South Dakota Association of County Officials

South Dakota Association of County Officials
Name	South Dakota Association of County Officials
Abbreviation	SDACO
Formation	1974
Headquarters	Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Region served	South Dakota
Membership	County officials

South Dakota Association of County Officials is a statewide membership organization representing elected and appointed county officials across South Dakota. The association serves as a coordinating body for county commissioners, auditors, treasurers, sheriffs, and registers of deeds while interacting with the South Dakota Legislature, Governor of South Dakota, and federal entities such as the United States Department of Agriculture and the United States Department of Justice. It connects local officeholders with national groups including the National Association of Counties, the County Commissioners Association of America, and regional partners like the Western Governors' Association.

History

Founded in the 1970s amid broader state-level association growth exemplified by groups such as the National Governors Association and the United States Conference of Mayors, the organization emerged to centralize technical assistance for county leaders including precedents from the Iowa State Association of Counties and the Minnesota Association of County Officers. Early milestones included coordination with the South Dakota State Historical Society on records preservation and partnership with the University of South Dakota for research. The association adapted through policy shifts driven by events such as the implementation of the Tax Reform Act of 1986 and federal grant programs administered by the Economic Development Administration, expanding roles in budget training influenced by models from the Government Finance Officers Association and administrative practices observed in Pennington County, South Dakota and Minnehaha County, South Dakota.

Organization and Membership

The association's structure reflects standard practice in civic associations like the National Association of Counties and the International City/County Management Association with an elected board, regional representatives, and standing committees mirroring those of the South Dakota Association of School Business Officials and the South Dakota Association of Towns and Townships. Membership comprises county commissioners, clerks, auditors, treasurers, sheriffs, coroners, state's attorneys, and technical staff from all 66 counties including Brown County, South Dakota, Codington County, South Dakota, and Fall River County, South Dakota. Affiliate members include associations such as the South Dakota Association of County Extension Councils and county-level partners like the South Dakota Association of County Commissioners as well as municipal peers such as the South Dakota Municipal League.

Programs and Services

The association provides services comparable to those of the National Association of Counties and the County Highway Superintendents Association of South Dakota, offering model ordinances, sample procurement templates, and records retention guidance aligned with the South Dakota Codified Laws and the Federal Records Act. Technical assistance spans fiscal tools used by the Government Finance Officers Association, election administration support paralleling the National Association of Secretaries of State, and emergency management coordination with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the South Dakota Department of Public Safety. The group also administers grant navigation services informed by programs from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and supports county involvement in infrastructure initiatives like those funded by the United States Department of Transportation.

Advocacy and Policy Positions

The association conducts advocacy at the capitol alongside organizations such as the South Dakota Farmers Union and the South Dakota Chamber of Commerce & Industry, submitting testimony to committees of the South Dakota Legislature and engaging with governors including the Governor of South Dakota. Policy priorities have included county finance reform, property tax matters influenced by rulings from the South Dakota Supreme Court, and public safety issues coordinated with the South Dakota Highway Patrol and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The association files position statements on regulatory matters interacting with the Environmental Protection Agency, rural broadband initiatives following models by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, and public lands coordination relevant to the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service.

Training and Professional Development

Training programs draw on curricula used by the National Association of Counties and professional certifications from the International Institute of Municipal Clerks, providing sessions on fiduciary duties, records management, and election law with instructors from the University of South Dakota School of Law and practitioners from counties like Beadle County, South Dakota and Hughes County, South Dakota. The association partners with state agencies including the South Dakota Secretary of State and the South Dakota Department of Revenue to deliver continuing education that prepares participants for certification tracks akin to those of the Association of Public Treasurers of the United States and Canada.

Conferences and Events

Annual conferences mirror formats used by the National Association of Counties and regional summits convened by the Midwest Association of Counties, featuring keynote speakers from institutions such as the Brookings Institution, panels with legislators from the South Dakota House of Representatives and the South Dakota Senate, and workshops led by experts from the American Bar Association and the National Emergency Management Association. Events rotate among host venues in municipalities like Pierre, South Dakota, Rapid City, South Dakota, and Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and include awards programs recognizing excellence similar to honors given by the National Association of County Information Officers.

Category:Organizations based in South Dakota