Counties achieve passage of 2026 priorities; Goat Hill Prep emails conclude for the session
Thanks to the dedicated efforts of the County Family, all of the Association’s legislative priorities have now been enacted or are in position for enactment — a testament to county leaders’ strong advocacy and engagement throughout the 2026 Session. As a result of this achievement, there will be no Goat Hill Prep email distributed to county leaders today or for the remainder of the session. Nevertheless, with several working days left available in the session — and the final stretch often fast-paced and unpredictable — county leaders are encouraged to continue closely monitoring their inboxes for any quick calls to action that may be issued via a Goat Hill Alert email.
On-site hotel rooms for ACCA Convention sold out; Overflow accommodations remain available
The location for the ACCA 98th Convention — the Perdido Beach Resort — is now sold out, which means there are no more Perdido hotel rooms available for reservation. County leaders interested in staying at the Perdido who don’t already have a room reservation are invited to contact the ACCA Events/Education Team to be placed on the waitlist for any Perdido rooms that may become available over the next several months. Nearby overflow accommodations have also been made available to ensure county leaders who stay off site can remain close to the Convention action. All things related to the August 18-20 Convention, including overflow accommodation details, can be found under the “98th Convention” tab of the online community.
PLAN 2026 to advocate for children’s safety, well-being on Goat Hill tomorrow
Members of the Passion, Leadership, Accountability and Networking (PLAN) 2026 program will travel to Montgomery tomorrow as part of their collective Passion Project focused on strengthening protections for Alabama’s children. While together, members will visit the Alabama Statehouse to deliver child advocacy pinwheels and informational materials to state lawmakers and to discuss key issues impacting children and families across the state. Timed to coincide with Child Abuse Prevention Month, the event will provide PLAN 2026 members a critical opportunity to raise awareness of the threats facing children, amplify the importance of prevention and protection efforts, and demonstrate their continued commitment to advancing policies and practices that support children’s safety and well-being.
Final 2026 Regional Meeting for Administrators taking place this Friday
Friday will bring this year’s final of seven Regional Meetings of the Association of County Administrators of Alabama (ACAA) as County Administrators and Administrative Staff from North/Northwest Alabama gather in Franklin County to discuss administrative issues and enjoy lunch together. Details for next year’s ACAA Regional Meetings have not yet been set, but County Administrators are encouraged to go ahead and reserve time on their calendars for the next round of meetings in the late winter/early spring of 2027.
Annual NACE Conference begins this weekend
The Annual Conference of the National Association of County Engineers (NACE) will kick off this Sunday, April 12, and run through Wednesday, April 15. Taking place in Arlington, Texas, the conference will bring together hundreds of county infrastructure officials and experts from across the U.S. and provide education on the latest issues affecting county engineering. To learn more about this year’s NACE Conference, click here.
County leaders to receive “overview of county government” training this week
Nearly 100 county leaders are set to gather at the Marriott Prattville Hotel and Conference Center later this week for the County Government Education Institute’s (CGEI) Overview of County Government class — a required course for all CGEI certifications and a dual course for the Buddy Sharpless Education Institute. Scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, the class will provide participants a general overview of the workings of county government, with topics including the role of the County Commission, the functions of County Commission offices and departments, and interplay among other county offices. A complete course agenda can be found here.