How Small Counties Get a Say in State and National Issues

          As a small county official, you might wonder if we get a say in issues on the state and national level.  

          On the state level the county supervisors meet each month with supervisors from all over the state of Arizona in an organization called Arizona County Supervisor's Association.  Within this organization are three smaller groups - the small counties, medium counties and large counties.  We are part of the small counties group.  We work together on issues facing small counties. By working with other small counties we actually have the power to get legislation passed that benefits our county.  I earned the trust of my fellow county supervisors and became one of the Vice Presidents of the Arizona County Supervisor's Association.  

          The National Association of Counties is the group that works for counties on a national level.  This group meets several times a year to address issues that face the counties on a national level.  I was appointed to the Public Lands Committee.  Nine other supervisors and I were given the task of re-writing Public Lands policies for the nation. That was a position of great trust. To be able to make national policies when you are from a small county in Arizona is a huge thing.

          You don't get appointed to these leadership positions unless you win the respect and trust of the other county supervisors in the state and in the nation.  Serving with these groups was an honor.  I plan to continue to work with the other supervisors from our state and our nation to promote policies that benefit Greenlee County.