Aloha, Guilford commissioners!
We had a story on Saturday about Guilford County commissioners Bruce Davis and Paul Gibson traveling to Hawaii in July for the National Association of Counties annual conference.
Mentioned in the story is a memo from Todd McGee, communications director for the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners. McGee alerts politicos to the possibility of "negative press" and provides some "talking points" on how to handle media inquiries.
Click on the link below to read the entire memo.
To: Board of Directors
From: Todd McGee, Director of Communications
Date: February 23, 2005
Subject: Strategies for Media Inquiries on 2005 NACo Conference
With the 2005 NACo Annual Conference set for Honolulu, Hawaii, on July 15-19, there may be some negative press this spring and summer about county officials attending a conference in Hawaii. Staff has provided some talking points to use when discussing this subject with the media. In general, it is suggested that commissioners emphasize the educational aspects of the conference and that the conference is held in various spots around the country each year. You can remind them that it was held in Charlotte in 2000 and helped bring in hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenues to our state. Also, if you regularly attend NACo events, either the annual conference or the legislative conference held each winter, be sure to mention that. If your county has ever put into place a program or service that you learned about at a NACo event, please mention that. Following are some additional talking points about the conference.
The NACo annual conference:
- Is the only National Conference and Exposition dedicated solely to county government
- Provides a forum to network with county colleagues from around the country to discuss current challenges and issues being faced by counties
- Features nationally recognized speakers and experts
- Includes discussions by federal and administration officials on matters that may affect county government
- Has information on federal grant opportunities that could benefit your county and your constituents
- Holds a series of educational workshops on a variety of topics throughout the conference
- Provides an opportunity to meet with more than 170 different companies that supply products and services needed by counties
- Includes seminars on “Best Practices” led by counties from around the nation
- Provides information on cost-savings programs run by NACo.
- Allows North Carolina commissioners to talk to NACo representatives about federal issues.
- Site is chosen by the NACo Board of Directors at least five years in advance
- Is held in different locales around the country in an effort to even out the travel demands on county officials
- Was held in Maryland in 1997, North Carolina in 2000 and is scheduled for Virginia in 2007 and Tennessee in 2009
Action requested:
There is no action requested of the Board. This memorandum is for information only.
Comments (3)
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How nice. A paid vacation at the taxpayers expense.
Do these people think that we're all idiots? We don't understand that this is nothing but a vacation cloaked in business clothing?
Funny...Having a hard time with the budget, yet can spend tax dollars like this.
Well, enjoy it while you can. The voters will remember.
Posted on May 9, 2005 5:11 PM
The Democrat commissioners don"t mind stealing a vacation,they know the voters in guilford county will vote them back in if they are told to.
Posted on May 9, 2005 9:08 PM
SKIP AUSTIN WILL MAKE SURE HIS PEOPLE WILL BE VOTED BACK ON THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS. BOTH THE DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICAN PARTIES ARE LETTING HIM HAVE HIS WAY AND WE ARE DOING NOTHING. WHEN ARE THE PEOPLE OF GUILFORD COUNTY GOING TO STAND UP AND BE COUNTED? I WOULD BET MY LAST DIME THAT AUSTIN IS THE REASON THAT JOHN PARKS GOT ALL OF HIS VOTES THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN COUNTED.
Posted on May 13, 2005 9:55 AM