50th Anniversary 'County Fair' Conference Taking Shape

n less than two months, October 26-28, hundreds of county officials will gather at the Bismarck Event Center for the NDACo Annual Conference. Registration is open at www.ndaco.org (click in the green bar that runs through every page on the website). The agenda and workshop titles are still being developed and will be updated on theconference website regularly at that same link.
The county fair theme seems appropriate, as we are celebrating 50 years. What says celebration better than a county fair? Rumors are swirling about old-timey costumes, bearded ladies, a dunk tank (!) and definitely the food we all look forward to at a fair.
Here's a sneak preview of SOME of the workshops we're working on:
• Policy Strategies to Support Energy Growth
• Survival Stories of Budgeting in the New "Cap" Environment
• Retirement Benefit Options for Counties
• Emergency Response Lessons Learned
• Infrastructure Funding - The What, When and How
• A.I. in County Government: Dos, Don'ts and How-Tos
• GIS Topics

Our featured keynote speaker, Adrianne Haslet, has a comeback story like none you've ever heard. A professional dancer at ground zero in the Boston Marathon bombings, Adrianne bares her soul and lifts your spirits with her message: "I refuse to be called a victim. A victim is defined by what happened in their life. I am a survivor, defined by how I live my life." ATTENTION FIRST-TIME ATTENDEES - you get a discount! Also, we will offer a webinar before the conference to give you the low-down on what to expect. Experienced attendees will be welcome to take it in, too. Watch for details in your email inbox. Reminder: ALL activities will be held at the Bismarck Event Center, including the Welcoming Social on Sunday evening. We made this change last year and it worked for all involved. Registrants will be receiving more details and reminders via email. A link to Bismarck/Mandan hotels and their amenities can be found on the main conference page, https://www.ndaco.org/annual-conference. Be sure to ask for the state rate. So don't wait! Please register for the Annual Conference online by October 10.