Montana’s Lesley Robinson Chosen President of Western Counties Group
Commissioner Lesley Robinson, Phillips County, Mont., 
was sworn in on May 23 as president of the Western Interstate Region (WIR), a caucus affiliated with the National Association of Counties (NACo). During her swearing-in at NACo’s WIR conference in Anchorage Municipality, Alaska, Robinson spoke of her commitment to be a strong voice for Western county policy priorities at the federal level. Lesley and her her husband, Jim, are ranchers in Dodson area and long-time active members of the Montana Stockgrowers Association and Montana Public Lands Council.
“As president of NACo’s Western Interstate Region, I will help shape federal policies that directly affect Phillips County and other counties across the country,” said Robinson. “With critical legislative and regulatory issues being debated in the nation’s capital, I want to make sure Western voices are heard loud and clear.”
Top WIR issues include reauthorizing MAP-21, the surface transportation bill; securing long-term funding solutions for counties through the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) and Secure Rural Schools (SRS) programs; and amplifying county voices on the newly-proposed definition of “waters of the U.S.” and endangered species act legislation.
Robinson’s swearing-in took place at the conclusion of the annual WIR conference where hundreds of county officials gathered to discuss and address issues particularly important to local communities. For more information about WIR, visit: http://www.naco.org/legislation/policies/Pages/WIR.aspx.
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The National Association of Counties (NACo) is the only national organization that represents county governments in the United States. Founded in 1935, NACo assists America’s 3,069 counties in pursuing excellence in public service to produce healthy, vibrant, safe and resilient counties. NACo promotes sound public policies, fosters county solutions and innovation, promotes intergovernmental and public-private collaboration and provides value-added services to save counties and taxpayers money. More information at: www.naco.org.
The Western Interstate Region (WIR) is affiliated with NACo and dedicated to the promotion of Western interests within NACo. These interests include public land issues (use and conservation), community stability and economic development and the promotion of the traditional Western way of life. WIR’s membership consists of fifteen Western states: Alaska, Hawaii, Wash., Ore., Calif., Idaho, Nev., Ariz., Mont., Wyo., Colo., N.M., Utah, N.D., S.D.
