2024 North & East Association Conference
Throughout July’s four-day North & East Annual Conference, County Judges and Commissioners were inspired by a theme centered on working with others. “When we talk about building what matters, it all comes down to relationships,” shared Association President Wade McKinney as he welcomed some 165 officials to Texas A&M University’s Kyle Field during the Opening General Session.
“So much of what we do as elected officials, as public servants, comes down to communication and working with others,” emphasized McKinney, Henderson County Judge. “That means building relationships.”
Multiple speakers wove the conference theme into their presentations.
Christopher Marrs, Executive Dean, Blinn College – Balancing Confidence and Humility: Cultivating Authentic Teams
“Leaders are a resource,” Marrs articulated during his Keynote Address. Instead of assuming a seat of privilege, leaders should demonstrate humility by letting their followers know that as human beings, everyone is on the same playing field. In addition, leaders should put accolades of their employees above their own, he continued. At the same time, exuding confidence as a leader is an important part of building trust within a team.
“We have to earn that trust,” Marrs reminded Judges and Commissioners. This process includes sharing strategies, tying actions to those strategies, and taking the time to debrief and reflect on performance. This can be especially helpful in areas like emergency management, Marrs said, relating his advice directly to county responsibilities.
Finally, Marrs honed in on the value of authenticity, or showing followers that “what you see is what you get.”
This can be accomplished by sharing “who we are, how we operate, and why we do what we do,” Marrs summarized. This can be achieved by building relationships.
Texas State Sen. Robert Nichols – Working With the Legislature
“I learned the value of building relationships way back when I served on the city council,” Nichols shared. Prior to joining the State Senate in 2007, Nichols was elected to the Jacksonville City Council and held the position of mayor of Jacksonville.
“You are where things get done,” Nichols said to a packed classroom of officials. “I want my County Judges and my County Commissioners to come talk to me. I also like to see my Associations in Austin. I think these Associations are beneficial to you, and they are beneficial to the State.”
Texas has so many counties with so many issues, he continued.
“When you come to me with a collaborative voice, that helps me,” Nichols emphasized. “So, you need to be testifying as an Association, and you need to be testifying as individuals. You need to be building relationships.”
Eric Magee, CJCAT General Counsel, and Detective Dana Ames, Environmental Crimes, Johnson County – Illegal Dumping
Using telling photos and sharing specific scenarios, Magee and Ames not only covered the statutes that help counties address illegal dumping, but they also shared what they believe is the secret to success: voluntary compliance.
“We are all in the people business,” Ames observed. When visiting an offender who has violated illegal dumping laws, Ames uses a congenial yet determined approach saying she would like to avoid issuing a fine or forcing a court appearance.
For example, a conversation may unfold as follows: “It’s really simple. If you do the right thing, we are going to show you some grace. But you are going to have to show me proof that you did the right thing.”
The majority of the time, attempts at voluntary compliance lead to cleanup, Ames and Magee agreed.
Johnson County Commissioner Larry Woolley and Detective Dana Ames, Environmental Crimes – Land Application of Biosolids
Responding to a complaint from a rancher, Ames launched a criminal probe into the possible spread of toxic chemicals due to the land application of biosolids fertilizer on farmland in Johnson County. Biosolids are a product of the wastewater treatment process.
The rancher believed the chemicals from the biosolids fertilizer spread on the neighboring farmland were threatening the health of his family and his livestock and putting his livelihood in jeopardy.
After a yearlong investigation and independent lab testing, numbers showed frightening levels of manmade chemicals, known as PFAS, in soil, water, and animal tissue from the complainant’s ranch.
An in-depth report including facts and figures is available at https://bit.ly/biosolid.
“Why did we test?” Woolley asked. “We were not obligated to do that. But we did because we are charged with public health and safety.”
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has stated there are no safe levels of PFAS, Ames reported. While the EPA recently adopted standards regulating PFAS in drinking water, they do not regulate PFAS in biosolids.
On March 25, the Johnson County Commissioners Court passed a local resolution calling for the prohibition of the application of biosolids until additional regulations are established, available at https://bit.ly/biosolidrez.
On May 13, the Johnson County Commissioners Court voted to join a lawsuit against the EPA and called upon the agency to regulate PFAS in biosolids.
Woolley urged fellow officials to join the effort to regulate biosolid application by passing resolutions and calling on state and federal lawmakers and agencies to address the issue.
“We are in this together,” Woolley summarized. “This will take all of us.”