A MESSAGE FROM ILG'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | |
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Hello Friends of ILG,
We hope the start of the summer season is filled with celebration and renewal for all of you! The months of May and June are often filled with end of school year activities and graduation celebrations and we send all our friends and families celebrating those milestones our best wishes.
ILG will also be recognizing the end of the school year by wishing our spring intern Clarissa Frias the best on her college and career journey after her ILG internship ends later this month. I sat down with Clarissa to learn more about her personal story as a Modesto native and her perspectives on how the next generation feels about their local governments. Watch our interview here!
The next generation is critical to local government’s future and a key part of ILG’s efforts to improve pathways into public service. In fact, this week, I’m in San Diego with the California Workforce Association presenting at WorkCon 2023 about opportunities to advance registered apprenticeships in the public sector as a way to fill vacancies and expand access.
Diversity and inclusion are year-round values for ILG and we look forward to celebrating Pride Month in June. We are so grateful to all our LGBTQ+ local government leaders who make our communities stronger and more inclusive places to live. We will be celebrating LGBTQ+ local government leaders via our social media this month, so please tag us in your agency's Pride content via Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.
We will also be observing the Juneteenth holiday later this month and our ILG office will be closed in recognition of that new Federal holiday. We encourage you to take time to recognize and commemorate the rich cultural history of Juneteenth in your communities as well. Please feel free to share your local celebrations with us on via social media so we can reflect on and highlight the spirit of freedom and equality across the state.
In the midst of all our celebrations, there is still much work to be done. In early July, I’ll be co-chairing the Braver Angels National Convention in Gettysburg, PA where we’ll elevate the importance of civil discourse and bridging divides at all levels of governing as we work to reduce toxic polarization in our halls of government. Stay tuned for more to details about how elected officials, staff and local jurisdictions can participate in that important partnership.
There is lots more to share. Keep reading below for newly announced webinars and trainings, including an important webinar on the updated open meeting laws and an exciting Leading Local conversation about Artificial Intelligence and local government that you won’t want to miss.
In community,
Erica L. Manuel
CEO & Executive Director
P.S. ILG will be taking a brief summer hiatus for our monthly newsletter, with our next edition publishing in mid-July. We hope you enjoy some rest and recovery over the 4th of July holiday!
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WEBINARS, WORKSHOPS & TRAININGS | |
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Webinar
Keeping Public Meetings Accessible: New Open Meeting Laws for Local Governments
Thursday, June 22, 2023
10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Local governments have been working to stay up to date on teleconferencing requirements for public meetings since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The legal requirements for virtual and hybrid public meetings continue to evolve, particularly since new legal requirements went into effect at the beginning of 2023 (AB 2449). Join ILG, our partner Best Best & Krieger LLP, and your local government colleagues for a discussion of the new landscape of open meeting laws and how local governments are navigating these new parameters in practice.
Speakers
- Ruben Duran, Partner, Best Best & Krieger LLP
- Victoria Hester, Partner and Director of Government Policy & Public Integrity, Best Best & Krieger LLP
- Lisa Pope, City Clerk, City of Vernon
Moderated by Melissa Kuehne, Program Manager, Institute for Local Government.
Free to register. Learn more and sign up today.
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Virtual Planning Commissioner Training
Friday, June 23, 2023
9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
ILG is hosting a virtual planning commissioner training. This session is offered free of charge exclusively for city and county planning commissioners and is designed to benefit both new and seasoned professionals. This session will be hosted via Zoom, and will run from 9:30am to 4:00pm with breaks throughout the day. You must be a current planning commissioner or planning commission staff and pre-registered to attend. Sign up for the virtual training today.
This training series is hosted by ILG in partnership with HCD and Placeworks.
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Webinar
Leading Local: Artificial Intelligence & Local Government
Wednesday, June 28, 2023
10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Artificial Intelligence is changing the way we communicate and approach everyday tasks. But questions abound. What does AI entail? What are the opportunities, risks, benefits and policy implications? How does it actually work?
Join ILG and AI expert John Robichaux for a timely discussion on the opportunities and challenges facing local governments due to the advancement and increased accessibility of AI technologies. This crucial conversation will provide an overview of the basics, while also illustrating how local governments in California can responsibly explore AI tools to help enhance efficiency, improve services, and address critical challenges faced by their communities.
Register today.
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Public Engagement Training for Local Government Leaders
Wednesday, July 26 & Thursday, July 27, 2023
10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. daily
Are you getting the results you want from your public engagement efforts?
Join us for our next T.I.E.R.S. public engagement training! This two-day virtual training will help California local government leaders, staff, and elected officials master equitable public engagement and build trust in their communities. Don't wait to register as the past two T.I.E.R.S. trainings have sold out quickly!
T.I.E.R.S. will help you operationalize your outreach and engagement efforts in a more sustainable and collaborative way and provide you with resources and digital tools necessary to authentically engage your community.
Registration for this comprehensive training is $625. Space is limited. Register by Friday, July 14 to secure your spot.
Learn more and register today.
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In Case You Missed It: Civic Engagement & Gen Z - How to Meaningfully Engage Youth in Local Government Webinar
Learn more about how local governments are engaging the next generation of young leaders via the webinar recording below.
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Western City: What Cities Need to Know About the State’s New Remote Meeting Law
ILG partner Best Best & Krieger LLP discusses the new remote meeting law in this month's edition of Western City Magazine. As COVID-19 concerns have receded, some local agencies are considering making remote or hybrid meetings the new normal due to the flexibility of remote working and remote public participation. Recent changes to the Brown Act — most notably AB 2449 (Rubio, Blanca, 2022)— have given local agencies a new way to conduct hybrid meetings. Read more.
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Gov Tech: How AI Helps State and Local Governments Work Smarter
The digital age demands better speed, efficiency and simplicity in all areas of life. To rise to the occasion, governments have to be more tech savvy and more open-minded to digital transformation. To do so, some governments are turning to new AI technologies. While the term AI might sound ambiguous, its potential and applications are quite concrete. AI can improve mobility, advance education, protect food and water safety, decrease emissions, prevent crime, increase cross-border security and even save lives. Read more.
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PPIC: Metropolitan Water District - "We're the Squirrels of the Water System"
Deven Upadhyay is the assistant general manager and executive officer for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, which provides water to 19 million people. PPIC asked Upadhyay to tell us how Met is managing California’s recent precipitation whiplash—and what future improvements might be in the works. Read more.
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Riverine Stewardship Program Grant Opportunity
The California Department of Water Resources, in coordination with the California Natural Resources Agency, will be accepting proposals for the Instream Flow Water Purchase Program, formerly named the Protecting California’s Rivers, Streams, and Watersheds grant program. Starting May 19, 2023, proposals will be accepted until funds are expended. All documents are submitted using the Department of Water Resources Grants Review and Tracking System (GRanTS), which can be found at: http://www.water.ca.gov/grants/. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis and applicants are urged to submit before 5:00 p.m. PST on October 1, 2023.
Final grant guidelines can be found here.
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BEACON AWARDS FOR CITIES AND COUNTIES | |
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Beacon Award Application for Cities & Counties Due July 7
Cities and counties are invited to apply for Beacon Vanguard, Spotlight, and Leadership & Innovation awards through July 7, 2023.
ILG's Beacon Program helps local agencies understand the actions they can take - from clean energy to efficient transportation, adaptation planning, community engagement, and more - to reduce emissions, save energy, and build resilience. Through Beacon, local agencies gain access to best practices, resources, technical assistance, peer support, and are eligible to earn annual award recognition.
The Beacon Vanguard and Spotlight awards recognize voluntary actions of cities and counties to undertake climate and sustainability programming. Agencies that earn an award in each of the five Spotlight categories will receive the Beacon Vanguard award. The Spotlight categories are:
- Agency GHG Reductions
- Community GHG reductions
- Agency Electricity Savings
- Agency Natural Gas Savings
- Sustainability Best Practices
Learn more about each category and what data to submit for award consideration.
The Beacon Leadership and Innovation awards celebrate the efforts of cities, counties and special districts to implement collaborative, inclusive, and equitable climate resilience and adaptation programming in their communities.
Whether your agency is a Beacon participant or not, you are invited to submit an innovative project, program, plan, or policy your agency has implemented for Leadership and Innovation award consideration in the following categories:
- Leadership in Climate Resilience and Adaptation
- Equity and Engagement in Climate Resilience and Adaptation
- Cross-Agency Collaboration in Climate Resilience and Adaptation
- Innovation in Energy
- Innovation in Clean Transportation
Learn more and apply today. For questions, contact Nikita Sinha at nsinha@ca-ilg.org
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ILG does important work in support of local governments, but we could not provide the education, training, consultation and resources to our local agencies without the steadfast support of our corporate partners.
This month’s featured partner is Best Best & Krieger LLP (BBK):
Trusted Partners and Strategists - these are the attorneys of Best Best & Krieger LLP (BBK), a national, full-service law firm focused on addressing the complex, multi-disciplinary issues faced by municipal, environment, business, public finance, public agency, business and private clients.
Among its many services, BBK provides thought leadership and insight on legal issues and trending topics of interest to local governments regarding regulatory decisions impacting their agencies. It is a privilege to be able to partner with organizations like ILG to serve as trusted counsel to address multi-disciplinary issues and the regulatory challenges ILG members may face. BBK offers a variety of resources and industry knowledge, visit https://bbklaw.com/resources for more information.
Read more from BBK in this month's edition of Western City Magazine discussing AB 2449, California's new remote meeting law, and its impacts on local governments.
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Are You Ready to Govern?
The voters have spoken and you were elected to meet the challenges faced by your district and its constituents. While you may be ready to dig deep on district issues, public officials also must comply with laws that set standards for transparency and accountability. Open meeting laws, ethics training, and the Political Reform Act are just a few of the laws that elected officials must navigate. As governance becomes more complex, the Brown Act has been amended in the last several years to adapt to the new conditions that elected officials face. Below are some noteworthy provisions to help you become more knowledgeable about the new fundamentals of governing. Read more.
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Wildfire Preparedness: Ready or Not?
Edison International sponsors children’s plays at schools across SCE’s service area, teaching how to be ready for a wildfire. Quirky characters bounded onto the stage in front of an auditorium full of students. Their goal: getting kids like Henry, a fourth grader at Dixie Canyon Elementary School in Sherman Oaks, excited about wildfire preparedness. At the “Ready or Not: Preparing for Wildfires” play, sponsored by Edison International and put on by the National Theatre for Children, a team of two actors taught students wildfire safety lessons through an interactive production. Read more.
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On-Demand Training: Understanding the Roles and Responsibilities of Public Employees
Check out LCW's on-demand presentation designed to provide an overview of what it means to be a public employee, the important role of a public servant and how to succeed in public service. Participants will receive an acknowledgement of completion for their records upon completion, which can be forwarded to an organizational administrator. Learn more.
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Who Owns What? CivicPlus vs. Granicus
CivicPlus and Granicus are both companies that offer technology solutions for government organizations. Founded only one year apart, ‘98 and ‘99 respectively, the two companies have grown substantially– specifically over the past decade. In terms of specific tools and software, CivicPlus offers a broader range of products, whereas Granicus offers a more focused suite of tools that are geared specifically toward government organizations. Both companies have a strong presence in the government technology space, and their products are used by a large number of local and state governments across the United States. Read more.
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ILG is the nonprofit training and education affiliate of the League of California Cities, the California State Association of Counties and the California Special Districts Association. | |
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Cal Cities Advocacy Update on Priority Legislation
Tuesday, June 6, 2023
10:00-11:30 a.m.
Join the League of California Cities' legislative team for a briefing on major bills and budget asks cities should advocate for during June. Cal Cities' lobbyists will provide detailed information on key bills pending in the Legislature, including measures related to local land use authority and housing, homelessness, environmental quality, public safety, transportation, governance, and the state budget.
Registration must be completed by noon on June 5, 2023. This webinar is complimentary to Cal Cities Members and Cal Cities Partners. Nonmember cities and other government entities will be charged $150. Please note that registration is limited to 1,000 people.
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General Manager Leadership Summit
June 25-27, 2023
Everline Resort & Spa
400 Squaw Creek Rd, Olympic Valley, CA
The General Manager Leadership Summit offers fantastic networking and professional development opportunities for special district general managers and other management staff from districts of all types and sizes throughout California.
Come together with others facing the same challenges and opportunities, learn from expert instructors, and return to your district refreshed and reenergized. Consider sending an emerging leader from your district to this conference – it could be the first step in preparing our next generation of special district general managers.
ILG CEO & Executive Director Erica Manuel will also be moderating a panel on Adaptive Leadership at the Summit.
Learn more and register today.
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Registration Open for CSAC Institute's Spring Courses
Check out the CSAC Institute's upcoming spring courses. Courses are held over Zoom and in-person at county campuses.
CSAC Institute courses are designed specifically to meet the life-long learning and professional development essentials for:
- County Supervisors and Elected Department Heads
- County Executives, Department Directors and other Senior Executives
- Managers and other Senior County Staff
- Emerging Leaders
CSAC William “Bill” Chiat Institute for Excellence in County Government is a professional, practical continuing education program for senior county staff and elected officials. Its goal is to expand capacity and capability of county elected officials and senior staff to provide extraordinary services to their communities. The Institute was established in 2008 and is a component of the California Counties Foundation, Inc. and the California State Association of Counties (CSAC). Nearly 6,000 county staff and elected officials have taken courses.
Learn more and register today.
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