News from the Institute for Local Government
January 2022
A Message From ILG's CEO & Executive Director

The Institute for Local Government has launched a new monthly video message from CEO and Executive Director Erica L. Manuel. Check it out here!
ANNOUNCING ILG'S 2022 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
ILG is led by a board of directors that is committed to our core values of collaboration, service, commitment, equity, inclusion and trust. These leaders are staunch advocates for the public sector and are an excellent example of good governance at the local level.
 
We’re excited to welcome four new board members and announce new board leadership in 2022.

2022 Board Leadership
  • Chair – Teresa Acosta, Councilmember, City of Carlsbad (pictured) 
  • Vice Chair & Governance Chair – Brett Channing, Deputy City Manager, City of Lake Forest 
  • Secretary/Treasurer – Lydia Romero, City Manager, City of Lemon Grove 
  • Advancement Chair – Nat Rojanasathira, Assistant City Manager, City of Monterey 
  • Marketing Chair – Virginia Bass, Supervisor, Humboldt County  

New Board Members
  • Don Bartz, Phelan Pinon Hills Community Services District
  • Ruben Duran, Best, Best & Krieger
  • Judith Mitchell, City Manager (Retired)
  • Blanca Pacheco, Mayor Pro Tem, City of Downey
 
IN THE NEWS
Western City Magazine: Steps for Reducing Negative Discourse and Incivility in Public Meetings
By Melissa Kuehne, Senior Program Manager, Institute for Local Government

According to a recent report from the National League of Cities, more than 80% of local government officials have experienced some form of harassment, abuse or violence while in office. That same report states that 87% of public officials have observed an increase in such behavior, with many noting a dramatic increase since the beginning of the pandemic.

Representative participation and open and transparent meetings are the foundation of our democracy. If left unchecked, this increased vitriol and incivility threaten to weaken that foundation. This leaves many local officials and staff asking the same question: “How do we maintain public access and participation while ensuring the safety of elected officials, staff, and community members?”
This article is part of ILG’s Leadership & Governance pillar. This pillar of work helps local government leaders build a foundation of trust, accountability, responsiveness and transparency by sharing thought leadership, tools and resources for developing leadership skills, modeling ethical behavior, operating with civility and decorum and increasing public trust.

ILG’s Leadership & Governance team offers free educational webinars and a wide variety of virtual and in-person trainings, facilitated discussions and workshops on topics ranging from:
  • Effective Leadership & Culture 
  • Civility & Bridging Divides 
  • Effective Councils & Boards 
  • Personal & Organizational Ethics (AB 1234) 
  • Anti-Harassment Training (AB 1661) 
  • Good Governance 
  • Roles & Responsibilities of Elected Officials vs. Staff 
CaliforniaCityNews.org: Paramount Earns Gold-Level Energy Action Award

For nearly three decades, the City of Paramount has taken huge strides to save energy and help the environment. This history of eco-friendly actions has been recognized by a variety of organizations including the Institute for Local Government where Paramount was one of only ten cities in the State, and the only one in the L.A. area, to be invited to join their BOOST program to create a framework for sustainable community planning.
This article highlights one of ILG's programs in the Sustainability & Equity pillar. All Californians deserve to live in communities where they can have access to clean air and water, clean transportation, affordable housing and economic opportunity. Yet many communities across the state lack the staff capacity and resources to develop projects and secure funding to make this a reality for their residents. To help address this need, ILG partnered with the California Strategic Growth Council (SGC) on the BOOST Program to help local governments across the state build capacity to address those needs. 

Learn more about the BOOST Program and its successes at ca-ilg.org.
NOMINATE A CHAMPION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT!
Team ILG wants to celebrate your good work!

What better way to start out the new year than recognizing our champions of local government? 
 
Starting in February, the ILG team will be collecting nominations for outstanding leaders in public service. Nominations can include anyone working in one of California's cities, counties or special districts – from staff to elected or appointed officials.
 
Help us celebrate your good work in the areas of: Leadership & Governance, Public Engagement, Sustainable & Resilient Communities and Workforce & Civics Education.
 
Throughout the year, we will highlight your nominees in social media posts, future newsletters and on our website.
 
As further incentive, if you submit a nomination, you’ll be entered to win a free registration to an upcoming ILG training (valued at up to $1,000).
EDUCATION & TRAININGS
Tell us what you need. We are actively planning our education and training programs for 2022. Fill out this short survey and tell us what topics you’d like us to cover so we can deliver relevant and timely content for our local government staff and leaders.
 
As an incentive, everyone who completes a survey will also be entered to win a free registration to an upcoming ILG training (valued at up to $1,000).
ILG AFFILIATE NEWS
ILG is proud to be the non-profit training and education affiliate of Cal Cities, the California State Association of Counties and the California Special Districts Association.
Emergency Preparedness Summit 2022
9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Join renowned industry experts and faculty from USC’s Price School of Public Policy to learn how to bridge the gap between theoretical learning and real-life experience. Key topics covered during the summit will include:
  • Cybersecurity
  • Infrastructure and Funding
  • Economics of a Disaster
  • Disaster Management Planning
  • Earthquake Resilience 
 
FREE to attend. 
 
This event is hosted by CSDA and sponsored by ILG Partner Southern California Edison.
 
Cal Cities Planning Commissioners Academy
San Ramon, CA

Join the League of California Cities for three days of in-person educational sessions and peer-to-peer networking at the 2022 Planning Commissioners Academy, taking place March 16–18, 2022 at the San Ramon Marriott.
 
Designed for new and seasoned planning commissioners alike, this conference will provide you with information about the roles and responsibilities of a planning commissioner, offer a review of legal and practical policies and practices, and foster relationships with fellow planning commissioners. Now more than ever, the opportunity to learn from and network with each other provides invaluable support. 

The ILG team will be hosting sessions on ethics trainings and providing online resources for planning commissions.

And stay tuned for an all-new edition of our popular Planning Commissioners Handbook, coming soon!
Registration Now Open for the CSAC Institute’s Summer-Fall Courses!
Enroll Today!

All courses offered will be held online via Zoom. Register today! More classes will be added throughout the semester. Course topics include:

  • Manage Conflict (Even Hostility) in Comfort
  • Strategic Planning: Crafting and Leading Planning Processes
  • Inclusive Leadership: Developing the Bench
  • Working with High-Risk & Vulnerable Populations
  • Initiating, Navigating and Negotiating the Dynamics of Change in County Government
FOLLOW ILG ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Follow ILG for the latest information and insights about California cities, counties and special districts. Get unique tools, tips and resources specifically for staff and elected officials in local government!
NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS
CONFERENCE: 2022 Public Sector Employment Law
February 3-4

There's still time to register for the 2022 LCW Conference in San Francisco! LCW's annual Public Sector Employment Law Conference is California's premier public sector employment and labor relations educational event. Learn more and register here.
WEBINAR: COVID After Action Report Webinar
February 25
10:00 a.m.

Connect Consulting Services will share a unique After-Action process that helps organizations evaluate the business process changes made throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic and document the lessons learned to update business resiliency plans. Learn more and register here.
LEGAL ALERT: Large Number of Responsive Public Records Not Necessarily Burdensome

A recent court decision determined that a Public Records Act (“PRA”) request that required a public agency to review over 40,000 emails from specified email addresses was not overly burdensome because the emails requested were easy to locate and not claimed to be privileged. Read more.
ARTICLE: Translation Best Practices for Local Government Agencies

In a diverse state such as California, public agencies usually have to consider providing crucial information in languages other than just English. By providing language access to residents or constituents, public agencies ensure important information is reaching all community groups. Read more.
CASE STUDY: Business Tax Discovery and Compliance 

The Cities of West Covina and San Mateo contracted with HdL to assist with business tax revenue. This case study shows how HdL increased revenue while avoiding tax increases, implemented online services, created equity amongst taxpayers and how the agencies utilized the additional revenue. Read more and download the case study here.
ARTICLE: Streetlight Upgrades Improve Safety, Save Energy and Money

Streetlights are often taken for granted. While they play a pivotal role in our everyday lives, we don’t often think about how they are maintained or, more importantly, how they can be improved. Southern California Edison’s streetlight upgrade program shines a light on the importance of these essential fixtures, boosting their performance while saving customers money. Read more.
2022 Coaching Program and Webinars Announced 

ICMA's 2022 Coaching Program, including the upcoming line-up and schedule of the new webinars, is out. Local government employees can participate individually or better yet as a team. Get a one-to-one coach via CoachConnect, the online registry of coaches or receive the monthly Career Compass advice columns—all without charge. Participants need not be ICMA members. Download the flyer here.
LEGAL ALERT: In With the New – Part One

There are a number of important new laws related to California’s Housing Plan reporting, affordable housing, density bonus, housing element and more. BBK's attorneys published an alert with key takeaways and analysis. Read more.
Professional Certificate in
Public Engagement For
Local Government

The Davenport Institute’s virtual Certificate Program in Public Engagement for Local Government is a 6-week online training for mid-career professionals. It is a one-of-a-kind program designed to give local government leaders the tools they need to engage the full diversity of their community in decisions that impact people where they live and work. There will be 3 cohorts offered in 2022 and applications are open for all of them. The first cohort begins February 22nd. Learn more and apply here.