Hello everybody welcome to County
Seat, I'm your host Chad Booth. With
a new round of elected officials and
people fresh off an election in the
beginning of the legislative session
there is a conversation afloat about
how important is it really for your
county commissioners particularly in
rural parts of the state to stay
engaged in the legislature in
Washington with organizations.
There are some people who think
that is way too much money and way
too much time for their local
commissioners to spend we called
the turnaround in our office county
isolationists but is it the best way to
go that is the topic of our show and
we are going to delve right into by
doing an anatomy of a commissioner
who puts in a lot of hours outside the
county to represent his county.
I'm Darin Bushman I'm a second term
county commissioner in Piute County. When
you're a commissioner in a little county like
Piute, you have a lot of different roles. I am
responsible for our ambulance service, If I am
not in meetings I might be running on the
ambulance, our day starts early sometimes
three o clock in the morning that pager goes off
and we are there. We wear a lot of different
hats and we do a lot of different stuff in a little
county like Piute.
As a commissioner one thing about it is you can
make your job as big or as small as you want to
make it, depending on what you want to take
on and the challenges you want to address. The
interesting thing that I found as a commissioner
is you could literally be in a meeting somewhere
every day and we are part time commissioners
but you could certainly fill your days 40 to 60
hours a week as a commissioner. You have to
pick and choose what areas you want to focus
on what efforts you want to move forward, but
the job can be as big or small as you want it.
My personal impact, not taking full credit for it
by any means, Things that I have worked on
lobbied for worked to get to rural Utah, not just
Piute County. Since I have been a commissioner
right now my tally is about 18.3 million dollars
that I have personally involved with one way or
another either lobbying for making the request
for filing the grant application that sort of thing.
You can have as large or small impact as you
want. But when we talk about getting a return
on investment of a commissioner that's what I
think you should be looking at. What are they
bringing to your county what are they
protecting your citizens from and what are the
end results financially.
We are extremely proud of our commissioners
here in Piute County. They do us a great job and
we are very pleased to have who we have to
represent us and take care of all our concerns.
Our commissioners set up new opportunities
and opened some doors for us to expand and
grow our business here in Piute County.
The first year I was a commissioner I went to
the legislative session because I felt It was
important to understand what it was the
legislator was doing to affect our counties. But
one of the outcomes from that I started to build
relationships with state representatives and
staff and what not. Through our Utah
Association of Counties, and National
Associations of Counties, I soon realized the
networking was just as important as being
present. Building those relationships and
knowing who was involved in what, and
knowing who we could call on when we need
support. Over the years I have made that a
focus for myself to build those relationships to
participate in the events of Utah Association of
Counties, the National Association of Counties. I
think it's critical we are involved in those type
of events so that we build the relationships so
that we have relationships we can call on when
we have a problem.
As a commissioner we are responsible for the
success of our county, and the financial viability
of our county. We are excited when we have
constituents come to us with projects. We want
to help in any way we can. We have the
contacts we have the relationships, and we are
able to work through those relationships
weather at the state level or the federal level to
help our constituents get what they need and
do what they want to do.
It's important to go out and find what it is your
county needs lobby for it advocate for it and do
those types of things so your county gets what
it truly needs.
I looked at all of our search and rescue
equipment was being stored outside and it
wasn't contusive to a good safe operation. It
was costing the county a lot in maintenance and
that sort of thing. So I went out and worked and
went after grant money and we ended up
building a facility that we could actually store
that equipment.
Prioritizing your time when you have a full time
job and you are a county Commissioner is a
little bit difficult. Certainly there are things I
would like to get involved with but I don't
because I have responsibilities at my full time
employment. I try to look at those things and
figure out which is most important and which
things I absolutely have to. I am lucky in that
the other commissioners are willing to trade off
when there are things I can't go to they do, we
balance that between the three of us and figure
out who's going to go cover what and make
sure our county's represented in various aspect
and various meeting we need to be at.
Looking forward to seeing other County
Commissioners actively participate and
diligently work in building those networks and
building those relationships and as new
commissioners come on board this is a really
critical thing to understand. We have a lot of
new commissioners throughout the state this
year I think it's absolutely crucial for
commissioners to get involved at this level and
build that network, and start networking
effectively.
Well that completes the story we
have a good look of what it's like to
be a rural county commissioner and
we are going to take up a discussion
on the other side of the people who
rely on their input to make their jobs
easier in government we will be back
with the County Seat in just a minute.
Welcome back to The County Seat we
are continuing our conversation
about the importance of advocacy we
have seen it from the county side
now we are going to have a
conversation with people that are on
the receiving end of all that advice
and hard work representing 3
different areas of government from
the office of the governor Deputy
Chief of Staff Mike Mower and Ryan
Wilcox formerly known for being a
state rep for US Senator Mike Lee and
Representative Carl Albrecht who has
background in the energy field and
has been serving as a state legislator
District 70. Thank you all for joining
me. In the story we saw Darin
Bushman how much time he spends
on the road and how much he
advocates for the county how often
you commissioners show up in the
Governor's office most people think
that is a rare connection.
The Governor really trees to be
accessible to county commissioners
and the city and other elected
officials the challenge comes down to
the number and the calendar. For
example we have 248 cities and
towns in Utah we have 29 counties
and that is just representing those
entities not considering special
services districts school board
associations there are numerous
entities out there and frankly one of
the best ways for elected officials to
get their voice heard by the governor
and by the legislators is by joining
associations and being very active
there rather than try to do a one on
one on a local issue with the
governor.
Do people think that these meetings
when we have delegations come back
from Washington or the governor's
office or from the legislators office a
lot of people say that is just a photo
op is this a chance for commissioner
summers to get his picture taken with
somebody is this really important to
the governor to have these types of
conversations.
They are very important. Again if
there is an area that has an
emergency crisis you can jump on it
an work with them in an individual
community but if it's an issue like
zoning or something that has a state
wide impact they are really better off
forming together Utah Association of
Counties Leagues of Cities and Towns
and then those entities help them
shape their messaging and policy and
use those associations to work with
the governor and the legislature.
Really quick the governor always says
he's a big fan of team together
everyone achieves more. As the
governor came up he was the
president of the Utah Asoka of
Realtors he has been past president
of the National Governors
Association he's been the Chairman
of council of state government why
does he do those associations
because when states can together
their voice is better heard in
Washington same applies to local
elected officials and other entities
who otherwise are just kind of out
there on their own.
Carl you have been out there on both
sides and I want to talk about
advocacy not only for the county
itself but for entities within the
county. If county commissioner help
when you are involved in the energy
industry move the needle on federal
and state level.
No doubt. When I was CEO of
GARKANE energy I would come up
here and testify before committees
the county commissioners would
come along and help me on rural
electric issues that affected rural
Utah all the time in rural Utah with all
the public lands we are dealing with
rights of ways and those types of
things and to have them sitting next
to me at the witness table is huge as
a legislature it's even become more
paramount because I have run a few
bills for rural Utah and my two years
up here this is my third session and
the rural economic development
issues that I try to champion and the
public lands issues that I try to
champion if I can have a
commissioners or a city mayor or
even a school superintendent sit by
me and tell me and the committee
how it affects their organizations and
how it affects their counties that is
huge it does not have to be a long
testimony but to have them sit in
front of the committee and answer
hard questions and say how it's going
to impact their communities is big
time for rural Utah.
I want to redirect one question to
you and then I want to go over some
case studies but Ryan from a national
level this element that Mike talks
about being associated with
organizations like UAC or NACo if a
commissioner from rural Utah were
to contact your office back in
Washington am sure the Senator
would try to make time to meet with
him go as a delegation representing
an organization such as UAC or even
all of NACo does that really give him a
different kind of incentive to act.
That's a great question because
essentially the situation that Mike
describe between counties and all
when you are talking about that at a
national level that is only
exacerbated highlighted by the fact
that now we are talking about 50
states so some of those states
literally have hundreds of counties
unlike the state of Utah. Of course
when someone from Utah contacts
the Senators office they receive
priority in the que but there is always
going to be that question in the back
of that scheduler's mind who is trying
to make time with the Senator is this
the priority at this moment. Is this
the most important thing to do when
someone comes in with a group of
folks from UAC or NACo the
scheduler can be comfortable with
the fact this is representing more
than one community not that it's not
critical but its speaking for rural Utah
that is more important for real Utah
we have talked about that quite bit
with the public lands issue that when
we are talking about an area that
most folks do not understand from a
policy perspective you are talking
about changes that are made on the
Wasatch Front and they are
dramatically different from a
perspective from the laws that are
made then how they affect lives in
rural communities when they work
and come through UAC and come
back to DC speaking with that united
voice your organization amplifies
their affect.
I do have a follow up question we are
going to take a commercial break and
we will be right back with the
importance of counties advocacy.
Stay with us.
Welcome back to The County Seat we
are having a conversation today
about the advocacy issue of local
representatives. I want to talk about
a technical part of this because all 3
of you in your jobs you had to make
decisions that were going to make
legislation and policy and have real
impact on ground what is that expert
witness element that county
representatives bring to the table.
Let me start one quick I use an
example of Tammy Pearson who is a
Beaver County Commissioner Tammy
brought the issue forward for years
we have had challenges with wild
horses and burros on the west desert
over grazing its harmful for the
environment its harmful frankly for
the animals and Tammy brought a
laser like focus as a county
commissioner and as a rancher to
that focus and has elevated it to a
national level and started to get
results. She did not do it as one
person she got the UAC involved she
got the Senators offices involved she
got the Governor's office involved
but she did it because she was part of
a network and that made her much
more affective and commissioner
Tammy Pearson is a great example of
utilizing networks and resources to
accomplish something that has been
a long festering problem in the west.
Carl can you write good legislation
without input from counties when
they have to execute it.
Well that is difficult to do because
those individuals that are sitting in
those seats county commissioners
and mayors they know the problems
up front and personal and they know
what they would like to do to resolve
it so their input is very important I
was going to mention Chad a couple
years ago we took a tour bus and
took legislatures to rural Utah and
what an education for the urban
legislators that was huge and we
need to do that about every 2 or 3
years because even though it costs a
little bit of money a lot of that is
donated but they meet with these
folks and talk about the issues in their
counties and see it upfront and I can
tell you when Speaker Hughes was
the speaker he come up to me and he
said Carl I had no idea and to bring
those county commissioners up here
and testify in committee hearings
when I am running a bill that is huge.
I can imagine. Darin in our
interviews with him alluded to the
fact that his interests or his
requirement as a good county
commissioner does not always just
involve what is good for county and
policy but has to intervene in helping
individuals out and greasing the skids
at a national level Ryan is that
network or relationships we make
would they succeed if they did not
build that.
It's impossible in fact when mike was
talking about Tammy's experience
earlier commissioner down in Beaver
county she was able to leverage the
issue because of her relationships
that she built through these networks
it does not work without that in fact
if we wait until the day 30 when
things really start to heat up here on
Capitol Hill and there is something
that is important to you don't have
relationship you need with the
legislators that matter then you are
behind the 8 ball it's too late federal
or state.
And to carry that a little further
speaking of wild horse and burros
and Tammy Pearson I am going to
run a small appropriation for Beaver
County even though I do not
represent it I understand what the
problem is because I have been out
there and I have seen it and if these
county commissioners think that
isolationism is the best then they
need to consider the appropriation
request that we also carry besides
legislation. Because we do that for
them it helps them in certain areas.
So just as a point before the
delegation came to Washington to
talk about wild horses pick this as our
topic how long before that because
practically every meeting I go to Ryan
I saw out there representing Senator
Lee range tours management
meetings for UAC you were there
NACO you like a bad shadow my
question is how long of an
advancement of an official contact do
your conversations thought
networking at these events start to
develop the dialogue and the
awareness of these issues.
They start from day this goes back a
little bit to effectiveness of elected
officials and their roles those who do
not engage just will not be as
affective at changing policy it's not a
punishment you have well-meaning
people here but those who have
relationships who have invested in
those from day one are going to be
that much more affective in affecting
the policy they want to see.
It seems like trust I hope you trust me
to take a quick commercial break be
right back with final thoughts here on
The County Seat.
Welcome back to The County Seat we
have been talking about the
relationship of county officials and
the importance of them engaging
with other branches of government. I
want to go to final thoughts. Carl we
will start with you and go right down
the table.
Thanks Chad. Speaking of Piute
County Commissioner Bushman help
me draft legislation last year on the
Rural Economic Incentives programs.
A great bill for rural Utah I just made
some amendments to that bill
yesterday in the economic
development committee if you do
not think county commission
involvement on the state level is
important I think you need to look at
some of the counties that are not
involved because those that are are
on the cutting edge up here they get
funding from appropriations and they
get legislation passed that will help
rural Utah. If we don't start doing
something in rural Utah these folks
on the Wasatch Front are going to die
in their own smoke.
These organizations are essentially
built on relationships and I
highlighted before but I cannot
overemphasize the importance of
having those important relationships
in place before the emergency before
you need the emergency meeting
with the secretary of interior if we
can make that connection in
Washington on an existing
relationship the chances of that even
pulling that off are astronomically
higher.
From the Governor's office he
welcomes involvement but he is
limited by 24 hours a day 365 days a
year and 3.2 million Utahans if you
want to have your voice heard first of
all get involved second get involved
with an association that shares your
concerns and perspective because
united you can have a much stronger
and louder voice to be heard
throughout the state and then
nation. For counties come together
for cities come together for citizens
come together it's the best way to
participate in our democratic process.
One last quick point Chad it works
both ways. It's not only just the
amplified voice from the county
organizations it's also better
government from the other side. We
are better representatives we better
understand as you work together and
we can advocate for a united voice
from the state.
Gentlemen thank you so much for
this conversation thank you for
watching we appreciate your
participation in the County Seat
remember local government is where
your life happens be more than a by
stander be involved get engaged
share this with your friends share it
on social media we will see you next
week on The County Seat.
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