County Commission | The Magazine November 2019 | Page 37
Voices from the
County Family
Q
The passage of the Rebuild Alabama Act
shows what can be achieved when an affiliate
group is strategic and organized. What do you
intend to do to bring your group together for
the 2020 Legislative Session?
A
The Association
of County
Administrators of
DeKalb County
Alabama is probably
President,
the most diverse affiliate
Association of County
group. Our members
Administrators of
come from a wide variety
Alabama
of backgrounds. Some of
us start out as clerks in an office of the courthouse and move our way up
over many years; others come from business backgrounds that are far removed from local government. And there
are some of us — like myself — who come from the ranks of the Examiners of Public Accounts. We are about 60%
female and 40% male. Racially, our rates match up pretty close to the state population. The counties in Alabama are all
different, and the duties that each of us have vary significantly, but the one thing we have in common is that we are each
members of the County Family, and we rely on one another for advice.
Almost 40% of our Administrators have less than 5 years on the job, so the challenges and opportunities we have as
an affiliate group are great. I plan on engaging the ACAA as we near the 2020 Legislative Session with the goals of the
ACCA, particularly those that have an impact on county administrators. Also, I hope to demonstrate how important the
ACCA and ACAA are to them and their counties. If I can be of any help to administrators throughout the state, email is
the best way to reach me ([email protected]).
Matt Sharp
A
The passage of the Rebuild Alabama Act was a monumental and
historic accomplishment for Alabama counties, and it would
have been impossible without a combined effort from so many — the
ACCA, ACEA and other affiliate groups. With that being said, 2019 is
Geneva County
slowly fading in the rearview mirror, and engineers know that we have
President, Association a duty to implement Rebuild Alabama successfully. A bipartisan group
of County Engineers
of 111 legislators voted to increase transportation funding, and going
of Alabama
forward, the County Family’s credibility at the Statehouse will rise or fall
depending on how we deliver. Knowing the committed and dedicated county engineers around the state, I am certain
that we can succeed.
Our group’s plans for the 2020 Legislative Session are already underway. Our Legislative Committee has met and
noted important issues and bills that could be beneficial or detrimental to county government and engineers. We will
continue to converse, all the while communicating with ACCA staff. As president, I will be a conduit for important
information to our membership, and I encourage members to contact me if I can be of service (justinbarfield@
genevacounty.org). We look forward to a positive and beneficial 2020 Legislative Session.
Justin
Barfield
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