Covering Local Government Workshop
Contact
Jen MaddenS.C. Press Association
803-750-9561
jmadden@scpress.org
(Originally set for Feb. 13. Rescheduled because of winter storm.)
Good local government reporting is a mainstay of newspaper coverage, yet often reporters don’t have the background to properly understand how municipal government works and where to go for information and stories. Join the S.C. Press Association, the Municipal Association of South Carolina, and the S.C. Broadcasters Association on April 24, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., as we delve into issues related to covering local government bodies.
9:45 – 10 a.m. – Registration
10 – 11:30 – Understanding and reporting on budgets
Difference in types of bonds, property tax cap, annexation
Ed Driggers, Administrator in Greer, and Jeff Shacker, MASC Field Services Manager
11:30 – 11:40 – Break
11:40 – 12:15 p.m. – Municipal Government 101
Forms of government and how that impacts budget matters
Scott Slatton, MASC Legislative and Public Policy Advocate
12:15 – 1 p.m. – Working Lunch/Under-covered stories and MASC resources
Reba Campbell, MASC Deputy Executive Director
1 – 2:20 – Improving local government coverage
Panel of S.C. journalists
2:20 – 2:30 – Break
2:30 – 3:15 – Discussion of Records Retention and FOIA
Carolyn Smith, records and information management analyst, S.C. Department of Archives and History
3:15 – 3:45 – Using Local Government Finance Reports for Comparison
Frank Rainwater, Chief Economist, Budget and Control Board
How to use the numbers in the Local Government Finance Report that cities submit to the Budget and Control Board each year. This compilation of info can be very useful to a reporter trying to decipher through how one city compares to another.
3:45 – 4:00 – Frequently asked questions, Q&A, wrap-up
Reba Campbell, MASC Deputy Executive Director and Bill Rogers, SCPA Executive Director
The cost to attend is $45, which includes lunch. This event is co-sponsored by the S.C. Press Association, Municipal Association of South Carolina and the S.C. Broadcasters Association.
If you need accomodations in order to attend this workshop, we have secured a rate of $109 to stay the night at the Doubletree Hotel. Click here to book a room at this special rate.