Texas Counties Shine at NACo Conference

Texas county officials and representatives of the Texas Association of Counties joined some 2,000 attendees from counties and parishes from across the country this month at the National Association of Counties' 2024 Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. The annual event's stellar program featured President Joe Biden as the keynote speaker, with cabinet secretaries and federal agency policymakers present to discuss a range of federal policies important to counties.

The National Association of Counties (NACo) hosted its annual conference July 12-15 in Hillsborough County, Florida. NACo is TAC's trusted ally at the federal level and is a chief advocacy arm for the nation's 3,069 counties, parishes and boroughs.

More than 3,000 attendees gathered in Tampa to take part in panel discussions and interactive workshops on emerging and perennial issues affecting county governance. Texas was well represented at the conference, with elected officials from counties of all sizes. TAC leaders and staff members were also there to participate in the exchange of ideas. The delegation supported and cheered for Wise County Judge J.D. Clark, who ascended to First Vice President of NACo.

A highlight of the conference was the Achievement Awards, which recognize outstanding county government programs and services in 18 categories. Ten Texas counties received a total of 46 awards, including a Best in Category winner. Harris County took home top honors in Civic and Public Education for Building Civic Champions: The Harris County Precinct 2 Student2Government Leadership Academy, a program "to help teens foster a culture of service, build character, establish a place of belonging, and develop strong social, emotional, and civic leadership skills." NACo's website has a full list of awardees.

Next year's annual conference is scheduled for July 11-14, 2025, in the City and County of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

For more information about this article, please contact Pete Winckler.