ICG Studio 67’s County Conversations

In this episode we explore the mission of 1,000 Friends of Florida: defending and promoting growth management so communities can guide development without harming the environment or quality of life.

When Hurricane Andrew impacted Florida in 1992, it exposed deficiencies in our country’s disaster response processes.  Since that time, counties have endeavored to strengthen their response and recovery capabilities, especially in the area of logistics and debris management. Given the scale of disasters in Florida, response and recovery cannot be executed without partners, including those in the p...

We are joined by Eryn Hurley, Legislative Director for the National Association of Counties, to discuss the latest updates from Washington D.C.   Relevant Documents: https://flcounties.sharepoint.com/:f:/g/EmFrkzzwALNNlL5X-FAXHJsBg5jnRszWGE0duROK5p7n2g

Although solar energy generation has been around for some time, only recently have we seen this technology really take off. From residential roof-top solar to utility-scale solar centers, investment in this technology is significant and only growing. This emerging trend was recently highlighted by Florida Trend magazine, which detailed where many of these investments are being made in the state an...

On average, eight people are killed and 49 are seriously injured on Florida’s roads every day. In most of those serious and fatal crashes, driver behavior is a contributing factor.  Target Zero is a statewide initiative to reduce the number of transportation-related injuries and deaths across Florida to zero. By using data-driven strategies, Target Zero promotes multi-faceted behavior changes thro...

Explore the diversity in the Florida legislature with Sen. Jason Pizzo in this insightful conversation with FAC's finest, Jeff Scala, Bob McKee, and Christopher Mathews.

Explore the diversity in the Florida legislature with Sen. Bobby Powell in this insightful conversation with FAC's finest, Jeff Scala, Bob McKee, and Christopher Mathews.  

We are joined by Eryn Hurley, Legislative Director for the National Association of Counties, to discuss the latest updates from Washington D.C.   

Florida’s 16 ports can easily be taken for granted – simply overlooked as large industrial areas, dotted with heavy equipment, warehouses, and a convergence of transportation modes. While this physical description may be fitting, ports don’t always get the recognition they deserve in terms of their overall contributions to our state’s economy.  In truth, ports are significant economic engines for...

A.I. is all the talk now; but how can you actually leverage it in your county in a controlled manner? In this podcast, we hear from Parth Shah, CEO & Co-Founder at Polimorphic, whose company has helped over 40 local governments use generative A.I. to provide constituents better customer service by replacing physical-based workflows with digital ones.  The result is higher customer satisfaction...

Florida has 27 metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs). While the name may imply these organizations perform a general planning function, they actually only plan for one thing: transportation. To improve highway planning across the nation, in 1962 Congress made local planning a condition of federal spending on transportation projects in urban areas through the Federal-Aid Highway Act. That law...

While the media continues to report record increases in insurance premiums across the state, there are signs that the market may be heading in the right direction.  The Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) recently reported that eight new property and casualty insurance carriers were approved to enter the market, while Citizens Insurance has reduced its pool of policies by nearly 275,000.  On this...

With a government shutdown averted following passage of the last appropriations bills on March 23, NACo’s Eryn Hurley walks us through some of the major wins for counties, while highlighting other issues of interest – namely, the interim final rule for ARPA; EPA’s final rule on PFAS, and legislation to extend the Affordable Connectivity Plan (ACP).

As Congress edges toward a partial government shutdown, we are joined by Eryn Hurley, Legislative Director for the National Association of Counties, to discuss the final funding proposals in the last “mini bus” for 2024.

What's it like to spend your entire career working in county government? What do you learn along the way and what can you pass on to others?  While some view county work as a job -- albeit an important one -- others see it as a calling, dedicating long hours to make their communities better.  In this podcast, we sit down with Chris Holley, a former county manager and executive director of the Flor...

Counties are responsible for a broad range of environmental and natural resource issues, many of which are subject to state and federal regulations beyond their control. In this episode of County Conversations, we are joined by Kim Tapley, President of the Florida Environmental Resource Agencies (FLERA) and Dina Ferguson, Executive Director of FLERA, to discuss environmental issues and the role of...

On this episode we speak with Commissioner John Meeks from Levy County. Now in his 12th year on the County Commission, Commissioner Meeks is someone who, through a love of his county -- which he calls a little piece of heaven - puts community first.  Active in several FAC policy committees over the years, Commissioner Meeks currently serves as the Chairman of the Institute for County Government (I...

On this episode of County Conversations we are joined by Brett Mattson, Legislative Director for Justice and Public Safety at the National Association of Counties (NACo) to discuss, the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The program is set to expire on September 30, 2023, and we discuss options for extending and reauthorizing the program. Other issues discussed include major program changes...

On this episode of County Conversations, we are joined by Eryn Hurley, Legislative Director for the National Association of Counties, where we discuss the upcoming deadline for a new federal budget; FEMA’s Disaster Recovery Fund shortfall; broadband funding; ARPA funding flexibility; and the final WOTUS Rule.    

On this episode of County Conversations, we are joined by Mark Friedland with the Insurance Information Institute, where we discuss recent trends and legislation surrounding Florida’s insurance market.

On this episode of County Conversations, we are joined by Whit Blanton, Executive Director of Forward Pinellas and current President of FAPA.

On this episode of County Conversations, we are joined by Ms. Shannon Weiner, Monroe County Emergency Management Director, and current President of FEPA.

On this episode of County Conversations, we are joined by Elizabeth Payne, Chief Executive Officer of the Northeast Florida Regional Planning Council and Chair of FRCA’s Executive Directors Advisory Committee.

On this episode of County Conversations, we are joined by Neil Fleckenstein, Planning Coordinator for Tall Timbers in Leon County.