Kansas Association group discusses membership, certification and statewide promotion opportunity

Bruce Cladny (executive director, Kansas Association of Counties affiliate) briefed the commission on KAC/KCCA activities, membership counts and a promotional opportunity with a private publisher.

Cladny thanked the commission for attending the recent conference and for allowing a county staff member to serve on KCCA’s governing board. He described a Business View Magazine initiative to publish a multi-county feature titled “opening Kansas back up to business” and said the publisher offered participation at no cost; counties could submit stories or have the publication interview staff and submit the final article for review.

Commissioners discussed whether the county or the Economic Development Council (EDC) should handle participation and suggested topics such as hospital stabilization, tax-levy investments, the NRP program and land-bank lot efforts. A commissioner offered to coordinate with the EDC and the publisher.

Cladny and commissioners also discussed KCCA membership and a proposed commissioner certification program that would offer courses and recognition. Cladny said many counties already pay KAC dues and that roughly 65–70 counties pay dues to the KCCA affiliate; the commission discussed the value of affiliation and the potential to expand training and certified tracks for commissioners.

No formal vote was taken; Cladny invited commissioners to consider participation in the magazine feature and to attend the KCCA 50th-anniversary event in Wichita in December.