Montgomery County Councilmember At-Large Laurie-Anne Sayles strengthened Montgomery County’s national leadership at the 2026 National Association of Counties Annual Conference, where she was reappointed to the NACo Board of Directors, advanced three national policy resolutions, and served as a featured speaker during discussions on public health and housing affordability.
The National Association of Counties is the nation’s only nonpartisan organization representing America’s 3,069 counties, parishes, and boroughs. Bringing together Republican, Democratic, and independent county leaders, NACo provides a unified voice on federal policies affecting local communities.
Following his installation as NACo President for 2026–2027, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina Commissioner George Dunlap reappointed Councilmember Sayles as an at-large member of the Board of Directors. Presidential appointments are made during the Annual Conference and entrust selected county leaders with helping guide NACo’s strategic direction, federal advocacy, and national policy agenda.
“I am honored to continue representing Montgomery County’s more than 1.1 million residents on the NACo Board of Directors,” said Councilmember Sayles. “NACo demonstrates that local leaders can work across political differences to find common ground and deliver practical solutions. Public health, economic security, housing affordability, and safer communities are not partisan priorities. They are community priorities.”
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During the conference, NACo’s membership adopted three resolutions introduced by Councilmember Sayles, incorporating county-led priorities into the association’s federal legislative platform:
- Investing in Safer Communities Through Local Solutions, supporting flexible federal investments in violence prevention, behavioral health, youth intervention, and evidence-based public safety strategies.
- Maternal Health and Rural Healthcare Stabilization, strengthening maternal healthcare, expanding support for community-based providers, and investing in local public health systems.
- Expanding Housing Affordability Through Accessory Dwelling Units and Missing-Middle Housing, encouraging federal incentives and technical assistance to increase housing supply while preserving local decision-making.
The resolutions reflect broad support among county leaders for practical, locally driven solutions to challenges affecting communities nationwide.
Councilmember Sayles also served as a featured speaker during two breakout sessions. She highlighted Montgomery County’s culturally competent public health partnerships and preventive care initiatives during Partnership in Practice: County Success Stories and shared the County’s approach to zoning modernization, accessory dwelling units, mixed-income development, and public-private partnerships during County-Led Solutions on Housing Supply and Affordability.
“Montgomery County continues to demonstrate that investing in prevention, partnerships, and people produces measurable results,” Sayles said. “I look forward to bringing these national partnerships, best practices, and policy solutions home as we continue building a healthier, safer, and more affordable Montgomery County.”
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