Leaders and staff from Coconino County made a trip to Florida to engage in the National Association of Counties (NACo) Annual Conference & Exhibition, an event that rounded up voices from over 3,000 US counties. According to a recent announcement, this year's discussions in Tampa spanned federal policies with county-level implications, workshops that fostered best practices exchanges, and the shaping of NACo's advocacy efforts in Washington, D.C.
In a significant turn of events for Coconino County, District 5 Supervisor Lena Fowler was appointed as the Chair of NACo’s Rural Action Caucus and to the Board of Directors, marking the first time a Native American has taken up this position. "I am grateful and humbled to receive this Presidential appointment as the chair of the NACo Rural Action Caucus," Fowler said in a statement, highlighting her journey from interning for the late Senator John McCain's office to becoming a notable advocate for rural communities.
Joining the surge of appointments, Coconino County Treasurer Sarah Benatar was named to the NACo Board of Directors and the Fiscal Policy and Pensions Subcommittee as its Chair. "Joining the NACo Board of Directors is an honor and to be chosen among thousands, shows the visibility and impact Coconino County has on a national level," Benatar stated, expressing enthusiasm for her role in policy development that attends to the needs of counties across the nation.
Vice-Chair Patrice Horstman has also stepped into the national spotlight, elected to represent Arizona on the NACo's Western Interstate Region Board of Directors and is a member of the NACo Public Lands Committee while cementing Coconino County’s commitment to a billion-dollar outdoor and tourism economy her role there aims to amplify local voices in national dialogues about public lands stewardship. Chair Judy Begay, helms the Human Services and Education Steering Committee, where she remarked, "Local government is about serving our residents within Coconino County and making sure they have the resources needed to thrive," underscoring a collective commitment to serve the vulnerable sectors of the community.
Completing the suite of appointments is Supervisor Jeronimo Vasquez, bringing Coconino County's perspective to both the Transportation Policy Steering Committee and the Immigration Reform Task Force. "Having a voice on the Immigration Reform Task Force is important for Coconino County because we live in a border state and want to ensure the health and safety of all while providing useful perspectives on federal immigration policy," Vasquez explained, also emphasizing the importance of reliable transportation and infrastructure for rural counties.
