Preparing for the Next Recession



What can be expected at the county level when another recession hits? The course will take you through some lessons learned from county managers who successfully the Great Recession, and strategies you can look to employ as we prepare for the next economic contraction.

MODERATORS & SPEAKERS
Speaker: Michael Pagano, Director, Government Finance Research Center, University of Illinois At Chicago, IL

Leadership ICMA 2019 Capstone Report: Peer-to-Peer Technical Assistance



The Leadership ICMA Class of 2019 has been hard in at work assisting Boulder, Colorado; Frisco, Texas; Georgetown, Texas; and Twin Falls, Idaho, by working to enhance the employee performance process; providing comprehensive analysis of and recommendations for improving systems for processing, approving, permitting, and funding special events; developing a plan to expand a single-department business improvement program to provide business improvement services to all departments citywide; and developing recommendations to establish, educate, and expand process review efforts to enhance efficiencies and effectiveness. 5

Helping Your New Board Get Off to a Good Start



This session focuses on the role of the manager in supporting newly elected officials’ ability to effectively lead and govern their organizations and communities. Those who attend will take away specific ideas for how to provide an engaging and informative orientation for new board members to help them make the transition from campaigning to governing, understand their role as a governing body, and get an overview of how local government works.

Tools to Strengthen Employee Financial Wellness



How are local governments working to improve employee financial literacy? What are workers looking for in a financial wellness program? Discuss how to meet employee needs and preferences on topics covered, content delivery, and tailoring the program to diverse groups.

A National and Personal Apology



In 2004, Meridian Charter Township, Michigan, had an opportunity but failed to stop the destruction caused by Larry Nassar as the doctor for the USA gymnastics team. Nassar's abuse of young women went on for another 12 years, and in 2018 the community chose to publicly apologize in front of the national media. Learn how Meridian Charter Township made changes to its law enforcement procedures to prevent a similar situation from happening in the future. 1

MODERATORS & SPEAKERS
Session Leader: Ken Plaga, MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP POLICE, Okemos, MI
Moderator: Russell Taylor, Township Manager, Township of Thomas, Saginaw, MI
Speaker: Frank Walsh, Township Manager, Township of Meridian, Okemos, MI

Eldon Fields Colloquium: Rediscovering the Value of Public Service in Local Government



Last year, County Manager Hannes Zacharias unexpectedly found himself “in transition.” To recalibrate his life, he embarked on a 2,060-mile kayak trip—an inspirational story of moving on after a career of more than 35 years in local government management. The Eldon Fields lecture commemorates one of the revered founders of the local government management program at the University of Kansas. 1, 5

MODERATORS & SPEAKERS
Speaker: Hannes Zacharias, Professor of Practice in Local Government , University of Kansas, Lenexa, KS

PRISM: Aligning Employee Performance to Organizational Goals in an Electronic Format



GovHR USA has partnered with Engagedly to develop an electronic solution to conduct performance reviews for local government personnel. The PRISM (Performance Review, Input, Support, and Management) system, which is specific to local government, has the ability to measure performance based on criteria and core competencies and align employee goals to strategic organizational goals. Presented by GovHR USA.

MODERATORS & SPEAKERS
Speaker: Joellen Cademartori, Chief Executive Officer, GovHR USA, Northbrook, IL
Speaker: Mysi DeSantis, GovHR USA, Northbrook, IL
Speaker: Kevin Paulus, Customer Success Manager, Engagedly, Saint Louis, MO

Leading through Tragedy



How do you move forward when your fire chief and friend take their own life in their city vehicle amid accusations of bullying of staff by city council members? How does a community and staff recover in the aftermath of a mass shooting at city hall? This session will explore leadership challenges and provide key takeaways for leading through a tragedy in your community. 5

MODERATORS & SPEAKERS
Moderator: Sallie Ann Burnett, Spartanburg, SC
Speaker: Georgia Ragland, Kirkwood, MO
Speaker: David Rowlands, City Manager, City of Fillmore, Fillmore, CA

Advice to My Younger Self: Avoiding Career Killers



This discussion will give emerging and mid-level managers who aspire to higher levels advice to not shoot themselves in the foot. Learn how tone of voice and delivery can make or break your reputation, how to seek
and handle constructive criticism, and how to navigate political situations with ease.

Attracting and Onboarding a Veteran: Guidance for Managers and Team Leaders



This session will discuss how to take advantage of the VLGMF or DOD SkillBridge Program, and guidance on how to connect with, hire, and onboard/mentor veterans for success in local government.

MODERATORS & SPEAKERS
Speaker: Rey Arellano, Austin, TX
Speaker: Andrew Nelson, Senior Executive Recruiter, Cooperative Personnel Services, Las Vegas, NV
Speaker: Darrin Tangeman, Town Manager, Town of Truro, Truro, MA
Moderator: Peter Troedsson, City Manager, City of Albany, Albany, OR

Progress Report: Harvard Kennedy School, State and Local Government Program (HKS) Attendees



Have you previously attended the Senior Executives in State & Local Government program at Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) and want to share some of your progress / best practices that you have implemented in your organization? This will be a great opportunity to share with other alumni the successes and lessons learned we have all encountered. It will also be another opportunity to touch base with the HKS alumni that have all had this incredible experience.

President's Colloquium: Resilient Leadership



We focus a great deal on resiliency in communities and organizations. Do we focus enough on ourselves? Consider how resiliency and leadership are related, and how we can better develop our capacity to rise above challenges we face personally and professionally.

MODERATORS & SPEAKERS
Speaker: Reva Feldman, Malibu, CA
Speaker: Peggy Merriss, Secretariat, Georgia City/County Management Association, Decatur, GA
Facilitator: Karen Pinkos, City Manager, City of El Cerrito, El Cerrito, CA

Navigating Your Worst Day at Work: Response and Recovery from a Line of Duty Death



Can you prepare for the unthinkable? Are you prepared to handle the media, community and staff response to the loss of life among your staff? Learn about what went well, what didn’t, ways to improve, and move forward from municipal managers who have been there.

MODERATORS & SPEAKERS
Speaker: David Collinsworth, Westerville, OH
Speaker: Christa Dickey, Community Affairs Director, City of Westerville, Westerville, OH
Speaker: Kenneth Filipiak, City Manager, City of Mentor, Mentor, OH
Moderator: Cheryl Hilvert, Montgomery, OH

2020 Census: Building Civic Engagement and Community Networks



San Mateo County, located between San Francisco and San Jose, California, has long been committed to
establishing meaningful relationships with their residents to encourage and enable civic engagement opportunities. The foundation of civic participation and leadership relies on trust built within our communities.  San Mateo
County Manager’s Office of Community Affairs will present a case study illustrating this commitment to civic engagement through their Census 2020 efforts.  The Office collaborates with community-based organizations,
faith groups and local grassroots leaders to empower their residents to stand up for the count and participate in Census 2020.  


MODERATORS & SPEAKERS
Speaker: Emma Gonzalez, Community Affairs Manager / Census Manager , County of San Mateo, Redwood City, CA
Speaker: Megan Gosch, Census Management Analyst, County of San Mateo, Redwood City, CA

Surviving Dysfunctional Councils



How can local government managers make the best out of working with dysfunctional councils? How do you move forward when your council/commission cannot agree, or even get along in many cases?  This roundtable will provide tips and tricks for bringing unity and cooperation to your council.

What Does It Take? Landing Leadership Positions



How can emerging leaders prepare early in their careers to move into top positions? This session will focus on the preferred skills and professional qualities sought by those making hiring decisions, internal and external factors affecting recruitment, and what can be done to assist women and people of color in achieving leadership positions. Cosponsored by the Local Government Hispanic Network and the National Forum for Black Public Administrators. 1, 3, 5.

MODERATORS & SPEAKERS
Speaker: Raymond Gonzales, President, Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation (MDEDC), Denver, CO
Moderator: Claudia Lujan, Human Resources Assistant Director, City of El Paso, El Paso, TX
Speaker: Heidi Voorhees, President, GovHR USA, Northbrook, IL

Decision Making during a Crisis



 On September 13, 2018, the over-pressurization of the low-pressure gas lines in a 5 square mile radius in the Merrimack Valley area of northeastern Massachusetts resulted in more than 130 fires, more than two dozen injuries, and at least one fatality. Learn how Merrimack Valley and the surrounding communities worked together to make critical and time-sensitive decisions to resolve this crisis.

MODERATORS & SPEAKERS
Moderator: Sallie Ann Burnett, Spartanburg, SC
Speaker: Andrew Flanagan, Town Manager, Town of Andover, Andover, MA
Speaker: Andrew Maylor, Vice President, Chief Business Officer, Merrimack College, Peabody, MA

Non-Cash Employee Benefits



Without resorting to new annual appropriations, it’s still possible for local governments to offer benefits to their employees that can assist in recruitment and retention. Explore ways that low-cost policies and programs may be even more effective than pay-stub add-ons.