News from TAC

Tarrant’s Whitley Gets Two-Fer in July

Mid-July was a double homer for Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley as he was sworn in as president of the National Association of Counties (NACo) the day after he was named national County Leader of the Year for 2010 by Penton's American City and County magazine.

Both events occurred at NACo’s annual conference in Washoe County, Nevada.

During the magazine’s awards ceremony July 19, Whitley was praised for being able to build consensus on transportation projects and on other North Texas issues in a cover story for the magazine’s July 2010 issue.

“Whitley’s ability to bring together diverse groups to resolve issues is the hallmark of his leadership style, sorting out the issues, listening to all points of view, yet insisting, in the end, that a solution must be identified and rallied around,” the magazine said in its story.

As NACo president, Whitley said he plans to spend the next year working with the association’s staff to create services geared toward raising public awareness of county government services and programs, so that residents know how important local government is to the quality of life in their communities.

Other Texas county officials recognized at the NACo annual conference included Brazos County District Clerk Marc Hamlin, who served as parliamentarian of NACo’s business meeting, Denton County District Clerk Cynthia Mitchell, who Whitley named to chair NACo’s Membership Committee, and Tarrant Commissioner Roy Brooks, who was named by Whitley as an at-large member of the NACo board.

In addition, staff members active at the conference include TAC Communications Director Jim Lewis, who Whitley named to co-chair a task force to implement his proposal to increase awareness of county government across the nation. Part of that effort began at the conference, where Rick Avery, director of the V.G. Young Institute of County Government, spoke at a seminar about the partnership between TAC, the V.G. Young Institute and the County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas to produce a 4-H curriculum guide about Texas county government. The guide, called “Keys to the Courthouse: A Curriculum Enrichment Program for Youth,” will be available for school teachers to use in September.

Also at the NACo Conference, TAC’s County Information Resources Agency (CIRA) Director Gayle Latham was a featured presenter during the educational session titled “Connected Justice: Using Technology to Enhance Court Operations.”

In addition to raising awareness of counties, Whitley identified several other priorities he plans to pursue in the coming year, including:

• restoring the partnership relationship that previously existed with federal and state governments;



• focusing on immigration, pledging to “continue to push for solutions that preserve our unique status as a land of immigrants but also a nation of laws;”



• finding “ways to welcome home our veterans and watch over their families while they are away;” and



• assisting counties affected by the British Petroleum oil spill.

Whitley was sworn by former Dallas County Commissioner Roy Orr, who also served as NACo president in the early 1980s.


23 July 2010