DeBone to attend White House conference

Deschutes County Commissioner Tony DeBone will represent the county at a conference hosted by the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs on Thurs., Oct. 11 in Washington, D.C.

DeBone is part of a delegation of Oregon county officials attending the conference. He will be joined by county commissioners and judges from Coos, Crook, Douglas, Grant, Harney, Josephine, Linn, Marion, Morrow, Polk, Union and Yamhill counties.

The conference will include meetings at the White House with key administration officials to discuss how federal policies impact Oregon counties and residents. Topics are likely to include the forest fires and impacts on air quality, the opioid epidemic, economic and workforce development, and infrastructure.

“It’s an honor to be invited by the White House to discuss the issues that impact us here in Deschutes County,” DeBone said in a news release issued Tuesday. “Federal decisions, especially those that shape how federal forests are managed, have a big local impact. It’s important that we’re involved in these conversations.”

Prior to the White House meeting, county leaders will participate in a federal policy briefing at the National Association of Counties (NACo) office.

“This is a great opportunity for county commissioners to tell the White House about the challenges and opportunities we face at the local level,” said Mike Eliason, Association of Oregon Counties interim executive director. “Federal policies have real consequences in counties across our state, and we’ll continue to work with the administration to positively influence those policies.”