilities withoutproviding federal man- Qi What is an "unfunded Qi By opposing these dates), continue to provide local funding for such services; and mandate"? dates, aren't you really opposed services, and keep local budgets in Ai An unfunded mandate de- to such things as cleaning up the balance; and 3) they set priorities WHEREAS, by shifting costs to counties and cities, scribes the practice of imposing, environment, helping disabled for local governments without lo- unfunded federal mandates breach the underlying principles of but not funding, a costly program people and providing basic health cal input. federalism which assumes a working partnership and shared or requirement that local govern- care? responsibilities between the federal, state and local governments; Qi What is the difference if ments are directed to carry out. A: No, our aim behind this the taxes have to be levied at the and Mandates are usually handed down effort is not to oppose the goals of local level or at the federal level, to local governments by the fed- federal m an dates, but rather to stop WHEREAS, American citizens are unaware of the as Congress did with the gas tax? government. the federal government fromdump- mandates on local services and their own eral or state Isn't it the same taxpaying impact of unfunded ing the full cost of implementing American public that foots the local taxes; and Are you questioning the these mandates on local govern- Qt bill either way? decisions being made by the fed- ments. WHEREAS, risk assessment is an essential component Ai They are the same people, eral government? We all agree that clean air, safe to any cost-benefit analysis of mandates and should be included but the tax base is quite different. A: No, we are not questioning drinking water, fair wages, assist- in all bills that impose mandates on counties and cities: en- In counties, the main source of the decisions being made..What ing the disabled and protecting revenue is property taxes, and many we are trying to say is that when dangered species are commend- THEREFORE, BE ITRESOLVED(your county) urges counties have a cap on how much Washington (whether it's a trans- able national priorities that should Congress and the Administration to enact legislation that would they can generate. portation, health care, human ser- be carried out. relieve counties and cities ofall obligations to carry out any new fed- Counties are limited in the other vice. prison or environmentally However, we believe the mandate arising from federal law, regulation or policy unless types ofrevenue they can generate. related issue) requires local gov- eral government must be willingto federal funds are provided; and The federal government has a much ernments to do something within a pay to support these programs. broader base oftaxation abilitythan time frame, then they'e IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Congress and the specific Q: President Clinton has said we do. BE send us the funds to imple- Administration are urged to enact legislation to reimburse local got to he is opposed to unfunded man- Local officials need to be in- the requirements. governments for the costs of complying with existing federal ment dates, and yet he recently signed volved in this decision-making pro- We in county government have mandates; and the motor-voter bill, which is a cess. We feel that if the same a finite amount of money, and we mandated program for you. Do people that make the legislation have to provide a certain amount BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Congress and the you want the president to veto all have to pay for it, they will be services that no one else Administration are urged to include in any future mandate, a of basic unfunded mandates? much more careful in drafting the federal departments and agencies to provides. Ai Yes. We wish the president legislation. provision that requires don't put health, For example, if we would veto every unfunded man- provide scientifically sound assessments of purported street, no one else Are seeking the total to the imposition of any new police on the date. At the same time, we are Q: you safety or environmental risk prior don't the trash, amount ofmoney to forman- and will. Ifwe pick up going to monitor Congress to make pay mandate on local governments; we don't cut the a reduction in the no one else will.lf sure that the president willnot even dates, or no one else will. amount of money you are cur- FURTHER RESOLVED that (your county) grass in the park, get a bill on his desk that focuses BE IT at the national level Mandates Day" to be held Ifa decision on an unfunded mandated. rently paying? y ppoftP,a "National Unfunded and signed Kempthorne's' officials in all counties is made by Congress The billshould simply say, "We A: Senator Dirk ctotier 27, 1993, during which county then they should says that if coordination withlocal by the president, want the counties and cities to do (R-Idaho) proposed bill willbe urged to hold press conferences in the dollars to to impose a attention to the problems respond and send us 'x,'nd here is 'y'mount ofmoney tWashington is going and state officials to draw public funds to mandates. implement the programs. to implement it" mandate, there has to be imposed on counties by unfunded federal It is time the America understands the pressure occurring at the local I understands what the fed ernment is doing to every in this country. 'ountyNews; Ocrober //,?993 6 l 1993EmploymenipollcyaHUmanSeNlces conference November 19-22, 1993 ~ San Francisco Hilton ~ San Francisco, Calif. Preliminary Agenda an Organized Peer-to-Peer Network FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19 ~ Case Management for Special Populations Human ~ Keeping Track of Funds —Managing Your Fiscal gl30 a.m.-5 p.m. ADASeminar (separate registration ~ The Effects of Illegal Immigration on County Information System required) Services Departments ~ Following "Hard-to-Follow" Clients AffiliateMeetings ~ Family &Medical Leave Act: Implementing ~ to Information New Regulations Labor Department's Approach Management SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20 ~ Civil&Disability Rights: Making Programs Accessible ~ Return to Investment: Strategies for Determining 7I30 a.m.-5 p.m. AffiliateMeetings to Participants Benefits of Job Training Assistance Steering Committees Employment: ~ Assessing the Needs of Clients: Strategies for Lunch on your own SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21 Measuring Their Training Needs Noon-1 p.m. Management —Can it Work in the Job 1:15 p.m.-2I30 p.m. General Session 9 a.m.-10:30 a.rn. Opening General Session 'ase 2:45 p.m.-4 p.m. Workshops 10I45 ILm.-Noon Workshops Training System ~ At-Risk Youth —Innovative Approaches Human Services: Human Services: Managing to Managing Their Diverse Needs ~ Assisted Living ~ AFollow-Upto the Caseload Study ofEligibilityWorkers: ~ the Looking Glass —Moving JTPA Clients ~ State Advances in Paternity Establishment A One-Year Update Through Through the County, State and Federal Maze ~ Enhancing Access Through New Technologies ~ New Directions in Welfare: Making the Case forReform 6I30 p.m. Delegate Reception ~ Courts Divided on Overtime forHighlyPaid Executives and Simplification p.m.-g in the Private Sector . Integrating Health & Human Services Employment: ~ Aging Services Integration Strategies ~ Learning: State of the Art Employment: MONDAY,NOVEMBER 22 Computer-Assisted Session ~ Responding to Massive Layoffs —The Local Role ~ Dislocated Workers: Are Job Training Services Enough? 8:30 a.m.-10 ILm. General ~ Work Force Development Boards: WillThey Replace ~ Skills Standards —Training With a Purpose? 10:15 ILm.-Noon Workshops Private Industry Councils? ~ One-Stop Shopping: Is it the Way of the Future? Human Services: ~ Investments Payoff ~ Non-Traditional Employment for Women: Pulling ~ Integrating Services: Providing Clients With a Full Information Systems: Front-End ~ Contained in Resources From a Multitude of Service Range of Services A Look at Human Services Provisions Together Reconciliation Providers ~ JTPA &JOBS: Common Programs With Common the 1994 Omnibus Budget ~ Different Models From the Field Goals Working Together 'ational Health Care Reform One-Stop Shopping: 12I15 p.m.-2 p.m. Delegate Luncheon ~ Sexual Harrassment in the Workplace Banquet 2:15 p.m.-3:45 p.m. Workshops Employment: 7 p m 9 p m Closing Human Services: ~ Peer-to-Peer Technical Assistance Programs: Job Keynote Speaker: Other ~ Mental Health and the Elderly Training Professionals Assisting Each Through Hillary Rodham Clinton (invited)

CONFE NCE REGISTRATION —POSTMA DEADLINE—OCTOBER 25, 1 3 Name Mr/Mrs/Ms Title County Address City State Zip Nickname Telephone Fax WHATIS YOUR MAINAREA OF INTEREST? 0 Aging 0 Employment &Training 0 Health 0 Human Services REGISTRATION FEES Earlybird Postmarked by October 15 Postmarked after October 15 Member county attendee 0 $245 Q $275 Nou-member county attendee 0 $295 0 $345 Other government attendee 0 $295 0 $345 Private sector attendee 0 $320 0 $370 ADASeminar 0 $95 PAYMENTMETHOD:Conference rcgi"ration fee mum be received before rcgbnrsnon can be processwL Voa maf reserve four reg slrstlon with s voucbcr or purchase order made pa rattle m dle Nsdomd Asmrtsgon ofCmmdcs However a purcbaw otvlct'ttlfholds eglslrat; pa fluent tawn bc mode before s Imdgc Is Imaoh 0 Check 0 MasterCard 0 Visa 0 P.O. or Voucher Card Number Exp. Date Cardholder's Name Signature pmuusiacd CANCELLATIONpoLICYrRefand ofconfereoce regtstmden fec, less on adbdstratlvc fee ofggg, wat bc made Ifwrlnen notice ofconference rcglstraaon canceaathnw am postmsrhed no an sr th no mm rig 1ppi ~luis ~umts alter october gg wal bc sabiect to sn sdmnlstmtlve fee equal lo one-half of tbe registration fee. HOTEL REGISTRATION Housiug reservations must be made by completing this form. Allreservations received affe p October 29 willbe confirmed subject to availability. Room Reservation Name Roommate Name ArrivalDate Departure Date Do You Have Any Special Housing Needs? PLEASE CHECK DESIRED ACCOMMODATIONS:Sau Francisco Hilton: Single/Double...... $110 (Standard) s dun,es...,.ttrstmt > yp HOUSING DEPOSIT Your room reservation can be guaranteed by either of the followingmethods: 1. Complete credit card authorization, the hotel willsend confirmation ofyour reservation within two weeks of receipt. CARD AUTHORIZATION CREDIT -" 0 Visa 0 MasterCard 'Americnn Express Card Number Exp. Date Cardholder's Name ns i

with tbe hotel at least eg hours In advance of orrivet 2. Indicate housing needs above. We willnotifythe hotel ofyour reservation. The hotel willsend you confirmation ofyour reservation m,d requ~ pnymeut made directly to them. Your reservation willbe guaranteed once the hotel receives a one night's deposit. MAILTO: NACo Conference Registration, P.O. Box 79007, Baltimore, MD21279-0007 Ifyou require special considerations, please indicate by checking the appropriate box below. 0 Sign Language Interpreter 0 Assistive Listening Device 0 Other (Describe) e County News, October 71, 1993 County News, Ocrober 11, 1993 The national information infrastructure: the information revolution information infrastructure, recently released its firstreport, "Agenda forAction."(Abrief Winifred M. Lyday By summary appears below.) information technology consultant County governments should andean exploit This special County News report focuses on the implications ofa national information arly this year, President its impact for the greater good of their infrastructure for county governments. It 'linton announced a new was compiled in conjunction with Public -initiative, the National Infor- communities. Technology, Inc., NACo's technology mation Infrastructure (NH), that proposes catastrophic event, research partner. using technology to drive economic growth complete with audio and video effects. monitored for any fire or flood. The It highlights the measures some counties and job creation. Classes in which students and instructors including burglary, and other local governments have already In this new information world, our tele- exchange questions and comments, papers possibilities are endless. and new desktop undertaken to make certain that their visions, fax machines and telephones would and exams, would be as near as an Powerful supercomputers software, and a communities are not bypassed when the become indistinguishable as they merged into information set. An increasing number of devices, sophisticated broadband network infrastructure is laid down. a personal or family "information set" de- people would be able to work from their national high-speed, this new "information Itexamines the critical policy issues posed signed to interact with entertainment, busi- home without any loss of productivity or would underpin such a highway by a capacity for near-universal access to ness, educational or governmental centers. increase in isolation. highway." Developing establishing new information, and outlines how counties can We would see our callers, either individually Medical records, including such high- would also require and inter- begin, now, to capitalize on the promise of a or in conference. We would be able to bank, resolution images as X-rays and MRIs, standards, laws, regulations national information infrastructure. order groceries, purchase licenses and access would be viewed simultaneously by governmental coordination. Infrastructure Task Force, It acknowledges that change is in the air public records at any time, day or night, from specialists in different parts of the country. The Information Clinton to and suggests that county governments should the comfort of our own home. Trials could be held withjudges, attorneys, commissioned by President can exploit its impact for the greater Electronic library books and reference witnesses and jurors situated in different examine how the federal government will and an good of their communities. materials would be available to everyone, locations. Housing could be automatically proceed with the development of

The national information infrastructure's "Agenda for Action": a summary unified electronic medical claims It willalso build the foundation for living 2) extend the "universal service" concept 2) Definition personal health information systems in an information age by making these to ensure that information resources are 3) The national information infrastructure patient records technological advances useful to public, available to all at affordable prices 4) computer-based (NII)willintegrate and connect a wide and business, library and other non-governmental ever-expanding range ofequipment designed 3) act as a catalyst to promote Civic Networking agencies. innovation and new to transmit, store and display voice, data and technological I) community-access networks images —including cameras, scanners, applications of government in- Goals and Principles 2) dissemination keyboards, telephones, fax machines, 4) promote seamless, interactive, user- formation disks, video The private sector willlead the deployment computers, switches, compact driven operauons of the NII 3) universal access and audio tape, cable, wire, satellites, optical ofthe NII. Government action willcomple- 5) ensure information security and fiber transmission lines, microwave nets, ment and enhance private sector initiative's network reliability Research printers nine principles and goals: switches, televisions, monitors, and by I) solving grand challenges neutral manner. promote private sector investment 6) improve management of the radio —in a technologically I) 2) enabling remote access to scientific frequency spectrum )) instruments 7) protect intellectual property rights 3) supporting scientific collaboration 8) coordinate withother levels ofgovern- ment and with other nations Life-Long Learning computer-based instruction 9) provide access to government I) collaborauve leanung information and improve government 2) electronic library access procurement 3) 4) 'Virtual"field trips As the first steps in accomplishing these goals, the Administration will establish an and Efficient Task Participatory interagency Information Infrastructure Government Force, establish a private sector Advisory electronic benefit delivery system Council on the National Information 1) 2) electronic access to government Inf'restructure, and strengthen and streamline information and services federal communications and information a national law enforcement/public policy-making agencies. 3) safety network Benefits 4) government-wide electronic mail TheNIIisnotanendinitself;itisa means by which the United States can achieve a Government broad range of economic and social goals, Role of County specifically including: County government is not mentioned in the "Agenda forAction." The Economic Information Infrastructure Task Force, offederal agencies, is I) job creation representing a variety charged with meeting with state and local 2) U.S. technological leadership ~e officials to discuss policy issues related to ~~ 3) regional, state and local economic the NII, and the development development of Administration plans to work closely with 4) electronic commerce state and local governments to forge principles and telecom- n(>uo Health Care regulatory I) telemedicine munications policies. i Photo by iay A. Sevidot Whoever thought computer training could be so much fun? Maybe it isn', but there's certainly something provoking smiles from the NACo staff and their RADON. computer instructor, pictured here, during one of NACo's staff-wide computer THE HEALTH HAZARD IN YOUR HOME THAT overhaul training dasses. Staff-wide training is one phase of NACo's complete HAS A SIMPLE SOLUTION. Pi&a of its office information technology. Standing I-ri Bob Gonsalves, Joanna 4/ Gaither (instructor) and Ercille Warner. Seated I-riTraci Dove, Brian Lagana Call 1-800-SOS-RADON to get your radon test information. and Susan Parrish. 0 County News, October II, J993 Public Access: Should counties be toll keepers? strong public sentiment forfreedom role," Keen said. because access is immediate." highway" links institutions and from an adversarial information principles and the Hennepin nets about $360,000 of never before. "Is [selling information] a role of is there By Susan D. Grubb individuals as information. feeling that the government Keen asked. 'There annually from its sale of staff writer government?" serve. Johnson said the county has been to Sedgwiek County, Kan. are some who would argue to the Theimpactonthecounty'sbudget threatened by lawsuits, but has never higher fees death that it's not." he said. The lt used to be Legislation endorsing case involved a has been minimal, Approximately $ 160,000 is been sued. One that if you for county information is currently county generates approx-imately from the sale of pool chemical company that wanted in the Kansas State generated each year year from the sale of wanted a look pending charged on an hourly basis (as $5,000 per to Ken information. "You could say we to be at the county Legislature. According for viewing information. have been able to lower the tax rate opposed to monthly) property re- Keen, director of Sedgwick another Sedgwick County property tax information court County's Information Services to the citizens of Dade County, Fia. cords or was brought by a local newspaper similar billsin the past by $ 160,000," Keen said. According to Florida state law, docket, you' Department, wanting weekly real estate the car, fight for a never made itout ofcommittee, but local governments are permined to have to hop in Minn. transactions disks for free. Both has pushed Hennepin County, the cost of duplicating parking space at the courthouse, this time the chairman down. charge for Minnesota claims to be one ofthe parties backed use through documents and wait for a compromise. information and for extensive search the country to pass all at the county now only first states in resources, which usually means for copies. No more. Now it is Although allowing Arlington County Va. of hard copies legislation, in 1983, sector. Iyour computer keyboard fingertips charges individuals for County, Va. also had a the private more than just Arlington disk. ofinformation, users counties to charge 1tus law is too vague, according through an on-line service or and duplication its run-in with the press, not in the must the cost of duplication for legislanve hfuson Having spent, in some cases, mil- ofits on-line information service in the legislature. to AlRutherford, information. courtroom, but Information dollars to create and bring pay to ultimately cover the costs of Press for Dade County s lions of development of Hennepin Last year, the Virginia on-line, and and wiring. "The way we The Tech-nology Department. "Any information systems hardware Information Association unsuccessfully lobbied "the county is County's Geographic define what that means is thousands more for staff hours to look at it,"said Keen, legislation requiring local effort to we'e System (GIS), was the driving force for state fail." them, many counties see an offering a service that not priorityto their doomed to operate the law, explained Hennepin governments to give costs to be in. [The county behind As a result, Dade has established opportunity to recoup these required Randy information requests at no charge. doesn't want county County Commissioner cost for such requests, but and generate more revenue through commission] result, explained George a base Johnson. Itwas a pmduct that would As a private taxpayers subsidizing the service." would like to charge the user fees. entities, the November, director ofthe county's against be in demand by other Opponents to the idea, primarily In 1991, a suit was brought of Technology and sector more. county believed, and that demand Office interests have business community and the Sedgwick by a local information Services, a blue-ribbon Local government the could help in recovering the costs Information violation of services business that wanted county been lobbying the state for years to press, claim this to be in it. "I' not committee was formed to study the information. The county that went into developing the law and are starting to freedom of information principles, real estate issue and make recommendations change business's opposed to making a pmfit,"Johnson movement. Last month, some are challenging counties resisted because the see some and "I'm an outspoken capitalist." to the legislature. intention was to use the data to said, the the state held hearings throughout in the courtroom. an on-line There is doubt, however, that The case was Hennepin also has and will take up a bill Laws differ from state to state, make a profit. climate willchange in a state where Honda computer subscription service that changes next seems to be moving in eventually settled out of court and its fees proposing such but the trend court and property data to ArlingtonCounty must keep the data it wanted. supplies February. A surular bffl m the last favor of increased fees. the company got The to the minimum duplication cost. attorneys and real estate agents. to get out of have access and at what The county is proposing changes to recover more legislature failed Who will a monthly fee, plus "Should Ibe able would give it the county charges price willbe questions needing to in state law that costar'November asked."I'd a per-screen charge (similar to a ofmy J2 county in the ability to license use of such there is See PUBLICACCESS, page be answered by every fee). 'They likeit like to." But, he explained, "so can get away per-page copying country as the "information information we 0))i

nt "NACONET, I need ic I can' results NOW!" your county's Does this sound familiar? Ifit For example, if done... goal is to cut costs and increase pro- does, we may have what you need get the job NACoNET can examine lt to get relief. ductivity business processes and make the lly As a county leader, you probably information technology of limited appropriate he know that the problem recommendations. productivity can often be the result :e, your current systems are out- to cut costs... of a disconnect between your busi- If is I have dated and inefficient, NACoNET ness processes and technology assist in the transition from an systems. In this situation, rethinking can :;.') to a modern system 0 how to reconnect your needs with older system with your county's needs. your technology is what NACoNET aligned ith Our systems can does bose NACohlET de(tveys results. To find 'I NACoNET is NACo's joint pro- out how, call: m- the work gram with EDS to offer information barely handle technology services to counties nationwide. These services include NAC(F4:T consulting, computer systems now! of they have management and business process For an Infotroadon Xitand Directory management. Services, dial: 1-800-551-2525

stot o sar MU /s. sosi ~~~on 'a a oo ~Mns 8 ooovts o lass n n sr oo Altnts IO County News, October II. I993

Tdecommuting The national information Social and the Nll services and Busineses and governments infrastructure: a county view are offering telecommuting as a the Nll to transmit huge amounts ofdata (such 'This willbe one of the benefits of viable option for employees be Welsh as and the higher bandwidth Willit help cut down By Taly as records) and images (such imaging Public Technology, Inc. photographs, maps, X-rays and CAT of fiber." possible, as on traffic the scans). Dave Krings, county ad- implied in congestion "Agenda The national Assuming that most counties are ministrator from Hamilton County, for and air Action,"to pollution, information already gearing up on hardware and Ohio, points out that county computers, Geo- nature are the provide to increase infrastructure software (e.g., governments by (MI). Yellow graphic Information Systems and biggest collectors and storers of social poducthdty, services to when and brick road or imaging equipment), the laying of paper anywhere. anyone, and to help reverse child care where needed? Well, that Interstate 90? either in increments or as a planned problems brought about by both ..."There Fantasy or network, willbe an enabling thread Benefits depends is a big parents working away from the difference between reality? This vision of America', connecting these technologies to There are mixed reviews about the home. Most agree on the ands W future, the federal as dissemination ofinformation positive benefits. Manny portrayed in provide the benefits described in the ability of the NII to deliver government's "Agenda Action," "Agenda provision ofservices," says Garcia, information technology for Administration's for proposed. Kringssays,"Ihavestrong could profoundly reshape American Action." Larry Brown, Washtenaw director, Dade County, Ra, negative and positive reactions, life. Yet, counties, the is not to minimize the universal County (Mick)administrator believes telecommuting is an for many This negative mostly around the ~ "especially in the health care future is here —in the technologies importance of other parallel service claims." idea whose time has come. and other social needs." inwhich they have been investing for transmission technologies, such as Barbara Cooper, information system Afterobtaining authorization services and in the are two-way radio, satellite, cellular Brown questions which from the county department of years, steps they taking services coordmator, Maricopa to reorganize services telephone and microwave, which could be provided, remotely or personnel, labor relations, risk through County, Ariz., echoes this reaction. effective these technologies. otherwise, without the necessity management and the union, his use of to the 1992 Syracuse of a professional to provide department has initiated a According University on "County Use them. yearlong telecommuting pilot study of Counties, last year, were funnelling $23 billion Infannanon Technology," counties, George November, director of project involving 13 employees. annually into information technologies andrelated and information last year, were funneling $23 billion technology involving 13 employees. resources —not including personnel costs. services, Arlington County, Va., "It's far," annually into information working fine so he is excited about the potential, 'The technologies and related resources says. personnel director however. He that because —not including personnel costs. have multiple uses in a variety of "You'e talking about an says has commended our efforts and high-speed, wide-area Theirreasons forthis huge investment government services, such as extraordinarily long way off to of wants to support a plan to connections, the level service are to impmve the quality ofservices provision ofpublic safety, computer- achieve that level—'the best schools of expand itto all Dade County and for the service to residents, improve efficiency and aided dispatch, traffic coordination to allstudents,"'she says. "Itassumes support employees where appropriate. be dramatically save costs. and data ansmission between county you'e solving economic pmblems pmvider will The technology available today improved. 'We have people Counties have invested steadily to buildings. But it is the capacity of as well, to provide the best schools offers us the abiTity to access who spend their whole lives I build integrated technology systems fiberthat perhaps explains its cane nt and teachers to anyone regardless of different data bases and sources;. case files back and that bring together computers, popularity. economic class." Yet she sees the shipping of information for education, for, forth," he says. "Use some telephones, fax machines, video and document as positive in that it work, for conducting business unage pmcessmg and any social audio tape, compact disks, cable, Capturing the image idealizes what' possible inthe future with both the public and private i worker can call all the data. ~ telephone wire, satellites, optical fiber Imaging is and will be a major as we move toward integrating up sectors. Now they'e spending their lives transmission lines, microwave nets, element oflocal government service technologies and pmviding access to Bob Hanson, Hennepin not data!" televisions, monitors, printers, and provision that requires this high information. providing services, County (Minn.)director for Ariz., information kiosks. capacity oftransmission. Ifcounties "Ivery much agree withthe things In Maricopa County, information technology, says: re-engineering Metro-Dade County (Fla.) have not begun to use it, they are stated," says George November, officialsare already "relecommuting is very attrac- I Information Technology Director seriously looking into it. director, technology and information their health care agency. tive to us. With 11,000 employ- ''We'e looking at trying to Manny Garcia, named Cityand State Maricopa County, Ariz. (pop. services, Arlington County, Va. ees in Hennepin County [Minn.], . advantage of future magazine's Most Valuable Public 2,122,101) has one of the most Having universal access to high-band take many employees, social workers, and to position Officialin Information Technology, successful imaging operations in the telecommunications opens up technology and others could work directly ourselves in such a way as to be says that he has watched local country, withrecording as the leading education and employment with clients from out in the field i adaptable to the governments build communication function for which it is used. The opportunities, especially in rural and flexible and ifwe had a good linkage. Some, fiber optic dynamics of that industry, both channels for their citizens, as well as county is looking into expanding its remote areas." experiments are going on with the feds and with our own networks to connect employees who use to the clerk ofthe court, although Steve Chapin, Clark County with handicapped employees, but Barbara provide government functions and it plans to privatize to include (Nev.) director of information local pressures," says nothing comprehensive yet." services selvlces. imaging-based technology for all systems, notes that his county is Cooper, information Despite the obvious benefits, ji Maricopa County, "Out of 30 miles ofhigh-capacity, court records and case filings. 8,000 square miles in size. coordinator, some questions remain. Lany include a high-speedfiberlaidin Dade County, Anoka County, Minn., a much "Obviously, there are many who Ariz. These pressures Brown, Washtenaw County demand for services due to we have 20 miles ofit that are fully smaller jurisdiction (pop. 243,64 1), are somewhat remote from the high (Mich.) administrator, says that that Arizona is a border operational connecting all our major has built a new government center, center of county services in the fact at this point there is not a lot of . a large indigent county buildings," he explains. installing fiber to connect the downtown Las Vegas," he says. "An state with telecommuting in Washtenaw "Iwould like to see 'Right now we'e using itto connect government center, the courthouse information infrastructure will population. County, Mick "We have a very benefits thousands ofterminals and personal and the jail, and is using imaging to enable us to deliver services to those the business of 'nformal telecommuting laptop realized computers to the host computers transmit large data bases along that areas." telemedicine be clearly 'ulture," he says. "Itdoes raise continues. located at the main computer center." fiber. One ofthe primary benefits ofthe by all parties," she 'nteresting questions about the Mike Humphrey, chief, NII, November believes, is Dave Krings, Hamilton consequences, intended or other, administrator, The importance of fiber Information Services Department, empowering governments at alIlevels County (Ohio) regarding the structure of ofcost The significance of line Prince George's County, Md., to work more closely together, looks at the aspect communities. For instance, reduction. "I'e seen an awful as compared to other interconnection envisions the economy of regardless ofdistance. "Itcloses the decisions about financing 'ot toward technologies, such as copper movement achievable through gap between federal, state and local of technology go commercial structures may need care, and I haven' seen telephone and coaxial cables, is that imaging. "Ifyou look at the entire government, and opens up health to be shifted." costs," he says. are small, planning process, we will greatly opportunities," he says. any ofit reduce is social fiber optic strands very Another aspect , number and have tremendous accelerate our abiTity to get new Many counties are already sharing "Ifyou could limitthe of 'Sociologists tend to support the lightweight, planned and hospitals with communications 'eed information-canying capacity and properties built by information with others. Anoka for individuals to come could, in theory, A2,300-strand copper phone removing a lot of manual steps, County, Inn. has hooked up the equipment, it together as gmups, professio- special think cable can cany 1,300 simultaneous mostly hauling around drawings, City of Anoka in order to share the reduce costs. I nally and socially," he muses. bad, will conversations, a 32-strand optical engineering scales, graphical data, assessor's records. "We will be consolidation, good or Brown does agree, however, industry cable can cany 500,000. ifwe can transfer them efficiently getting access to the state's records happen in the health just that it is important to find more In terms of local government from one place to another, taking in St. Paul, e.g. the voter registration as it happened in the banking ways to avoid gridlock and services, what this mega~ity people offthe road and getting them industry." other transportation difficulties. translates to is the abiTity to speedily what they need quicker," he says. See COUMYVIEWS, page 12 .ounty News,ugcrot>i.'r //; /993 ~ ~ and development should add human dimension to Nll Training job training center at in the way of human or financial technology While the pace of technology time. "It was the worst resources. Information services budget development pushes the we could have done because "Isee as the people using it, breathing life and information technology (IS/ thing information inf'iastructure to it investment made in IT) departments spend only 13 the prior remote it vibrant." almost went down the into it, making percent of their operating budgets technology access, Costis Toreges tubes with it," he said. on training; full-time employees president fiscal realities, willthe multiple responsible for training account In tight and Public Technology lnc cutting training benefits for only 0.28 percent of IS/IT trend toward Given the glamorous jobs." budgets be reversedv entertainment that at capabilities of the proposed to train people who willbe able to Worse, it is evident options, it networks connecting localities; I National information means and an budget cutting time, the training to slow the pace see it as the people using it, use it is therefore a with it the willbe necessary first. Robert Bobb, infrastructure, bringing making it end. The Syracuse University budget willgo to accommodate us, the people. breathing life into it, promise of videoconferencing, however, that city manager of Richmond, Va, that's the thought of vibrant. Without people, the study notes, interactive TV. and on-line At least once bemoaned that fact when his would be a ghost town." "Training is a stepchild function Costis Toregas, president of network information networking, perhaps so ... at the county level, receiving little city eliminated the Public Technology, Inc. The importance of the highway "I see the infrastructure as not the mega-capacity fiber optic r I ust in the National Information Infrastructure ', SURVEY: County Participation I and your input is important. Please take in the development ofthe national information infrastructure (NII) I Local government is a key participant Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., return mail c/o Public Technology, Inc., 1301 I the time to fillout this survey and fax back to PIT at 202/626-2498 or by I benefit. Rights of way I Washington, DC 20004. Your input willhelp shape future activities to your I interests in the development of the National Information I and the Nll I I) What cnuntv roles are most critical to protecting and promoting community I An important economic Infrastructure? Are you already playing these roles? I development aspect for Most Already I counties Critical Playing I revolves I I of around the Regulator/Policy-maker/Franchiser fact that I Owner I counties Partner/Co-investor I own the Information/service provider I rights of Information/service user I way where commercial customers) through I most interested in providing to the public (individuals and high-capacity fiber and other 2) What tvoes of information and services are you Ice technology for these purposes? I telecommunications technology? Is your county already using I Using technologies have been and Interested I are being laid. They are thus I Access to: deeds and records I in the unique position of being I Land Court and criminal justice information I able to leverage their control I Medical records I 'o; I Human services data„ I ;ial enable private companies I 0' County commission agendas and minutes o lease space on county- procedures I I General "how to get/where to go" information, i.e. Small Claims Court Ives owned fiber optic lines I I Payments (utilitybills, permits and licenses, taxes, etc.) ~ negotiate for bandwidth I I and permitting applications and tracking progress (capacity) on privately owned Filing license I Job line and training opportunities rang fiber optic lines, and I I Video court arraignments and hearings 'lan economic I I Interactive commission meetings listener/viewer feedback) development strategies for I future use. I information media? Are you currently using followingtechnologies would you most like to see as primary community I It is important to undertake I 3) Which Ihfgg of the these technologies? I a comprehensive approach by et'f Using identifying assets; reviewing Interested I Telephone-based services: franchises and regulatory I I Voice-response systems (recorded messages) rn powers to determine extents I I 900 numbers and I limits of existing Fax-on-demand (applications, forms, etc.) authority; obtaining the I I Multimedia touch-screen kiosks necessary legal and technical On-line (computer-based) information and services, including Internet I skills; and preparing strategies I eliminate distance barriers) Distance learning and training (interactive videoconferencing to I for partnerships with users, I Cable TV I service providers and network I citizens in their homes via: Interactive Television —interaction between local governments and I investors. This process is part of I ~ public access cable channels, or I a package of services provided to I ~ regular network station and cable companies I PTI members within the I Others I framework of its I business, schools, libraries, health I Telecommunications and national information infrastructure, and that itis envisioned to reach into I 4) Given the increased focus upon the health care Information Program. Please your county's use ofthis information highway (i.e., extending I I facilities and the home, what are the highest priority applications for Francie Gilman at PTI I I through remote diagnostics, distance learning, etc.) more information at I/800/ I I the White House NII 852-4934. in receiving a copy of the NII Agenda forAction" study released by I Yes, I have completed the survey and I am interested Task Force. Please mail this information to: rn I .I n>,ll . Iiqi) Isol, Iys. NAME Ierof I >ns ~ TITLE/COUNTY I ADDRESS will I /just PHONE/FAX 8 Consider me for more active participation, where appropriate. L~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ zi 12 County News, October 11, 1993 County News, Ocrober 11, 1993$

COUNTY VIEWS from page 10 system," Tom says Durand, division November believes that with for sharing of information and academia, the public and government putting out alternative standards manager, governmental services. universal access, so many people solutions. "Some groups will have that is committed to deployment of would be fine. "Ihe state's STARNEI'ystem can willbecome engaged in the sharing the synergy to use the technologies to an advanced, rapid, powerful "Butright now, [the entertainment counties access to provide its court of information and incubation of bring about change quickly," she infrastructure accessible and and communications industries] are system, the human services ideas that what now is shared among explains. 'They'l become leaders accountable to all Americans. wamng overentertainment networks information and the uniform only a few will be magnified and in showing the way. My strategy is "Forging this partnership will instead ofhowitcan benefitservice. commercial records." codes multiplied many times over to to look to those that have already require extensive intergovernmental It's ridiculous with Movies on This trend toward intergovern- universal sharing. Ted Bahn, accomplished something, as opposed coordination to ensure that Demand that they want to add more mental sharing of records is an Hillsborough County (Fla) director to reinventing from scratch." Administration, congressional, state movies to our selection. We can' indication that techno- connectivity of information technology, sees the With the advent ofmany different and local government policy cope with the choices we already logy is triggering political decisions massive "network of networks," the and new technologies all needing to regarding the NII is consistent, have!" to do so. Internet. as one ofthe main highways be integrated, and the complexity of coherent and timely. Italso requires to which local governments can build the roles and relationships ofdifferen the development ofstrong working Hope service an on-ramp, 'There Equality of or gateway. players, it is clear that fundamental alliances among industry groups, In interviewing the many local "Our would charge in government is to be no reason to build structural changes will have to be and between government and the officials who contributed to this make people livingin remote or ru- something new. It takes a lot of consciously planned and im- businesses responsible for creating article, I found that one thread lr! ral effort." locations, people who are dis- support and plemented. and operating the NII. Finally, close remained true throughout: that of abled and 'The economically disad- NIIwillallow governments cooperation willbe needed between hope, that the vision of the MI, vantaged, benefit," Organizing for says George partnerships to reorganize the way they carry out government, users, service provi- overcoming baniers of poverty and November'. "In Partnerships between the the Washington public their business," he says. "Willit be ders and public interest groups to geography, would improve life for area and private sectors, between cities metropolitan we have a com- more appropriate for the state or ensure that the NII develops in a Americans, bringing them together munity bulletin and counties, between localities and board in the start- locality to offer welfare and social way that benefits people." as a well-connected community. Itis phase, CAPAccess. states, and with the federal govern- up One of the services? Since the departments of The partnerships willindeed have important that in designing a national areas we ment willall be necessary can share information is elements motor vehicles digitize pictures of a great many issues to sort out. information infrastructure for our social service ofthe new structure. information, for in- people, they can make these Humphrey is concerned about nation, its promise not be limited to stance, what Most counties are beds are available for already available to police departments. standardization, forinstance. "Iwant the simple dehumanized exchange consolidating at least one service homeless people." Many counties with Pictures have many other uses, too, a more proactive role for local of bits and bytes. have made available adjacent cities, many have entered information that are legitimate and appropriate governments in the area ofstandards," Rather, it must be seen as an into privatization kiosks and library computers for arrangements with and will not be an invasion of he says. "We need to have aggressive empowering mechanism for public access to try to address the local businesses, and there is privacy." and we pmcesses need to be heard. I individuals to reconnectin new ways, increased sharing necessity to provide the same types of information The Administration's "Agendafor have no objection to letting the market to reorganize their workand activities, resources between local of information and services avail- governments Acrion" clearly states the need to settle it, but I don't think that's the and to redefine economic activity to and their state. able to those owning computers. Cooper is an advocate buildpartnerships of"business, labor, only measure of success. Even benefit society.

PUBLICACCESS Io pg 9 committee, said Rutherford, but it." their right to have in information products, is also favor of the advocates of profit, fees for information. At its Annual Dade is optimistic this latest against the concept of a tiered fee however. 'The fiscal pressures [for Conference in July, the Board of proposal willsucceed. Business community scale'where citizens pay lower fe'es local government] are tremendous Directors reaffirmed a 1992 reso- We would like a new law to say, Kenneth B. Allen, president ofthe than business." Under the Freedom and they pmmise to get worse," he lution which says, in part: "Counties "We may charge market-value +$ Information Industry Association of Information Act, he explained, said. "Politicians are interested in must not be impeded in their efforts W y commercial fees records selected "It's if (BA), agrees. contrary to the the government can't ask who you short-term results, not long-term to charge fair-market value for this are used forcommercial purposes," principles to access ofinformation," are when you ask for information. If policy implications." governmental asset, and should be Rutherford said. he said. ?You diminish access to government is allowed to do that, given every opportunity to recover Dade's sale of information public information." he warned, "you'e embarked down NACo position not only duplication costs, but also generates approximately $600,000 IIA,whose membership is made a dangerous path." NACo believes county govern- costs associated withdeveloping and annually, but Rutherford believes it up ofover 500 companies involved Allen sees the trend moving in ments have the right to charge higher operating the system." doesn' go far enough. "Our desire for funding has a specific purpose," he explained, such as more free public information kiosks and wider What counties should do next about Nll phone access to county information. establishing advanced communi- authority to grant easements along will there be the human ''We'e not being greedy forgreed's longer sake." By Randy Johnson cations networks. The NII agenda our rights of way. Where possible, interface of the ever-fiiendly local commissioner carefully poses the crucial we should use this asset to obtain to "guide" A 1990 law allowing the county policy government employee Hennepin County, Minn questions and and appropriate renumeration for our users the maze to license information is one way goals, it wisely through of newly avoids setting out the usual "we-in- taxpayers. available Dade is hoping to increase revenue. data. Washington, over ~ recover costs selling data ~ Inits partnership withFlorida Power D.C. is abuzz Washington-know-everything" our by maintainprivacyrights. Much the long-awaited "information answers. we maintain to those who seek to use the data that counties collect and Light, the utility owns the of and superhighway" technology blue- So, what do we in itforprofit.Itisanacceptedprinciple maintain and to remain, copyright to Dade's GIS base map. county is, ought Vice President that basic Inreturn, Dade willreceive between print from Al Gore government do next? public information must confidential. Forexample, imaging that israther ponderouslytitled, "??ie Atthe national level, we must insist always be available to the public. technologies can reduce $3 million and $6 millionto create sharply Nan'anal Information fnfrasrrac- that NACo and interests be But local governments mustretain additional information for the county paperwork in the field of health rarer Agenda Action." represented vigorously on the new the right to recover our costs system. The agreement also gives for by care, amajorresponsibility ofmany But what does the national Information Infrastructure Task charging "for profit" users of en- the county the right to use the data counties, but it presents new information infrastructure Force because we are such integral hanced data This seems to be a po- challenges in the sr for no charge at any time. (NII) maintaining +-+ agenda mean for counties who are custodians of the most data that sition strongly opposed by most fede- integrity of confidential data. [+1 Hillsborough County, F[a. historically responsible for government maintains. The right ral agencies that have considered it. ~ uselnternet.Intemetis theexis- Hillsborough County (Fla.) maintaining such an incredible policy questions have been raised- ~ agee upon data standards and ting worldwidenetworkof networks, Administrator Fred Karl, however, amountofdataas the nation'sofficial now we must be at the table to help guidelines. Universal access to data a web of academic, business and interprets Florida law very record-keepers? provide the best answers. sounds great, but itmeans nothing if government electmnic communi- sttpu[dn't mean our has differently. "Public documents are , .+qpkly it much, Locally, task is pretty much to every data base its own unique cation networks connected through "code." public documents," he said. Since unless past experience repeats itself keep doing whatweare doing, butdo The proposed metadata a common suite ofprotocols. the public pays the county to thmugh unfunded state and federal itbetter, and always keeping in mind standards for geospatial data are a The concept of a national infor- . disseminate the information through mandates. the implications of vastly expanded good example of how to make data mation superhighway is exciting, 1 their taxes, he explained, they should And that is gorxL It is a sincere access to data that, heretofore, we useable. Now we have to look at the but, likeso many other issues, when the Ad- maintained, not be charged a second time when compliment to Clinton for the most part, only rest ofthe data we maintain —right it gets down to the county govern- "do requesting it. Karl includes the ministration. internally. down to the mundane details of ment level where we really the The NIIagenda That means ... standardizing business community as a part ofthis recognizes that it such data entry items people's work," it means work is the private sector rather ~ our as street group. "It'staxpayers that are paying than develop physical assets. In addresses (e.g., is it Sixth without all those bells and whistles. government" . to use this. It's their property. It' that is already man y states, cities and counties have A .6t|A 6A .).N But that is what we do best~ County News, October II, l993 13 County-to-County Network: a progress report rds the near future. strong technical and managerial bring it to counties and their health care topics, aging topics, By Lois Kampinsky NACo learned many lessons support from vendors to make the officials and will redouble our justice issues, and so on. ent telecommunications and training from its five state association link- technology work. efforts in the future. Ifyou have questions about the are director up. We used compressed digitized We attempted different edu- Now that the formal demon- demonstration, or want to get rks technology, in which audio and cational techniques even though the stration period is over, NACo is involved in future County-to- Millions of video signals were sent through transmission rate was slow and exploring several options in County efforts, please call Lois on vehicles will the telephone lines. More than 20 video and audio quality sometimes continuing the service, including Kampinsky, telecommunications ore ply the "infor- NACo staffers created more than suffered. We also videotaped all of using a public network or using a and training director at 202/942- sl't mation high- 40 hours of live training programs our live transmissions to document private, pre-existing network. 4267. idy way," or in- to sites in California, North the many useful programs. We willalso be seeking funding frastructure, ' Carolina, Texas, Georgia and We found that not everyone is during the next year to further our ~ ~aa NACo willbe writing pro- Covtv~ once it' Washington, D.C. comfortable seeing themselves on efforts. paved and lit. Yet, this past County officials at the sites could camera and responding to a posals forfederal government grants summer, NACogunnedits engines hear and see one another and televised image. Yet, when the for the information highway. The used to counties to: his early, as county officials went for a communicate directly with those discussion got going and people funding can be help ~ test spin on the County-to-County at the other sites —guest speakers, were fullyengaged, the hundreds, obtain the equipment they need to of ~Video Teleconferencing Network. trainers and fellow county offi- or thousands, of miles between build a network. III, In some ways it was a bumpy ride, cials. them didn't matter. We will also seek foundation ind but NACo is still in the driver' We found that small groups Because the technology is so and corporate money for specific for worked best, and that we needed useful, NACo is determined to help programming, such as shows on her .tlS NACoNET can pave your way on the new info highway nal iur requirements, etc.). standards and the products that Ito By Robert Slesser ~ Attract industries mto a county implement the standards. These ige The MAXIMACorporation County governments need to become by providing solid, user-friendly standards and products are critical more familiar with the various interfaces with the national to the future of data com- As one hears and reads about the network. munications, bw they are esoteric lor Administration's initiative for a standards for data communications ~ Offer improved citizen access and complex. yS, national information infrastructure to various information, perhaps NACoNET can help your Ies, that willallow our country to that are cUrrently competing formarket even on a state or regional level. jusidiction decipher the alphabet 'o (NII) compete better internationally, a dominance. While we cannot now be certain soup that perv ades the information question arises concerning local about the details of cost, coverage technology industry. It can governments'ole in such an and processing protocols sur- translate into plain English the undertaking. rounding the network, county industry trends as well as the It certainly makes sense that the ~ Utilize the network to com- type require very high-speed governments need to become more standards that should be seriously municate electronically with communications. withthe various standards in next ual "final mile," or the local loop, is familiar considered your known ~ Implement remote appli- of essentially a local issue. suppliers through what is for data communications that are telecommunications, telephone, interchange, cqtions th9t require a very fast so- How counties connect, what as electronic data currently competing for market data communications or computer information should be made or EDI. Some corporations have network, such as image processing dominance. solicitation. available on such a network ... realized huge savings by mo- applications. Such groups as the International For more information, call ~ these and similar policy issues dernizing their purchasing Communicate with other Standards Organization, Open NACoNET at I/800/551-2323. should surely be decided practices. counties, states and the federal Software Foundation, Corporation (Tire MAXIMA Corporation, ~ government various human ver locally. Paralleling these issues Share computer cycles or data (e.g., for Open Systems, and others are based in Prince George's Counry, services and various reporting Iso are other questions, as well, bases on a large regional computer, concerned with open systems Md., is a NACoNETpartner ) md principal among which is how or a shared "competency computer can county governments use center" that specializes in some government's such a network? aspect of a local Howto get maximum, long-term value We believe there may be several processing needs. Computer-to- communications of this possibilities. Counties may wish to: computer from technology by downsizing

County associations By Lauran Hammond Client/Server: What is it? EDS The client/server approach links a user (client) on a microcomputer ly NACoNET or workstation to a larger computer (server) that is shared by other endorse One of the hottest trends in the In recognition of the critical productivity. State associations clients. The server, which is a mainframe, minicomputer or more information technology world is ih role information technology has also will be given price powerful PC, can be configured to give clients access to any the movement of large chunks of id. in delivering county services, discounts for services. information base the organization chooses, including centralized our computing work from expensive nl the North Carolina Association "For the first time, data bases typically controlled by large mainframes. Client/server mainframes to cheaper, easier-to- ig of County Commissioners counties have a convenient, frees the mainframe to store and manage large amounts ofdata more d use personal computers. ce (NCACC) and the New affordable way to access ff th information technology ser- Although it makes sense to link 'y.~ Hampshire Association of minicomputers and main- ly have offi- vices," said Ron Aycock, PCs, Counties (NHAC) customers obtain maximum, long- Smaller, more powerful techno- NACoNET, executive director, NCACC. frames in a "client/server environ- cially endorsed term value from information tech- logies are bringing instant NACo's information techno- "New Hampshire Association ment," and thus improve operations and reduce costs, the client/server nology designed to support their information to public servants who ogy (IT) program. of Counties is honored to trend has stirred a lot of business applications. These two work in the field. Police officers Through NACoNET, state endorse the NACoNET Program up controversy. beliefs have led EDS to establish have computers in their cars to associations can address region- to provide innovative, quality to Currently, at least, the client/server technology as the verifyprior arrests oftheir suspects, id al issues by developing IT information technology technology is relatively new, foundation of its system strategy. parking enforcement officers use li- services for multiple counties. counties in New Hampshire," potentially difficultto manage, and hand-held computers to write th Each association can act as the said John Disko, executive dependent on sophisticated soft- Autonomy nhtyout'fingRr4ps parking tickets, and case workers focal point for technology needs director, NHAC. ware and skills that are not yet Client/server's greatest benefit in urban areas use workstations to and county consortium planning "NCACC and NHAC will be widely available. is that it empowers users by giving determine welfare benefits. Ig, in their state. the first state associations to However, we at EDS believe the them the information and autonomy Bringing the computing power to en State association endorsement reap the benefits of the benefits of client/server archi- they need to do their jobs more the users who need it most is more ri enables member counties to NACoNET endorsement," said tectures far outweigh the current effectively —even if it means than just a trend, it's a revolution. he have access to affordable and Mike Gillespie, chairman, difficultiesinvolved in establishing changing the way they currently And, the case ofuse and instantaccess rk effective IT services to help NACoNET Advisory Com- those computing environments. do their jobs. Take, for example, to information is helping government them enhance citizen services, mittee, and commissioner, Further, client/server can help our the portability ofcomputers today. workers be more productive. contain IT costs and improve Madison County, Ala. 14 County News, October //, 1993 Privacy issues could make road bumpy for Nil SSN, and entered into massive data that the law is weak and is not By Jill Conley bases, it is possible to exchange, vigorously enforced. It is asking staff writer "As part of a network, there willalways be compare, venfy and link Congress to: problems with confidentiality." information in separate data bases, ~ amend the Privacy Act to often without the knowledge and strengthen disclosure standards, Randy Johnson consent ofthe person divulging the and increase the civil and criminal Hennepin County (Minn.j information," she said. "Large- penalties provisions commissioner scale information systems, even if ~ amend the Privacy Act to Brother" inhis I created for a limited purpose, include a prohibition on the creation book, /984, is about what information should be using special computer passwords inevitably take on a life of their of a national identification card it possible he offered to whom, and for what and other devices. own —the temptation to use the ~ strengthen and update existing had the national information purpose. And many believe that Regardless of measures taken to information for other purposes is privacy protection statutes infrastructure (NII) initiative in the information they divulge should protect private information, a irresistible." governing the private sector, mind? be used exclusively for its original tremendous amount of personal The Code of Fair Information including the Fair Credit Reporting A Clinton Administration intended purpose. data is available from public Practices, which was incorporated Act and the Right to Financial~ priority, the initiative seeks to "Ensuring that information that documents. Birth and death records into the Privacy Act of 1974, states Privacy Act, to give people greater% j) develop a vast network of was provided for one purpose is are public information as are real that; control over how personal computers, data bases and used only for that purpose is going estate transactions. Motor vehicle, ~ The existence ofpersonal data information is used, and consumer electronics capable of to become increasingly more hunting and marriage license record-keeping systems cannot be ~ enact legislation to fill sig- delivering an enormous array of difficultas technological develop- records are also public documents. kept secret. nificant gaps in privacy law to information to anyone, anywhere, ments make it easier to linkvarious And with a person's Social Security ~ There must be a way for protect medical, insurance and anytime. databases." says HennepinCounty number (SSN), it is possible to get individuals to find out what personnel records. The social and economic benefits (Minn.) Commissioner Randy military records, educational information is in his/her files and "Our fear is that unless privacy of such a network —job creation, Johnson. "Itis also very likely that records, criminal and civil court how the information is being used. protections are built in at the front technological leadership, and the media and private sector interests records, and credit information. ~ There must be a way for end, people willchoose not to move increased efficiency in both the willmake greater use of public re- Expanded access to these records individuals to correct information from the 'Age ofPaperwork'o the public and private sectors —are cords ifit is a matter ofa quick data through emerging technology is in his/her records. 'Age of Information Trans- almost universally desirable. base search, as opposed to digging fueling debates over private Any organization collecting parency.'f people are forced to However, the leap into an age where through boxes of documents." information and the public and maintaining or disseminating give up their privacy as the price of information can be instantly For counties, the custodians of private sector use of the SSN. personal records of personally participating in theinformation age, exchanged, compared and linked an enormous amount of personal In testimony before the House identifiable information must they may be reluctant to fully step to other data bases may also pose a data, that will mean figuring out Ways and Means Committee in assure the reliability of the data forward," said Goldman. threat to Americans'rized sense ways to keep public information June, Janlori Goldman, director of and prevent misuse. "Obviously, society is best of privacy. public and private information the American Civil Liberties ~ There must be a way for an served by encouraging full While Americans regularly private. "As part of a network, Union's (ACLU) Privacy and individual to prevent personal participation. Our society will be disclose a great deal of personal there willalways be problems with Technology Project, brought home information obtained for one stronger ifwe can craft policy that information in exchange for confidentiality,"says Johnson. But this point. "Inthis computer-driven purpose from being used for both enhances privacy and other benefits or services, most feel local governments can at least limit era where information is connected another purpose. civil liberties, and also promotes entitled to making the decision access to private information by to a single identifiieri,Such as ttte However, the ACLU contends innovation." Special sem inar offered at NACo fall employment conferences') Learn how the American WithDisabilities Act affects county services

In NACo's ~ conjunction with Akey provision ofADA'sTitle II is communicating to the deaf or complicated or expensive as many last year. Kathryn McCarty willjoin Employment Policy and Human access to public services, especially blind communities that hearings will people believe. By attending this her with experience from King Services Conference, the County those offered by state and local be held on an issue or that the county seminar, you willlearn sensible and County, Wash. and the National Health Policy Project is offering an governments. The seminar willfocus is considering action on a significan reasonable alternatives that county League of Cities, where she all-day seminar, Friday, Nov. 19, on on the service access requirements of community issue programs can use to achieve more developed a best-seffing "Local how the Americans With Disabi- ADA,and include tips on: improving your staff's aware- successful outcomes for your OjllcialsGuide toADACompliance." lities ~ Act(ADA)affects the services alternative ways to make your ness and understanding of persons communities. There is an additional $95 cost for and programs that county govern- programs more accessible with disabilities, and Faculty for the seminar is from the seminar. Special registration is ments offer. ~ working productively with Job ~ distinguishing between archi- ADA VANTAGE, and features requested and may be done in ADAis abroad and complex piece Training Partnership Act program tectural barriers you must remove Dianne Lipsey, a nationally conjunction with registration for the of civil rights legislation. It gua- enrollees who are leanung disabled and other modifications you can make recognized expert who played a key fall conference. For more in- rantees protection from discrimi- and finding job placements for without extensive reconstruction. role in NACo's highly successful formation, contact Mary Uyeda at nation forallpersons withdisabilities. persons with disabilities Compliance with ADA is not as ADAproject withMarylandcounties NACo, 202/9424257.

A RECYCLED MESSAGE E FROhh $ I NATIONALASSOCIATION OF COIJNTISS "Counties Care For America" x 'I >3 15 nty News, October //, 1993 the cost ofhealth, welfare and edu- Ion's West cation benefits for illegal immi- Ne s fro he na coun Ies grallts. ot CALIFORNIA The board estimates its costs ig ~ The SAN DIEGO County services at 146 million Board ofSupervisors recently voted for such $ to to bill the federal government for annually. s, al Older suburbs'woes trigger to >n new 'citistate'olitics? lg suburbs such as Parma, Maple the most ss By Neal R. Peirce Heights and Euclid perhaps that "over the ir, Washington Post Writers Group vulnerable, Bier warns ig next20to30years, Cuyahoga County may followthe city ofCleveland into Could America be on the verge of distressed fiscal condition, which a thaw in the ice age of antagonistic would in turn further jeopar>fize the al distrust between suburbs and cities economic condition of the multi- that has choked off, for two genera- county Cleveland region." 8- tions, any straightforward debate It is not a pretty picture, and it is to or about metropolitan governance Look almost anywhere id not unique. sharing oftax bases? American regions and you "no." around Conventional wisdom says findconstellanons ofsuburbs m deep >y Suburbanites long since decided, trouble. They'e south of Chicago, nt we'e told, to distance themselves south of Los Angeles, northeast of ve and their tax money fmm the pov- Washington, D.C., north and west of be erty, the crime and minorities of the Minneapolis. s- ILLINOIS big cities. As for inner-city blacks Paul Glastris of US News >I> to law enforcement officials, they'e supposedly checked 1990 Census ~ COOK COUNTY Board President Richard Phelan (center), flanked by county and Hispanics Worl>/ Report of assault weapons and assault the political suburbs m a cross secuon recently introduced an ordinance banning the sale and possession of semiautomatic dead set against sharing figures on ;e, during routine to win. ofsixmetmpolitanregions. Hefound ammunition. Laid out on the table are assault weapons seized by the Cook County sheriff s office power it took them so long sp change, we'e 35 percent ofthose suburbs suf- evictions and arrests. And don't expect that told. The Berlin Wall may fall; the fered real declines in median house- GovernmentAdministrativeOfficar Glastris st nomic development "evilempire" may evaporate; Yasser hold incomes in the 1980s. ill The agreement calls for a county Dawn Hatzer was recently ap- Arafat and YitzhakRabin may shake quotes real estate consultant Charles North invented be receiving an inquiry for relocation pointed to serve a two-year term on hands on the White House lawn. But Lockwood: "Ihenation that Man- thmwaway city is now creating iat assistance to inform the staff of the International City/County ttavVI expect a rapprochement be- the suburb." er the county in which the business agement Association's Public tween America's suburbs and their the throwaway St. Louis County, ringiag St. es is located, and says each county Policy Committee. inner cines. co- Louis is really two counties says agrees not to aggressively seek The committee' charge is to Let me report, however a new set Rob Gurwitt in Governing maga- businesses already located ordinate withNACo and other pub- ofpolitical realities emerging acmss mu- zine. In the outer reaches, 1uxu>y within the state of Wisconsin. In lic interest groups on issues of America' "citistate" regions in 1993: homes and rows of condominiums addition, a regional economic de- tual interest. It willbe responsible Fust, large numbers ofolder work- sprang up in the '80s, accompanied velopment marketing effort is be- forfollowingfederal legislation and ing-class suburbs are starting to fall by massive IBM, Citicorp and establishing policy positions that disinvestment ing developed. into the same abyss of Hewlett-Packard office buildings is that four look out for the interests of local before them. 'The significant thing as the center cities astride the freeway. But in inner St. governments. >in counties that are home to major Second, entire counties —with LouisCounty suburbslosteightper- ng industrial companies are coming scores of suburbs filled with people cent of their population, saw their we es- >al together and saying, first, that who once thought they'd safely median household incomes drop and each other' economi- he are not going to go after Midwest caped urban ills—may be their numbers of the elderly rise thatweare ial companies,and,second, MINNESOTA cally imperiled. sharply. not going to get into bidding wars," And third, the scomcard of win- 1he biggest ihghts ofnuddle-class e." ~ ANOKACOUNTYCommis- said Milwaukee County Executive ners and losers has shifted radically. families in the '80s didn't come out of for sioner Paul McCarron recently tes- F. Thomas Ament. Through the '70s, the lineup was center cities, but out of the inner-ring MICHI tified before Minnesota's Legisla- simply center cities against their sub- suburbs of such cities as Atlanta and Tim McGuire, general counsel tive Commission on Waste Man- in urbs. But a careful look at the '90 Chicago. for the Michigan Association of agement on a plan to examine op- he Census results shows that a handful The University of Southern Counties, was installed as president South counties act jointly or tions for to California's JanePisano notes that"bar- Gov- ofouter-ring suburbs are picking up ofthe National Association of regionally to address state environ- and Oxnard are as FLORIDA a massive share ofnew industrial and rios in Riverside emmental Deferred Compensation manu- and waste flow is- Ange- In an effort to encourage mental policies commercial investment and high devastated as south ceatral Los Administrators in New York City, recyclable con- 'Ihere are more poor in Pomona, facturers to produce sues. property tax-paying residents. les. Sept, 14, are made found that wise, than inlx>s Angeles." tai ners and containers that A recent court ruling The "losers," it turns out are not percentage materials, Florida is Adecade ago, Massachusetts'ig with recycled two Minnesota counties just center cities but broad areas of Advance Disposal socio-economic split was Boston NEW YORK implementing an FAIRBAULTand MARTIN— inner-ring suburbs now yielding up versus the rest of the state, says 'he Seneca Indian Nation has Fee (ADF), effective Oct. 1. violated the interstate commerce their most successful businesses and to all me- Chelsea administrator Harry Spence. filed suit against the state of New The ADF will apply clause of the Constitution by re- residents to the outer rings. I plastic, But now, Spence observes, urban ills to reclaim Grand Island, home chanically or heat-sealed quiring a garbage hauler to use des- Thomas Bier of Cleveland State aiflict such communities as Lowell, more than 18,000 ERIE glass and paper containers, from plants. Atleast docu- ignated composting University has painstakingly and Somerville just one gallon, sold Everett, Brockton OUNTYresidents and businesses. five fluidounces to 17 counties in Minnesota have en- the economic impacts ofsuc- mented as much as Boston. Ihe tribe, reportedly, wants to or distributed in the state. designation acted these types of cessive rings ofoutward movement, Admitting they face many inner- build a casino on the island, but The one-cent ADF will also be ordinances. first from Cleveland, then from its cityproblems comes hard to older blue- parcel of on sales to non-profit may settle for another charged The ruling may result in the eli- older inner-ringsuburbs. Each new collarsuburbsof folkswhostruggledto land. groups which may be exempt from mination of the designation ordi- ring of housing development on the gain apiece ofthe American Dream- state sales tax. as a tool for solid waste dis- he shows, is driv- but now see their houses declining or containers nance regional periphery, Aluminum and steel to the WISCONSIN posal. ing down housing prices —and the stagnant in value, jobs fleeing four are exempt from the ADF because 'he county executives of 'ithout feared outer rings, poor people moving into rate has designation, it is tax base and economic viability—in s'>utheastern Wisconsin counties— the 50 percent recycling their neighborhoods and crime ris- for both of that some waste haul era may choose Cleveland and its older subu*s. KENOSHA, already been achieved In many regions, these neigh- MILWAUKEE, to transport loads to other states 'The wake of decline and urban ing. WAUKESHA and RACINE— those metals. borhoods are the heart of diessesxk where untreated waste disposal is pathologies that spread behind recently a joint business- rebefiious Ross Perot country. signed be environ- outmigration will at the city- develop- MARYLAND cheaper, but may not not stop ation policy aimed at With See PE/RCE, next page ~ COUNTY mentally sound. suburban line," Bier pmjects. regional cooperation in eco- FREDERICK '16 County News, October II, /993

nizing and planmng It also explores information that is currently available No ices... no ices... no ices theongoingdebateon the properroleof or under development. community organizations. Each entry includes an abstract de- The issue costs $ 5 and can be ordered scnpnon of the software en- CONFERENCES Jan. 11, Denver. Colo. an in-depth look at the country's low- retneval from: Publications, CCC, 1000 Wis- gine used, the system's ~ The Society ofAmerican Mili- For more information, contact Mary income housing crisis, with reviews of requirements consin Ave., N.W., Washington, DC and the price. tary Engineers is hosting an Environ- Murphy, AAHA's eldercare project 20 housing-related books and studies. 20007, or call 202/342-0567. "SIGCAT menad Remedhaian Technology Work- manager, at 202/508-9407, The publication reviews what the CD-ROM Campenduim" costs shop, Oct. 20. in Baltimore, Md. center has learned after 25 years of ~ Now available from the U (L $ 11. To order, indicate stock The workshop brings together ex- ~ December 16-17 are the dates working with community-based orga- Government Printing OIIice is a de- number 021-000-00158-9 and mail to perts fmm the private and public sec- for the National Environmental To- nizations in the United States, and can tailed listing of nearly 300 CD-ROM Su pen ntendent ofDocuments, P.O. Box tors to exchange information on state- bacco Smoke Conference, "Programs, serve as a primer on community orga- products with a wide range of federal 37194, Pinsburgh, PA 15250-7954. of-the-art technologiesforenvironmen- Policy, Litigation and Liability," in tal cleanup. Innovative solutions to Washington. D.C. Tire conference fo- environmental problems will be the rum will cover the entire spectrum of PEIRCE from previous page major focus. secondhand smoke issues, including Yet as unlikely as it seems, an afli- nicipalities, representing 70 ofthe 136 could be rising For more information, call Paul Cou- federal, state and local policies. pressure to equalize tax ance of center cities and inner-ring in the seven-county Min- wealth ture at 410/321-5540, fax: 410/321- Technical and general sessions fea- governments acmss the region. suburbs may be taking form. neapofis-St. 5578. nue special appearances by officials Paul metmpolitan area, TheMinnesotavoteisjustoneslruw from the EPA and the Occupational This year, the lvfinnesota TwinCit- voted unanimously tosupport an elected in the wind —but possibly a very ~ Sasiainabie Transpananan and Safety and Health Administration, along ies'ssoriation of Metropolitan Mu- Metropolitan CounciL 1)te end result significant one. with ])j Solar and Electr(a Vehicles '93 is being building managers, attorneys and (c) lppi. Wwtmtwp ptm Wana Onwpf hosted by the Northeast Sustainable public health oflicials. Energy Association (NESEA) in Bos- For more information, contact IAQ ton, Mass., Oct. 21-23. Publications at 301/913-0115, or fax: Job arke The symposium, car and trade show 301/913-0119. is designed to provide a forum for a

efficient The diverse gmup of professionals to ex- ~ Recycling Association of ASSISTANT REGISTRAR FOR Bachelors Degree in Pubfic/Business and other legislature affecting county Hawaii and the EPA are co-sponsoring change information on electric vehicle REGISTRATION — CLARK Administration with a Masters Degree government. Excefient interpersonal technology, as well as transportation a conference on disaster debris man- COUNTY, NEVa Clark County, Ne- preferred. Ten years experience in an skills including public relations/com- agement, "Disaster-Response Debris strategies to create a non-pofluting, eq- vada, one of the fastest gmwing com- upper level executive position with munication skills; extensive background Managemenrt Pre-Disaster Planning uitable and mult-modal trans- munities in the country. is currently strong governmental financial, budget- in finance, planning, personnel and other Policy Dave/apment, "Jan. 12-15. portation future. 1994. seeking a qualified Assistant Registrar ing and operational skills. Extensive related administrative functions. Sub- in Kauai, Hawaii. For more information on registration forRegistration forits Election Depart- leadership and communication skills mitresume'ith cover letter and salary or For the first time ever, local officials ment. program events, call NESEA at 413/ Requires equivalent to a working in a public forum are a mush requirements by October 15, 1993 to: 774-6051, withhands-onexperienceincoping Bachelor's or fax: 413/774-6053. with Degree in Public or Busi- Salary, DOQ. Submit resumes and sal- Burke County Personnel Division, 700 debris from hurricanes, floods, snow- ness Administration or Political Sci- ary history no later than Oct. 29, 1993 E. Parker Road, P.O. Box 219, storms, ~ "25 Years ofHelping America earthquakes and tornados will ence AND four (4) years of progres- to Gordon County Board of Commis- Morganton, NC 28680-0219. Work" is the theme for the National be together to share insights on han- sively responsible pmfessional experi- sioners, Attn: Human Resources De- DEPUTY COUNTY ADMINIS- Alliance of Business (NAB) Confer- dling disaster cleanup. The conference ence in voter registration. TWO partment, P.O. Box 580. Calhoun, GA (2) TRATOR —SOLANO COUN1Y ence, Oct. 24-26, in Washington, D.C. will focus on developing a team ap- years of which were in a supervisory 30703-0580. EOE. (FAIRFIELD, CALIF.: (Approx. NAB'sconferenceis the world's larg- proach and strategic action planning. capacity. Equivalent combinations of COUNTY MANAGER Annual Salary: $ 69,410-$ 84,368) In- est gathering of business leaders and For more information and registra- education and experience may also be BURKE COUNTY,N.C4 COUNTY cumbent assists the County Adminis- government officials in the employ- tion packets,contactSummer Harrison, considered. EXCELLENTBENEFITS MANAGERneeded for Burke County trator in the management of County ment and training field, as well as com- P.O. Box 1091, Lawai, Kauai, Hawaii PACKAGE, INCLUDING FULLY ... population 78.000; located in west- activities; workforce of 2,338 and a munity organizers and education pro- 96765, or call 808/332-7379, or fax: PAID RETIREMENT. NO STATE ern North Carolina. County Manager is $ 272 million budget; county popula- fessionals. 808/332-7522. INCOME TAX. Salary: $43K-564K; appointed by a five member board of tion of 350,000. The conference willbe focusing on Closing Date: 10/22/93. CLARK PUBLICATIONS commissioners. Serves as chief admin- QNV i I:A ii 9)) public/private partnerships in educa- COUNTY APPLICATION RE- istrator for over twenty depart- ~ The Bureau forAt-RiskYouth (20) a bachelors degree in public/business tion, job training, welfare-to-work pro- QUIRED. Apply to: Clark County ments with more than 400 has new employees administration and four years of pm- grams and human resource develop- a resource to help parents pre- Personnel Department, 225 Bridger and an operating budget exceeding $37 gressively responsible local government ment efforts forvenation's unemployed pare preschool children for school and Avenue, 9th floor, Las Vegas. NV million dollars. managementexp.req,,twoyrs.of which and economically disabled. life. The new series "Painters for 89155. M/F/D. Required: Bachelor's degree, pro- must have been at a senior leveL MPA/ For a detailed Preschool Parents" offers practical schedule and more COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR gressive experience as administrator, MBAdesirable. APPLY BY: 5 p.m., information. advice to help parents be their best. The call Keith Poston at 202/ —GORDON COUNTY, GAa Gor- Master's degree in Public Administra- Oct. 22, 1993. CONTACf: Solano 289-2834. series of 12 pamphlets includes titles don County, Georgia 38,000) is tion, preferred. Skilled in govemmen- County Dept. ofHuman Resources, 580 such as: "Seeing a Good Euunple," (pop. seeking candidates for the position of tal administration; with a comprehen- Texas St Fairfield CA 94533 (707) ~ The American Assodafion of "Issues for Working Parents," "Build- County Administrator. Requirements: sive knowledge of federal, state, local 421-6170. EOE/AA. Homes forthe Aging(AAHA)is spon- ing Self-Esteem in the Preschooler," soring four educational seminars in and many more. December 1993 and January 1994 to To order or receive a free buyer' Job Market - ClassiTied teach housing and community service guide, write: The Bureau for At-Risk Rate Schedule Youth, 645 New providers how to develop and link se- York Ave., Hunting- Rates: $ 3 per line. nior housing with the supportive ser- ton, NY 11743, or call I/800/99- (You can figure the approxi- YOUTH. vices older people often need to main- mate cost of an ad by counting the tain their independence. SAN number of characters, including "Community Change," JOSE The seminar dates and locations are: ~ a spe- spaces and punctuation marks, in cial issue publication the Dec. 2, Wilmington, Deld Dec. 6, St. by Center for CAPITALOF SILICONVALLEY your copy. One line consists of Louis, Mod Jan. 7. Tampa, Flax and Community Change (CCC) includes approximately 38 characters. 1)te CityofSan Jose is pmud to be 6m Capital ofSiTicon Valley, the third largest Divide 38 into the number of FREE CATALOGI city inCalifixma and the eleventh largest in tbe nafitxx We also pride ourselves on this exceflent job opportunity we curnmtly have available: characters m your ad. The resulting figure willgive you the CALL 800-435-4066 DEPUTY DIRECTOR ADMINISTRATION/ approximate number of lines. BUSINESS SERVICES 3 to FAX 800-247-1107 DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC O'ORKS Multiply that figure by figure your approximate cost.) ~ Tiwvv Llovv Lv vs (Salary: $76/96.$ 92,772/annuafiy) NEW LENOX LIGHTING "*moll4 amma