3 county legislators attend national conference in DC
Provided photo: County Legislator John Fitzak, Congresswoman Claudia Tenney, Legislature Chairman Lynne Johnson and Legislator Skip Draper meet in Tenney’s office in Washington, DC.
Press Release, Orleans County Legislature
WASHINGTON, DC – Orleans County legislative leaders joined nearly 2,000 county leaders from across the country for the 2026 National Association of Counties (NACo) Legislative Conference this week in Washington, D.C.
The conference featured speakers from the Trump Administration and Congress including of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Lee Zeldin, head of the Environmental Protection Agency. Conference attendees shaped NACo’s legislative agenda, received updates on key federal policies and advocated for county priorities on Capitol Hill.
“Each year, we use this conference as an opportunity to collaborate with county leaders from across the country on our shared priorities and then advocate for those policies and the specific needs of Orleans County with federal leaders,” said Lynne Johnson, Chairman of the Orleans County Legislature. “In previous years, our advocacy efforts have been key to securing federal funding for local projects.”
Joining Chairman Johnson at the NACo conference were Legislators Merle “Skip” Draper of Medina and John Fitzak of Carlton. The conference touched on several key areas of importance to Orleans County including data centers, artificial intelligence, workforce development and public safety. There was also a Federal Agency Expo, with nearly 50 federal program offices sending representatives to meet with conference participants and build intergovernmental partnerships.
“Federal policies have direct and long-lasting impacts on county governments and our residents,” said NACo President J.D. Clark. “NACo’s Legislative Conference is an important opportunity for county leaders to strengthen relationships with our intergovernmental partners, tell our county story and advocate for county priorities that help our communities and residents thrive.”
The conference culminated in an Advocacy Day of Action, positioning attendees to advocate for county federal policy priorities. Orleans County officials spent time on Capitol Hill meeting with staff from Senator Schumer and Senator Gillibrand’s office. In addition, Orleans County officials met with Congresswoman Tenney and staff from the USDA.
Orleans County leaders thanked federal representatives for securing funding for the future Emergency Management Operations Center and the Public Safety Building rehabilitation. This year’s priorities included funding for the modernization and upgrades of the former Genesee Community College building in Albion for the Probation Department; support for the regional dredging initiative that includes Oak Orchard Harbor; and funding for Marine Park dock repairs to support public safety.
“We know we will not get everything we ask for, but it’s important to continue to beat the drum for our funding priorities and hope our federal representatives can deliver,” Fitzak said. “Sometimes it takes years of asking before a funding pot is identified for a project, so our job is to keep it on the front burner until that happens.”
