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| Missouri Association of Counties | |
|---|---|
| Name | Missouri Association of Counties |
| Type | Nonprofit association |
| Founded | 1935 |
| Location | Jefferson City, Missouri |
| Region served | Missouri |
| Headquarters | Jefferson City |
| Key people | Missouri State Treasurer, Missouri Governor, Missouri Secretary of State |
Missouri Association of Counties is a statewide nonprofit organization representing county officials across Missouri. The association provides training and technical assistance to county officials, coordinates policy positions, and convenes stakeholders from county commissions, clerks, collectors, assessors, sheriffs, and treasurers. It operates alongside statewide entities and local associations such as the Missouri Municipal League, Missouri Farm Bureau, and National Association of Counties.
The organization was established in the 20th century amid reforms influenced by events like the Great Depression, the implementation of the Social Security Act, and municipal responses to New Deal programs. Founders included county commissioners and elected officials from counties such as Boone County, Jackson County, St. Louis County, Clay County, and Greene County. Over decades the association adapted to changes from federal statutes including the Civil Rights Act, the Clean Water Act, and amendments to the Medicare and Medicaid frameworks. It engaged with statewide developments such as the creation of the Missouri State Capitol initiatives and responses to major events including Tornado outbreaks in Missouri, the Great Flood of 1993, and the 2008 financial crisis.
The association’s mission aligns with objectives common to civic organizations like the National Conference of State Legislatures and the American Association of County Administrators, focusing on strengthening county capacity. Core aims include promoting effective administration similar to models in Jefferson County, Alabama or Maricopa County, Arizona, providing education comparable to programs by the International City/County Management Association, and advancing policy priorities akin to campaigns by the U.S. Conference of Mayors. It seeks to foster partnerships with institutions such as University of Missouri, Washington University in St. Louis, and Missouri State University for research and training.
Membership comprises elected and appointed officials from counties including Adair County, Andrew County, Barton County, Bates County, Callaway County, Camden County, Carroll County, Cedar County, Chariton County, Christian County, Clinton County, Crawford County, Dade County, Dunklin County, Franklin County, Gasconade County, Harrison County, Henry County, Hickory County, Iron County, Jasper County, Johnson County, Laclede County, Lawrence County', Lewis County, Lincoln County, Linn County, Livingston County, McDonald County, Madison County, Maries County, Miller County, Monroe County, Morgan County, Newton County, Nodaway County, Ozark County, Pemiscot County, Perry County, Pettis County, Phelps County, Platte County, Pulaski County, Ralls County, Randolph County, Ray County, Reynolds County, Ripley County, Saline County, Scotland County, Scott County, Shannon County, Shelby County', Stoddard County, Stone County, Sullivan County', Taney County, Texas County, Vernon County, Warren County, Washington County, Wayne County, Webster County, Worth County, Wright County and others. Governance is overseen by a board of directors reflecting offices such as county commissioners, clerks, collectors, assessors, prosecutors, sheriffs, surveyors, and treasurers, with bylaws modeled after nonprofit standards used by groups like Independent Sector and the National Governors Association.
Programs include continuing education seminars, certification tracks, and technical assistance comparable to offerings from the National Association of Counties and International City/County Management Association. Services cover election administration support akin to resources from the Federal Election Commission and the Missouri Secretary of State office, public health coordination linked to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, emergency response collaboration with the Missouri Department of Public Safety and Federal Emergency Management Agency, and IT support mirroring systems used by the Missouri Office of Administration. Training partners have included academic centers at University of Missouri–Columbia, Saint Louis University, and Truman State University.
Advocacy work engages the Missouri General Assembly, the United States Congress, and federal agencies including the Department of Transportation (United States), the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The association files position statements, testifies before legislative committees such as the Missouri Senate, and collaborates with policy organizations like the Midwest Governors Association. Legislative priorities have intersected with statutes such as state budget appropriations, county revenue laws, and infrastructure bills including transportation funding measures influenced by the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act.
Funding sources include membership dues, grants from foundations such as the Kresge Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, fee-for-service contracts with state agencies like the Missouri Department of Social Services, and cooperative agreements with entities including the National Association of Counties, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and philanthropic organizations like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for technology initiatives. The association partners with regional groups including the Mid-America Regional Council and research institutions such as the Show-Me Institute to advance policy research.
Notable initiatives include county capacity-building programs that echo efforts by the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania and technology modernization projects influenced by Project Open Data practices. The association played roles in post-disaster recovery after events like the Great Flood of 1993 and the 2011 Missouri River floods, supported public health responses during outbreaks comparable to the 2009 H1N1 pandemic and the COVID-19 pandemic, and advanced election administration reforms aligned with recommendations from the Bipartisan Policy Center. Its convening power has brought together stakeholders from Missouri State University Extension, University of Missouri Extension, St. Louis County Department of Health, and county-based offices to improve service delivery and fiscal stewardship.
Category:Organizations based in Missouri