LINCOLN — Last week, county board members from across Nebraska attended the 2026 Nebraska Association of County Officials’ (NACO) County Board Workshop, where they participated in educational sessions, connected with their peers, and networked with associations and businesses.
On Wednesday, June 3rd, NACO hosted a Land Use Permit Forum that highlighted the work of the LB663/Land Use Committee in developing accessible data tools and best practices to support Nebraska counties in making informed permitting decisions. Experts led discussions on livestock, energy, and broadband infrastructure, and attendees gave feedback that informed the continued development of the toolkit. Nebraska State Senators Stan Clouse and Tanya Storer gave overviews of current legislative interest in county land use, local control, development pressures, and state policy considerations.
The workshop’s other educational sessions addressed recent challenges faced by counties, including a wildfire response and recovery discussion that explored key takeaways from this spring’s historic Nebraska wildfires. Participants heard about what worked well, where significant challenges arose, and the role of communication systems during disaster response. Board members also attended a session on navigating labor and HR issues, a Nebraska EMS Task Force update, and a fireside chat between NACO Executive Director Jon Cannon and Nebraska State Senator Paul Strommen.
On Wednesday evening, NACO recognized 21 county board members for earning their County Board Member Certification, which requires 30 credit hours of educational workshops and training sessions over a two-year period. Board members can upgrade to the next certification level every two years.
NACO is pleased to announce that Holt County Supervisor Bill Tielke won the 2026 County Board Member of the Year Award after being nominated and selected by fellow county officials. Joined by his family, Supervisor Tielke was presented with the award at Wednesday night’s banquet.
County board members’ attendance at the workshop demonstrates their commitment to making the most effective and informed local governance decisions for all Nebraskans. NACO is proud to offer this important educational programming and applauds their continued dedication to serving their communities.