NACO executive director urges county engagement as state funding and mandates shift

John Cannon, executive director of the Nebraska Association of County Officials, briefed the Sarpy County Board of Commissioners on Sept. 16 about NACO’s educational programs, legislative priorities and interim work with the Legislature.

“As the NACO executive director, I feel it's important for us to get out to the counties and kind of explain what we're up to,” Cannon said, describing the association’s workshops and conferences for county officials and offices.

Cannon urged county engagement with state legislators ahead of the 2026 legislative session, saying federal changes enacted in recent federal legislation will reduce Medicaid funding to Nebraska and that the cuts will “filter through to a lot of programs that we rely on.” He cited a figure of about $405,000,000 in Medicaid reductions for Nebraska and said counties should press their delegations on priority funding such as the county bridge match program, which he said has provided roughly $40,000,000 in state matching funds in recent years and currently provides a 55% state match against a 45% county share.

Cannon also described ongoing interim issues that NACO is pursuing with legislators: an Attorney General opinion on assessor access to private property that creates tension with Nebraska Revised Statute section 77-13,110.3 (the transcript reference was to section 77 13 11.03), which he said requires assessors to inspect properties no less frequently than once every six years. He said NACO is seeking a legislative sponsor to resolve the conflict so assessors can meet statutory inspection obligations without exposing staff to trespass citations.

Cannon reviewed several legislative-resolution hearings scheduled Oct. 3 that he said relate to county interests: LR195 on unfunded mandates, LR192 on the Open Meetings Act and public records, and an LR on ethanol plant valuations. He also outlined NACO’s outreach efforts with state senators — including property-tax workshops for revenue-committee members — and noted NACO’s forthcoming salary-study release and legislative conference on Oct. 9.

On conservation funding, Cannon described the Republican River litigation history and related state mitigation programs: he said a 2007 Kansas suit seeking roughly $100,000,000 was reduced through mitigation to an approximately $7,000,000 payout, and that mitigation funding for riparian vegetation has declined (he said last year’s appropriation of $800,000 was swept as part of LB34). Cannon warned that several traditional state funding streams for counties are at risk and encouraged commissioners to advocate to protect programs such as the bridge match and vegetation management funds.

Commissioners asked about county employee salary studies and medical‑marijuana licensing implementation. Cannon said NACO will release a salary study (with a GIS comparator) on Oct. 9 and that NACO expects to press clarifying legislation on county roles for medical‑marijuana licensing.

Cannon closed by listing member services — insurance pools, a retirement webinar with Nationwide, and a student‑loan help program — and by noting that Nebraska counties are now full members of the National Association of Counties.

No county board action was taken; Cannon’s briefing was informational.