Stanislaus County still wants to be the best county in America, but it can't do it alone, the chairman of the Board of Supervisors said in his State of the County address Tuesday. "Partnerships are the future of government," said Supervisor Nick Blom, who is seeking re-election to his fifth term in June.

In his speech, Blom recounted some of last year's challenges which were overcome, or accomplishments enhanced by partnerships with the community, businesses and other governmental agencies:

• The community came together to battle the floods of 1997 and then to rebuild devastated areas.
• A coalition of counties, cities and businesses was able to retain the 209 area code for the Northern San Joaquin Valley.
• Stanislaus County and the city of Modesto are demonstrating innovation in their joint government building at Tenth Street Place.

"The county and city created a foundation for government cooperation," Blom explained. "A single building providing one-stop customer service. The City Council and the Board of Supervisors will share a chamber. You will be able to pay your city water bill and county property taxes in one visit on the same floor. On the third floor of the building the development and permitting center will feature the city-and-county shared building permit system.

Continuing that theme, Blom noted that the county is involved in many partnerships to improve government operations and service to residents, including:

• Agricultural center, a $14 million project under construction at Service and Crows Landing roads, that will bring together federal, state, local and private agencies to serve the county's top industry.
• Community facilities in Ceres, Hughson and Empire will feature services such as health clinics, branch libraries, sheriff's substations and school programs.
• Contracting with Doctors Medical Center in Modesto for hospital and emergency care. "As a result of the public-private partnership, we will save at least $6 million per year while providing a modern facility for patients, meeting our obligations to the poor and gaining an additional $12 million to build and expand our community clinics."
• The sheriff's law enforcement contract with Riverbank is another example, with Blom noting that similar partnerships may be developed.

"Stanislaus County is not a wait-and-see county -- but a just-do-it community," he said. "For example, people said a single district for air pollution control couldn't be done. We did it -- combining eight counties so business just deals with one entity."

That same approach could improve transportation, he said. "We need to think regionally. Sacramento County has a six-county council of governments, the Bay Area has a nine-county council of governments, while we function county by county.

"We are identified as a region and we should plan as a region. I would like to see a valleywide transportation system, with Merced, San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties joining together, so that one office plans the bus system, and we develop regional rail and road maintenance."

Blom's State of the County address will be presented on CableOne Channel 4 at 5:30 p.m. today and 9:30 a.m. Saturday.

Reprinted by permission of Modesto Bee.