From The Director’s Desk >>>


outlets it was not unlike the bar coming into place on our collec- tive laps as we took our seats in a roller coaster. It was at this point that communication as we knew it took on a life of its own. Shortly afterward we could be beeped anywhere in the world on wireless pagers, then rung on bulky cellular telephones. And now, under 30 years after the advent of the fax, we carry smartphones that allow emails, social networking (such as Facebook), text messaging and Twitter.


To go from two facets of communication (phone and print)


to a dozen ways to “reach out and touch someone” within three decades is an enigma of improved information transfer pitted against the complexity of effective delivery of such. And to make matters even worse, some counties and county officials still receive only phone calls and the County Lines magazine – while others have “tweeted” many times already today.


Because communication is vital to county interests, it is our hope that we keep the tried and true methods of reaching each other, meanwhile improving methods that convey the same information using the newest technology so all of you can be kept abreast of a rapidly changing government. Tis is especially true during a legislative session, which will have begun by the time you get this magazine.


Plans are presently being made to improve communication, and the top priority for me is to utilize email addresses for this. At present four of our associations are using what is called a listserv, basically a “broadcast email system”. Te Treasurers, Circuit Clerks, County Clerks and Collectors have been using this feature to communicate with one another about everything from office closures to sharing data and administrative procedures. Tis helps give a one-stop lifeline for each of these elected officials. A listserv is based on one simple concept. You can communicate with everyone in your group by emailing to just one email address. At that time the single email address then forwards the email to everyone in the group. We are currently working to add more listservs to the four that already exist and will let you know when they are ready for your group.


Another new tool that awaits us all is specifically related to the


legislative process. Software called Capsearch will be an integrated part of our website and will enable all county officials with com- puter access to track bills during the 2011 session and to forward comments to the Representatives and Senators that serve their counties. We believe this will take our legislative tracking system to a new level; it is now online at www.arcounties.org/legislation.


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Tis will provide a legislative action center unlike anything we have used in the past. We welcome your input on its usefulness or areas for improvement as we roll it out.


We continue to look for improved and effective communica-


tion tools. As these present themselves and become mainstream it is our mission to utilize them in order to efficiently convey data to all of you. It is an underpinning to the main functions of all of our jobs. After all, public service sometimes is more about com- munication than it is about application.


 When we talk about the family of county government, I can’t help but think about the family


here at the AAC as well. I remember well the exciting time between being elected in May of 1998 and taking office January 1, 1999. As an incoming Collector there was some concern about a move to abolish property taxes that had resulted in a proposed amendment to the Arkansas Constitution. I turned at that time to the AAC in the person of David Morris, a well-versed and com- petent speaker who agreed to come to the Benton-Bauxite Rotary Club as my guest presenter.


Tis was my first introduction to David, and over the years he became one of my good friends, long before I took the director- ship last summer. Not all change is gain for the AAC and we lost a good one in David when he ran for, and won, the election for Mayor of Searcy. David has provided great leadership for many county officials over the last 22 years at the AAC. His experi- ence will be sorely missed. It has been a longtime dream of his to return home in a public service role. We all congratulate David on his victory and this new path in his life. He undoubtably will be hugely successful in this position and while we will miss him it is a great opportunity that stands in front of him now. David, we will miss you tremendously.


Chris Villines – Chris Villines AAC Executive Director COUNTY LINES, WINTER 2011


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