Selected as the representative for the National Association of Counties (NACo), this week Commissioner Bryan Desloge began participating in the Local Government Exchange and Cooperation Seminar 2017 organized by the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR).
This program affords senior state and local government officials an opportunity to experience Japanese government administration first hand. The program outlines how local governments can promote town planning for all residents, even after a disaster so as to live a comfortable and secure life.
Offered in partnership with CLAIR and NACo at no cost to Leon County, the program features two main elements: a seminar in Tokyo and a study tour of Rikuzentakata City, local authority in regional Japan. The program will last until Nov. 15, 2017.
“During my time as the president of the National Association of Counties, I had the opportunity to share best practices and learn from the best-of-the-best in county government across the nation,” said Leon County Commissioner and Immediate Past President of NACo Bryan Desloge. “I am eager to share what I have learned with government representatives here in Japan, and I look forward to the opportunity to exchange ideas, best practices, and so much more with the local government employees of Rikuzentakata City and beyond.”
Rikuzentakata City was one of the most affected areas by the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011. The disaster claimed 1,700 lives and destroyed more than 3,000 buildings. The program highlights the city’s renewal efforts to build a place where everyone can be proud, feel safe, regain economic vitality and recapture the spirit of the Rikuzentakata.
Commissioner Bryan Desloge is the Immediate Past President of NACo where he made it his mission to identify and disseminate the most compelling county policies and programs around the country that are making a difference in residents’ lives.
The Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR) was created in 1988 to conduct research into best practices in public administration around the world, arranging exchanges and meetings between public officials at the subnational level, assisting local community and economic development efforts, and fostering a multicultural society in Japan. NACo has sponsored a NACo member to attend the CLAIR seminar each year.
For more information, contact Mathieu Cavell, Leon County Community and Media Relations, at(850) 606-5300 / cmr@LeonCountyFL.gov