INDIANAPOLIS — Spencer County Commissioner Heather Gries and Sullivan County Commissioner Robert Davis were elected as the 2024 President and Vice President of the Indiana County Commissioners (ICC) West Central District, respectively, during their annual conference held in Indianapolis last week.
Gries and Davis will represent the elected county commissioners in the Southwest district of the state, which includes the following counties: Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Gibson, Greene, Knox, Lawrence, Martin, Monroe, Orange, Perry, Pike, Posey, Spencer, Sullivan, Vanderburgh, and Warrick. They will also serve on the ICC’s board of directors, which sets the policies and legislative goals for the association.
Gries, who was re-elected as the district president, said she was honored by the trust and support of her peers. “I look forward to working with Commissioner Davis and the rest of the board to advocate for the needs and challenges of our counties and to improve the quality of life for our residents,” she said.
Davis, who was elected as the district vice president for the first time, said he was excited by the opportunity to serve in a leadership role. “I am grateful for the chance to collaborate with Commissioner Gries and the other district officers to advance the goals and priorities of the ICC and to promote the best practices and innovations in county government,” he said.
The district meeting also featured discussions on current issues affecting county government in the Southwest District.
The ICC’s 2023 Annual Conference, the largest gathering of county commissioners in the state, offered several workshops and breakout sessions designed specifically for county commissioners and their support staff. The topics covered included building relevancy through collaboration, communication, and advocacy; 2024 legislative priorities; water resource management; open door laws; property taxes; workforce and housing development, and more.
The conference also welcomed Indiana’s 52nd Lieutenant Governor, Suzanne Crouch, who thanked the commissioners for their service to the state, and Vanessa Green Sinders, the newly appointed President & CEO of the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, who expressed her commitment to work with the county commissioners to advance mutual economic and social goals of the state.
The attendees also enjoyed the humor and inspiration of award-winning cartoonist, author and producer Gary Varvel, who shared his life experiences with his work.
The Indiana County Commissioners is a nonprofit organization established to provide the best education, leadership support, and advocacy services for our County Commissioners to strengthen county voices throughout Indiana. The objectives of the Association are: to promote cooperation of the county unit with all other units of local government, (cities, towns, township, etc.) and with state and federal agencies; and to promote improvement and efficiency in the delivery of county government services. The various functions of the IACC include serving as liaison among counties, state and federal agencies, lobbying the Indiana General Assembly on behalf of County Commissioners, as well as providing technical assistance and training to county commissioners and support staff.
