M E D I A A D V I S O R Y

TO: Editors, News Directors and Assignment Editors

FROM: Debra S. Tingley, APR

dtingley@pacounties.org

(717) 526-1010 x 3336

Cell: (717) 877-9619

DATE: November 19, 2008

RE: County Leaders To Meet In Hershey To Discuss County Jails, Marcellus Shale, Shared Municipal Services, Open Records, And Others

Leaders from Pennsylvania’s counties will assemble in Hershey on November 24 to November 25 for the 2008 County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania (CCAP) Fall Conference. The sessions will include topics such as pension fund diversification and investing, county partnerships with state and national heritage areas, the new open records law, wellness programs to reduce health care costs, the new jail reform law and others. A full Conference schedule is available on the CCAP Web site, www.pacounties.org.

On Monday, Nov. 24, 2008 from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. (Garden Terrace Ballroom, The Hotel Hershey) the Conference will begin with the opening general session featuring Dave Coder, Greene County commissioner and CCAP president; Lenny Eliason, commissioner, Athens County Ohio, candidate for the National Association of Counties second vice president; Dr. Percy Dougherty, chairman of the board for CCAP, Josh Karns, regional coordinator for 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania and Judy Schwank, chair of the State Planning Board and president and CEO of 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania will talk about regional and shared services and how counties can bring municipalities together; John Frey, executive director for the Center for Dairy Excellence, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, will talk about the agriculture industry, economic development and county partnerships.

On Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2008 from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. (Garden Terrace Ballroom, The Hotel Hershey) the closing general session will feature Louis N. Magazzu, freeholder, Cumberland County New Jersey, candidate for the National Association of Counties second vice president; a panel presentation on Marcellus Shale will include: Ken Klothen, deputy secretary for community affairs and development, Department of Community and Economic Development, Scott Roberts, deputy secretary for mineral resources management, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Craig Reed, acting director of municipal services, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and Rob Davidson, special assistant to the Secretary of Agriculture; Brinda Carroll Penyak, deputy director for CCAP will make a presentation on the new jail reform package and what it will mean for counties; a voting session on the CCAP 2009 strategic plan, action plan and 2009 dues will conclude the session.

CCAP is a statewide, nonprofit, nonpartisan Association representing the commissioners, chief clerks, administrators, their equivalents in home rule counties and solicitors of Pennsylvania's 67 counties. The Association provides legislative representation, education, insurance services, research, technology solutions and similar services to all of the commonwealth’s counties.

(Note: The media may attend any of these sessions. To arrange a specific interview, contact Debra Tingley via cell phone (717)877-9619 during the Conference or in advance at (717) 526-1010 x 3336.)