COUNTY EXECUTIVE RICK POLLITT TO BE NAMED PRESIDENT OF MACO

County Leaders to Focus on Critical Services, Government Responsiveness, and Policy Forecast
December 21, 2012 (Salisbury, MD) – Every year in January, county elected officials, Senators, Delegates, and other representatives of Maryland’s 23 counties and Baltimore City gather in Dorchester County, Maryland for the Maryland Association of Counties (MACo) Winter Conference. The goal of the event is to provide county decision-makers and other participants with tools for more effective leadership and a clearer perspective on the issues that will be addressed during the upcoming Maryland General Assembly session. The ultimate result of attendance is more effective and efficient county government. The 2013 MACo Winter Conference will be held on January 2-4 at the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay in Cambridge, Maryland. The theme of the conference is “Counties: We Deliver!” focusing on county services, with a spotlight on responsiveness during emergency situations, open government, and innovative best practices. 

"As we come together for what will surely be an aggressive agenda, we are forming a unified voice on our shared priorities, including budget, land use, environmental and economic development issues,” said Ingrid M. Turner, Prince George’s County Council Member and MACo President. “Considering the myriad of challenges in need of effective solutions, I encourage County Government officials and all stakeholders to attend the MACo Winter Conference in January.” MACo’s Winter Conference marks the change in term for its Board of Directors. Council Member Turner will conclude her one-year term as MACo President, passing on the Association’s top leadership role to Wicomico County Executive Richard Pollitt, Jr. Governor Martin O’Malley will preside over the installation of the 2013 MACo Board of Directors on Thursday, January 3 at the Inaugural Ceremony and Awards Banquet, where he will also deliver his traditional address to MACo’s leadership and conference attendees.

County Executive Pollitt has been a member of MACo since 2006 and has served as 2nd Vice President (2011), and most recently 1st Vice President and Chair of the Legislative Committee (2012). Pollitt has also served as Chair of the Conference Planning Committee and various other committees and workgroups during his time with MACo.

Executive Pollitt commented, “I’m looking forward to the honor of serving Maryland county government as MACo’s president in 2013. We are a diverse state with a diverse geography and a diverse population. But we are also one community dedicated to the promotion and protection of one concept: keeping local decisions local. I intend to focus on those attributes of county government that unite us in order to build upon MACo’s success as a full partner with the state in developing the laws and policies that will define our communities in the years to come.”

During the Inaugural Ceremony and Awards Banquet, MACo will honor the 2013 recipient of the Marilyn J. Praisner Public Service Award. The award was established in 2009 to recognize extraordinary public service, passion for county government, and tireless dedication to MACo. All of these characteristics were exhibited by the award’s namesake, the late Marilyn J. Praisner, who served as a Montgomery County Council Member and as the 2003 President of MACo. Counties have nominated candidates for this award and the recipient will be announced at the Banquet.

Also being featured at the conference are two courses from the Academy for Excellence in Local Governance certificate program, 20 table-top exhibits, and several Association meetings and government briefings. Educational and networking opportunities at the conference allow attendees to learn about issues facing local government and the tools and strategies for successfully meeting those challenges as they prepare for the upcoming 2013 General Assembly session.

General Sessions include “County Service in Times of Trouble: The Local Role in Emergency Response,” and “Open Government: What We Owe Our Citizens.” Many issues will be discussed in other sessions, including how local government communicates with citizens, the legal and technical applications of a county’s emergency response and continuity of operations plans, and best practices in preventing and handling a violent public crisis. With the recent wide-spread power outages, storm damage, and armed attacks on the public, it is extremely timely and relevant for local government officials to study their role in managing these events and communicating with residents.

Another highlight of MACo’s Winter Conference is the 2013 General Assembly Forecast. Leaders from both chambers of the General Assembly, an opposition party leader, and an Administration policy leader will discuss legislative priorities for the upcoming legislative session.

MACo remains committed to providing county decision-makers with the means to explore the challenges facing Maryland’s counties and the resources with which to solve these challenges. The MACo Winter Conference will be a premier event not to be missed by any officials who are dedicated to fostering public leadership and constituent services.