Leon County Hosts Leaders from Across the Nation
Florida’s Capital County to Host National Association of Counties
WHO: Leon County and the National Association of Counties (NACo)
WHAT: NACo Board of Directors Fall Meeting
WHEN: Thursday, December 8 through Saturday, December 10
WHERE: Various locations
Leon County will host the National Association of Counties (NACo) Board of Directors Fall Meeting, Thursday, December 8 through Saturday, December 10. Nearly 200 county policy makers will arrive to the Big Bend community, meeting local and state leaders and visiting some of Leon County’s sites that have been recognized for local government best practices in the areas of public safety, sports tourism, business incubation, and serving the homeless.
This year, Leon County Commissioner Bryan Desloge is serving as President of NACo.
“I’m proud to showcase all of our great successes for other local elected leaders throughout the nation,” said Leon County Commissioner Bryan Desloge. “From economic development to human services, our community is really firing on all cylinders. It’s an exciting time to call Leon County home.”
The three-day long visit will kick-off Thursday night with an opening reception at the Governor’s Mansion hosted by Governor Rick Scott. On Friday, December 9 from 10 a.m. to noon, tours will provide an opportunity for attendees to visit one of the following locations to learn from community leaders and experts:
- Apalachee Regional Park – to learn how an old landfill site became a premier cross-country event location that was recently named 2016 Venue of the Year by the Florida Sports Foundation.
- Kearney Center – to discuss how public-private partnerships created a state-of-the-art homeless shelter facility to reduce the homeless population, increase employment, and provide long-term housing placements.
- Public Safety Complex – to learn more about how the consolidation of critical public safety services led to more comprehensive services and assistance from 9-1-1 dispatch to large-scale disasters.
- Domi Station – to discuss the public-private partnership that transformed an old county-owned warehouse into an urban business incubator that is fostering entrepreneurship and creating jobs.
“We are proud to host NACo and share with leaders from counties throughout the country all that makes Leon County so special,” said Leon County Administrator Vincent S. Long. “We believe many of the best practices that will be highlighted in our county can help other communities address challenges and embrace bold opportunities back home.”
Also on Friday, December 9, media partners are specifically invited to attend the NACo Board Luncheon at the FSU Turnbull Conference Center, 555 West Pensacola Street. Special guest speakers will include the Department of Economic Opportunity Director Cissy Proctor and U.S. Senator Bob Graham. The luncheon will be held following the offsite tours and will begin at noon.
“For the National Association of Counties, it’s a great opportunity to hold our meeting in Leon County,” said NACo Executive Director Matt Chase. “We look forward to learning and engaging on a variety of topics.”
The National Association of Counties unites America’s 3,069 county governments. Founded in 1935, NACo brings county officials together to advocate with a collective voice on national policy, exchange ideas and build new leadership skills, pursue transformational county solutions, enrich the public’s understanding of county government, and exercise exemplary leadership in public service.
For more information, contact Mathieu Cavell, Leon County Community and Media Relations, at (850) 606-5300 / CMR@LeonCountyFL.gov .
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