One of the best things about being the President of CSAC is hosting our Annual Meeting coming up in Palm Springs in Riverside County. CSAC’s leadership and staff have put a lot of thought and effort into making this a great meeting and the only thing I can think of that would make it any better is for you to decide to attend, if you haven’t already done so. It runs the week after Thanksgiving, from November 29 through December 1.

We actually start things off with the New Supervisor’s Institute on Monday, November 28. We have a Freshman Class of several dozen new Supervisors this year, and most of them are already planning to attend. If you are newly elected, or if you know a newly elected Supervisor, please encourage them to participate. It’s been a while since I was new in office, but I can remember how steep the learning curve was. The New Supervisor’s Institute can help flatten out that curve a little bit.

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Our goal with the Annual Meeting is to provide members of the county family, new or old, elected or staff, with the information and inspiration you need to do your jobs as effectively as possible. So in addition to the New Supervisor’s Institute, we have a full schedule of workshops and policy committee meetings that will get you up to date on the most pressing issue counties are facing today. We’ll cover clean water, marijuana, ethics, public safety issues and more.

And we also have a lineup of speakers including Chris Gardner, whose best-selling book “The Pursuit of Happyness” was turned into a feature film starring Will Smith. The story of this single dad and his perseverance in the face of rejection is one you will always carry with you. Another keynote speaker is pollster Frank Luntz, who will help us break down the 2016 election and examine which messages resonated with voters and which ones were duds.

We’ll also hear from Chad Hymas, who the Wall Street Journal calls “One of the 10 most inspirational speakers in the world.” A tragic accident left him a quadriplegic, paralyzed from the chest down with limited function of his arms and hands. But Chad is now a world record wheelchair athlete, setting the record by wheeling his chair 513 miles from Salt Lake City to Las Vegas. His message inspires, motivates and moves people to action.

This is also a working meeting for CSAC as an organization. We’ll elect a new slate of officers, discuss some important policies and make sure California Counties are pulling in the same direction as we approach the state budget season and the new two-year legislative cycle.

Now, I know that the opportunity to network with your peers from around the state is also one of the most important things we can provide for you at our Annual meeting. So while the schedule is very full, there is also some time to connect with your colleagues, make new friends and enjoy the camaraderie of the county family. We are One Family, 58 Strong, and nowhere is that more evident that at our Annual Meeting, so I hope you will join us in Palm Springs. It wouldn’t be the same without you!

Please click here for registration and more information.