There's a lot to learn to be a good county commissioner. It requires fluency in zoning, human resources and budgeting. Thankfully, officials have encyclopedias of information available - in each other.

More than 350 county commissioners and officials from 53 counties gathered in Bismarck for the North Dakota Association of Counties meeting, Sunday through today. And while they were able to get information on health care, homeland security and conflict management, three Burleigh County commissioners say the networking was the greatest benefit.

Scott Johnson, a first-year commissioner, said by talking to other officials who have "been there and done that," he's able to learn how to handle situations in Burleigh.

"I can make sure everyone is on the same levels and not just what I'm told for my county," he said.

Claus Lembke, a past president of the association, has considerably more experience than Johnson, but interaction with other officials helps him deal with Burleigh's challenges too. He talked to other counties about dealing with townships, thought about how to bring conflict management to the table and explored more of the issues regarding a proposed constitutional amendment that would require a 60 percent majority of the public to vote for a tax increase - all issues Burleigh is facing.

"We come here to find solutions to problems that others have faced because you might be facing them tomorrow at home," he said.

Johnson said it's important to have the opportunity to learn from others because the job of a commissioner "takes a lot more than an hour." He said while everyone in county government is thinking about using tax dollars more efficiently, the real key is to learn if more services can be provided for the same cost. By making department heads aware of what is available, Johnson hopes the public will benefit.

Doug Schonert was a commissioner for eight years and returned this year after a four-year hiatus. He said Burleigh County's challenges are different from many of the state's more rural areas.

"We're dealing with growth because we have a growing economy and county population. This is a good problem to have, most other counties have negative growth … we're dealing with a large city within the county on a day-to-day basis and have a challenge there," he said.

With that in mind, Burleigh County is called on to help areas with less equipment, manpower and funding in times of emergency, like a fire or flood. Schonert said it's good to know who you're dealing with in those situations and this week's conference helps address that.

Mark Johnson, the executive director for the Association of Counties, said by incorporating training sessions with meeting colleagues across the state, counties can be sure they're on the same page with their counterparts.

"We hope they meet other officials with similar problems and they will know where to ask questions and get solutions. If nothing else, they'll walk away knowing they're not the only one carrying a cross for county citizens."

(Reach reporter Angie Buckley at 250-8255 or angiebuckley@ndonline.com.)