December 4, 2019
Media Contact:
Scott Peterson, Director of Communications, Office of Public Information, 202-277-9412
County Executive recently served as Treasurer of the MACo Board of Directors, nominated to serve as Secretary for upcoming year
ELLICOTT CITY, MD – Howard County Executive Calvin Ball is joining 600+ leaders from all levels of the state’s public and private sectors at the Maryland Association of Counties (MACo) Winter Conference on December 4-6, 2019, in Cambridge, MD. The theme of the conference, “Building for the Future,” encourages attendees to discuss local government policies and practices and what lies ahead for county government. County Executive Ball recently served on the MACo Board of Directors as Treasurer and will be nominated to serve as Secretary on the Board of Directors for the upcoming year during this conference. On Thursday, County Executive Ball will be a moderator on a panel entitled “Flood Prevention (And Clean Water, Too!).”
“I am excited to start off my second year as Howard County Executive at the Winter Maryland Association of Counties Conference and continue to build on the collaborations, partnerships and sharing of knowledge and best practices with other elected local and state leaders,” said Ball. “As a Howard County Council member, I helped establish the Diversity Caucus for MACo. It has been an honor to build on those efforts by serving on the MACo Board of Directors over the past year as Treasurer and to be nominated for Secretary on the Board of Directors for the upcoming year. We have a critical General Assembly session beginning just over a month from now, and this conference is critical for discussing and addressing our state’s most urgent issues and priorities that impact every resident and family in Howard County.”
Every year, county elected officials, legislators, and other representatives of Maryland’s 23 counties and Baltimore City convene in Dorchester County, Maryland, for the Maryland Association of Counties (MACo) Winter Conference. The goal of the event is to provide county decision-makers and other participants with tools for more effective leadership and a clearer perspective on the issues that will be addressed during the upcoming Maryland General Assembly Session. Legislators and their staff come away from the conference with a better understating of county issues.
Attendees will learn how to enhance their leadership in local government with the nearly 30 educational break-out sessions, general sessions, meetings, and briefings taking place at this 3-day event. Sessions will provide a foundational understanding of county government and the deep policy issues of the moment.
Sessions at the MACo Winter Conference will address county priorities like the 2020 Census, the opioid epidemic, school funding, and Maryland’s energy future. Participants will focus on challenges and best practices in Maryland county services; building relationships at the county, state, and legislative levels; and strategic planning for the coming years. Additionally, during the MACo Winter Conference comes the installation of MACo’s Board of Directors. Baltimore City Council Vice-President Sharon Green Middleton is slated to become the 2020 MACo President on Thursday, December 5, at the Inaugural Banquet, pending election by the full membership earlier that morning.
About the Maryland Association of Counties (MACo):
MACo is a non-profit and non-partisan organization serving Maryland county governments by articulating their needs and ideas to the Maryland General Assembly. The Association’s membership is composed of county elected officials and representatives from Maryland’s 23 counties and Baltimore City. MACo’s members determine Association policy and positions on executive and legislative proposals through an elected Board of Directors and a Legislative Committee. Through MACo’s advocacy, training, educational programs, and annual conferences, members are provided with endless opportunities to improve their capacity to serve their residents. More information and conference program updates are provided at www.mdcounties.org/MACoCon.