County Magazine

Executive Director's Report

The new year brings about new beginnings and new opportunities for the Texas Association of Counties. We welcome our new president, Yoakum County Commissioner Tim Addison. He is joined in TAC leadership by our newly elected president-elect, Denton County Treasurer Cindy Yeatts Brown, and vice president, McLennan County Tax Assessor-Collector Randy Riggs. We look forward to working with this new leadership team to continue to find new ways to support Texas counties.

One of my priorities for this year is for TAC to find ways to better serve you through increased interdepartmental collaboration. My vision is for us to take a holistic approach in supporting each county, bringing all departments to the table to discuss the needs of that county in the arena of education, risk mitigation, health, technology, communication and legal support. We pride ourselves on being a one-stop shop for Texas counties, and this effort will enable TAC to move beyond merely being responsive to the needs of your county and your office. We will be able to work with our members at a higher level to not only fully address current needs, but also to anticipate future needs.

Recent enhancements have been made to our website, www.county.org. Our goal is to provide members with the most up-to-date information on training, events and county resources in a format that is more user-friendly. If you have not checked out the new design, I strongly encourage you to do so.

We have several opportunities and upcoming events for the first quarter of this year. Healthy County Boot Camp will be celebrating its 15th anniversary during this year's conference, which takes place Feb. 7-9 at Kalahari Resorts & Conventions in Round Rock. The agenda is strong, focusing on opportunities for counties to leverage wellness programs for a healthier and happier workforce and use them as a tool to mitigate rising medical expenses.

The TAC Risk Management Pool is also celebrating a major milestone, 50 years of service to Texas counties. Please plan to join us at the County Management & Risk Conference, March 20-22, as we highlight how members have successfully leveraged the many tools offered by the Pool to create a culture of safety in their counties. We are proud to be your partner in risk management and look forward to the next 50 years.

On a personal note, I have just completed my fifth year as Executive Director of this great association. I joined the TAC team because I believe in our mission and the services we provide. I also find great reward in being able to support our members as you work tirelessly to serve the people of your counties. Thank you for placing your trust in us. We are committed to delivering unbelievable customer service, and we thank you for your continued support. We are one TAC with one mission — to unite counties to achieve better solutions.