SPOTLIGHT ON: REGIONALISM Bridging the Urban-Rural Divide COUNTIES GET VETO FLORIDA COUNTY OFFERS POWER IN FEDERAL LAND MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING Utah county ACQUISITIONS. PG. 4 TO ALL EMPLOYEES. PG. 13 balances rural, urban NATIONAL ASSOCIATION of COUNTIES VOL. 52, NO. 22 NOVEMBER 23, 2020 priorities. Mail-in ballot Pg. 5 count was ‘just all hands on deck’ by Rachel Looker staff writer All eyes were on county elec- tion boards across the country Rural counties as they burned the midnight oil beckon urban to complete counts of a record number of mail-in ballots in dwellers who the election. can work from It was no different in Penn- In the wake of Orange County, Calif. going to the strictest “purple” tier last week, Orange County Board sylvania. anywhere. of Supervisors Vice Chairman Andrew Do holds one of the 11,000 COVID-19 saliva test kits that will be available soon at clinics in Anaheim and Santa Ana, as he speaks during a press conference at the “It was just all hands on Pg. 6 Orange County Hall of Administration in Santa Ana Nov. 17. © Mark Rightmire/Orange County Register via ZUMA Wire deck,” said Robert Harvie, Bucks County, Pa. chair of the Board of Elections. Counties sound alarm about Bucks County received around 165,000 ballots out of 199,000 mail ballots request- holidays, ‘COVID-19 fatigue’ ed. In the 2016 presidential by Charlie Ban tive tests. “People are tired and they’re election, the county received senior writer Ada County, Idaho, for one, letting their guard down,” she 20,000 absentee/mail-in bal- is sending a message of posi- said. “It’s challenging to keep lots. As the nation enters its ninth tive reinforcement. people connected emotional- “A tenfold increase this year,” LUCC/RAC month of coronavirus restric- “We’re trying to stay positive ly when you can’t get together Harvie said. tions amidst rising case num- with our messaging,” said Com- physically, especially when Over 2.6 million voters in Virtual bers, “COVID fatigue” is setting mission Chair Kendra Kenyon. they look forward to family Pennsylvania returned mail-in Symposium in right when it can be most “We’re saying ‘Thank you for holidays.” ballots for the 2020 election, dangerous. At the same time, wearing your mask’ rather than That strategy, avoidingaccording to data from the U.S. Dec. 10. dropping temperatures are ‘Do it.’” shaming people, is central to Elections Project. This num- Pg. 8 making outdoor recreation less They’ll try to draw more flies Hennepin County, Minneso- ber is more than 10 times the appealing, removing a much with honey than with vinegar. ta’s Take Care campaign, which amount received across the safer environment for avoiding The county is working with the highlights the vulnerabilities of state in 2016, according to the transmission. city of Boise to coordinate so- sensitive groups and frontline Associated Press. Adding in large, indoor-cen- cial media messaging, in lieu of health care workers. Gov. Tom Wolf (D) signed tric holidays in November and a statewide campaign. “The trick is figuring out how legislation last year that allows December, and counties are “We think it’s better, espe- are you trying to communicate Pennsylvania voters to vote facing their toughest test of the cially when you have a coun- to people’s psyches? If you’re by mail up to 50 days before pandemic just when many are ty where half don’t feel like not going to do it for yourself, an election. The law created a setting records for daily posi- masks do anything,” Kenyon do it for others,” said Carolyn vote-by-mail option without said. “The people we’re try- Marinan, chief public relations the need to provide an excuse, ing to appeal to are the people officer for Hennepin County. which was previously required who think it’s a hoax or that “Communication is proba- to vote by absentee ballot. masks don’t work,” so there’s bly the most significant weap- Per state law, election offi- little good in entrenching their on that can help or hurt us, cials were unable to start the positions with aggression and because you are really trying to count, or even open ballots, shaming. impact behavior, and that’s one until 7 a.m. on Election Day. Kenyon can see how the du- of the hardest things to do with County officials and the Coun- ration of the pandemic has af- fected people. See ALARM page 2 See BALLOTS page 3 2 NOVEMBER 23, 2020 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION of COUNTIES COUNTY NEWS Counties address pandemic housing needs by Charlie Ban below 20 degrees, would be “Our prayers were answered,” in recent memory, Waters said, ing through the pandemic with senior writer incompatible with U.S Depart- said Nicole Waters, a New Cas- becoming a last-minute bid- onsite case management and ment of Housing and Urban tle County program manager, ding war that ended with the health services, allowing people After more than eight months Development guidance to re- during a Nov. 11 NACo webinar. county winning for $19.5 mil- to shelter in place, self-isolate, of the COVID-19 pandemic, duce the spread of COVID-19. “This would be the best shelter lion, still under the property’s recuperate from COVID-19 and millions remain unemployed In January, shortly after the and social services hub. Re- assessed value. protect the health, safety and while their benefits start to dry county’s point-in-time count searchers found fewer clusters The shelter, scheduled to welfare of the general popula- up as time and temperatures found 665 people experienc- and outbreaks of COVID-19 open in December, will include tion.” drop. In response, counties are ing homelessness on any giv- among individuals who stayed on-site social service providers, tailoring housing stabilization en night in the county, carbon in hotels than among those who including case management for Hamilton County, Ohio and homeless services to stem monoxide from a malfunction- remained in traditional large families to identify permanent Hamilton County, Ohio want- the tide of home losses as evic- ing heater killed four people in a group settings.” housing options. The building ed to make sure it had enough tion moratoriums end. makeshift homeless camp. And no voucher-holders in includes 20 suites that can be resources in its rental assistance The common thread among But as the pandemic shifted the county had tested positive, adjoined to accommodate up to program to last, so it started counties is that the pandemic, the county’s homelessness ap- to that point, out of 634 house- 10 larger families. small, working with three non- and its effects, have gone on proach to hotel vouchers, the holds staying in 12 different ho- “The chance for transforma- profit service providers. But ear- far longer than staff initially ex- demand was enough that New tels. tive change is now,” Waters said. ly demand soon proved much pected, with faint hope in sight. Castle County would be better After a $5.5 million opening “This is a once-in-a-lifetime op- greater than anticipated. off acquiring their own proper- bid, the auction for the Sher- portunity that brings hope to Within the first 30 hours, New Castle County, ty, though none were available. aton, which was renovated five not only eradicate COVID-19, the county received more than Del. Roughly 300 families need- months before, became one of but homelessness as we know 2,000 calls for service. Well ahead of winter, it was ed shelter each week, but the the most-watched Delaware it, by providing emergency clear to New Castle County, county could only house 200 of commercial real estate auctions shelter and temporary hous- See HOUSING page 4 Del. that its Code Purple shelter them. plan for the homeless wouldn’t Then, the Sheraton Wilming- work. The congregate shelter, ton South hotel was available at open when temperatures drop auction. Counties try to head off holiday COVID spike From ALARM page 1 rise at a high rate.” In the week leading up to Kenyon noted that a recent Thanksgiving, Contra Costa human beings.” press conference by Gov. Brad County, Calif. launched a “Test- In contrast, Charity Menefee, Little (R) got some traction ing Before Turkey” campaign director of communicable and when a nurse shared her story to encourage COVID-19 test- environmental disease and of working during the pandem- ing before gathering for meals, emergency preparedness for ic. “That seemed to resonate while nearby Yolo County en- the Knox County, Tenn. Health with people, so we’re trying couraged families to limit their Department, did not mince her to incorporate testimonials to gatherings to 16 people. words in a recent news confer- help people relate to what’s go- But even when the holidays ence, gauging her concern at ing on, using real people.” are over and 2020 is in the rear- an eight or nine out of 10. Harris County, Texas sent an view mirror, the United States “I know you’re tired of hear- emergency text alert to all 4.7 will be months away from any ing it and I’m tired of saying it, million of its residents asking number of COVID-19 vaccines but I’m coming to you today them to cancel their holiday and still looking at roughly a pleading to please take these gatherings and to get tested. dozen weeks of cold weather. actions seriously,” Menefee Whatcom County, Wash. Kenyon thinks Ada Coun- TOP 6 TURKEY-PRODUCING STATES said of the county’s five core ac- Health Department Director ty residents would be well- tions to prevent transmission: Erika Lautenbach suggested served by continuing to enjoy State No.