Meet the Candidates: J.D. Clark

Judge

Wise County, Texas

Why are you interested in serving as a NACo officer?

I have been honored to be appointed by NACo presidents to serve our organization in a variety of leadership roles.  Since joining NACo in 2014, I have been appointed as Rural Action Caucus Chair and Vice Chair; Broadband Task Force Co-Chair; Telecommunications & Technology Steering Committee Chair and Vice Chair; Veterans & Military Services Committee Chair; and Finance, Pension, & IntergovernmentaL Affairs Committee Vice Chair.  I also serve on the NACo Board of Directors as a representative for the Texas Association of Counties.

Those experiences and partnerships with other county officials have broadened my knowledge of issues facing counties across America and strengthened my voice to advocate for our county priorities.  I am running for 2nd VP so that I can continue to be an experienced and energetic partner in this organization as we advocate for county priorities, promote county solutions, and protect local control. 

What do you consider to have been your most important contribution to the National Association of Counties to date? What do you consider to have been your most important contribution to your state association of counties?

I am exceptionally proud of my broadband work through my leadership roles on the Broadband Task Force, the Telecommunications & Technology Steering Committee, and the Rural Action Caucus.  Our efforts and collaboration between urban, suburban, and rural counties have resulted in major progress for county broadband policy and projects. 

Our Broadband Task Force report, combined with grassroots data collection efforts through the NACo TestIT app, have resulted in legislation, regulatory changes, and projects that are making significant headway in closing the digital divide in counties across America.  There are broadband projects, including a public-private partnership in my own county, currently underway in counties across that nation that developed from and/or benefitted from the work of NACo, and I am proud to have a role in that.  The major strides we have made in broadband policy, funding, and service expansion are ongoing testaments to the impact that counties can make when we unite our voices and get to work. 

As it relates to my state association, I work to increase NACo engagement with Texas counties by presenting at conferences and sharing information with my colleagues about the NACo resources and advocacy efforts available to help make our counties stronger.  I am proud to be recognized as a “NACo champion” in Texas as we work to see more Texas counties engaged and involved with NACo, because that direct county official-to-county official dialogue is most impactful when getting non-member or un-engaged counties to participate in this incredible organization.

What do you consider to be the two or three most important challenges facing NACo in the near future on which the Officers/Executive Committee/Board of Directors should focus? Why?

We must be constantly working to foster productive, effective partnerships and relationships with federal partners from across the partisan spectrum.  The federal landscape is often polarized, and NACo must be able to find successes and be a county voice regardless of partisan politics.  We can’t let important, real world issues that impact our constituents every day get bogged down or ignored by partisan federal gridlock.  We do that by using our county voices that come from from all types of communities and political backgrounds to connect to our federal partners and tell our county stories.

NACo must continue to Recruit and retain highly skilled personnel in an exceptionally competitive job market.  The success of NACo relies not only on great member counties but also on the talents and skills of our professional staff.  As an organization, we must work to be a premier employer in the public policy arena so that NACo remains a home for top-tier policy minds. 

We must also focus on promoting the efficiency and effectiveness of county-level solutions.  The government closest to the people is the form of government that functions best, and we must stand united to advocate for county-level solutions to tackle issues and strengthen our communities across the nation.  Sharing our best practices and significant achievements in diverse policy areas will highlight the positive impact county government has for our taxpayers and residents.  Telling the story of our county successes, financial stewardship, and efficiency is increasingly important as we work to protect county-level flexibility with American Rescue Plan funds and as we see huge amounts of infrastructure funding being deployed across the nation.  We must continue to show that county partners are achieving meaningful, significant county-level solutions with the federal, state, and local resources that are entrusted to us.

What measures would you recommend to increase and retain NACo membership and to encourage broad participation in NACo by elected officials and employees of NACo member counties? What specific role would you be willing to assume to help build and sustain NACo membership?

Increasing and retaining NACo membership hinges on being able to show the value of NACo to counties that are not currently engaged or are under-utilizing NACo.  This is accomplished by making NACo accessible and meeting counties where they are to show real world examples of how NACo resources and policy efforts are impacting counties similar to their own.  In my experience, county officials who are armed with data and “best practice” examples can yield great results by proactively reaching out to fellow county officials to share the significant work and value of NACo.  Our strongest advocates and ambassadors are our own engaged members, and I will continue to be a hands-on member who is always willing to share the NACo story with fellow county officials across the nation.