Assemble the Minions! On behalf of the Conference Planning Committee, I am honored to invite you to the 78th Annual MCFOA Conference. We are excited to announce that the venue for the 2015 conference has changed. This year we are assembling at the Treasure Island Conference and Event Center in Welch, Minnesota. This year’s theme, “Clerks are one in a minion,” celebrates the unique abilities shared by Minnesota clerks. The planning committee hopes to mix in a little fun as you hone your skills, broaden your knowledge base, and grow your network of peers. We have excellent educational sessions planned, including more pre-conference options than ever. On Tuesday, March 17, there will be a full-day Creative Thinking Workshop along with three halfday sessions: Google Forms & Apps for Clerks; Adobe Professional XI; and How to Plan Your City’s C.I.P. Everyone knows minions love to chillax and mingle. We invite you to do just that: please join President Eckerly at the Minion Mingle on Tuesday evening followed by dancing (boogie down) and cash bar in the Parlay Lounge. Internationally acclaimed presenter Michelle Ray is our keynote speaker Wednesday and Thursday. She is sure to motivate you to take the initiative to develop unwavering confidence and rise to the challenges of managing change and uncertainty. Michelle will give you ideas on how to become a more effective leader while maintaining a sense of balance and humor. We’ve packed every bank of concurrent sessions full of classes to enhance all aspects of your duties, from “Financial Management for the Overwhelmed” to “Presentation Skills-No One Has the Right to be Boring.” Build onto your skill set to become “one in a minion.” Wednesday night, you won’t want to miss the Minion Mixer featuring a regional bowling competition. There will be something for everyone from bowling and arcade games to food and a cash bar. Come cheer your favorite region to victory. What minion doesn’t love a little friendly competition! Plan to stop by and check out the vendor exhibits and silent auction on Thursday. Thursday night’s reception and banquet will be followed by a performance of Song Blast featuring dueling guitars. Prepare to be entertained and amazed! For even more minion mayhem, there’s the post-banquet dance with our favorite DJ from St. Cloud. Karen Susman will be the closing speaker you won’t want to miss. Her lively program, “How’s Your Laugh Life? Humor, Health and High Productivity,” will help you look at your work and home life with fresh eyes, strengthen and reward teams, and boost your creativity and vitality. You will discover 17 ways to easily and appropriately lighten up at work. The Planning Committee encourages you to “assemble” in Welch for an education-packed conference! Terri Boese, Planning Committee Chair Special Features Location/Accommodations A truly unique conference experience awaits attendees at this year’s event! Treasure Island Conference and Event Center offers the finest amenities for meetings and tradeshows with its 50,000 square feet of smoke-free, elegant, and functional meeting space. The Center is located in Welch, Minnesota (5734 Sturgeon Lake Road), which is just 40 miles from Minneapolis and St. Paul and just 15 minutes from Red Wing. Free parking is available with complimentary valet services. The Center is directly connected to a luxury hotel with 480 rooms, each with a flat screen TV and complimentary Wi-Fi. Other hotel amenities include: indoor pool, hot tubs, complete fitness center, nine distinct dining locations and a gift shop featuring many special Native American items. The Center is holding a block of sleeping rooms for the nights of March 16-20 at the special rate of $69/night + tax (single or double occupancy). Those needing rooms should complete/return the reservation form (available on the conference web site) OR contact the Event Center directly at [email protected] or 1-800-2227077 to make reservations. The block will be held until February 23, 2015 or until they are sold out. Rooms reserved after February 23 will be available at prevailing rates. Optional Tuesday Workshops This year’s conference includes several training events on March 17th that are guaranteed to meet the needs and learning styles of virtually every event attendee! Registrants can choose from three half-day morning or afternoon workshops or one full-day “creative thinking” workshop direct from IIMC’s nationally-recognized Athenian Dialogue series. Registration fees range from $45-100/person (see registration fee section of this brochure). There is even an opportunity for individuals not attending the Wednesday-Friday conference to register (at a slightly higher fee) for any of these events! CMC/MMC Points This year’s education-rich conference provides more sessions eligible for CMC/MMC credit than ever! Even the general sessions provide opportunity to get IIMC points for your learning! Attendees have the opportunity to earn up to 24 hours and 6 credits for conference attendance. Continuing Education Credits The conference carries 3.12 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) through St. Cloud State University (SCSU). The CEU is defined as 10 contact hours of participation in an organized continuing education experience under responsible sponsorship, capable direction, and qualified instruction. Conference CEUs will be on record with SCSU. Certificates of completion will be sent electronically after the conference to all those requesting credit at the time of their registration. NOTES: The cost for CEU credit is borne by MCFOA as part of the overall conference budget. While it is pleased to provide this service to its members, MCFOA requests that registrants apply for them only if such credits play a role in their ongoing education plans. A Social Security number must be provided to obtain this credit. President’s Reception MCFOA President Renee Eckerly invites all registrants to participate in the Tuesday evening President’s Reception. This event will provide those in attendance with an opportunity to network with other attendees AND partake in some delectable hors d’oeuvres. Cash bars will also be available. A special thanks to St. Cloud State University, the Reception Sponsor! Bowling Mixer The traditional conference Wednesday night mixer will be held in the Center’s spectacular 24-lane bowling alley, sponsored by Crabtree Companies. Refreshments and cash bars will be available. MCFOA Entertainment Committee member Britt See-Benes (Region II Assistant VP) is currently working on assembling bowling teams (individuals and regional). To sign up to bowl at this mixer, contact Britt directly ([email protected] or 218-229-2614). Sign up as either a team or an individual (individuals will be placed on teams)! Thursday Entertainment Entertainment will abound on Thursday night, starting with the annual banquet. After a reception and a delectable dinner, participants will settle back to enjoy a performance of SongBlast, one of the region’s premiere acts. Two interactive dueling guitars deliver a fun, nonoffensive stream of songs from yesterday and today. Pat Balder and Glen Everhart will bring their consummate stage professionalism and high-energy performance to this year’s conference. This dynamic duo is sure to please even the most discriminating MCFOA’er. Finishing off the evening will be an opportunity for all to put on their dancing shoes or just sit back and enjoy the music spun by DJ’s from Coopshow Productions — an MCFOA favorite! Exhibit Show Thursday at the conference brings the Exhibit show, with vendors from around the country showcasing their products and services to make your lives as Clerks and Finance Officers easier and more efficient. Their offerings may make a big difference in your daily work lives, and their support of the conference keeps your attendance costs as low as possible. We have additional space this year for more exhibits, and we hope you visit them all! Silent Auction The ever-popular Silent Auction will take place again this year. Take some time to view and bid on items donated by clerks and finance officers from throughout the state, as well as items from our generous sponsors and exhibitors. Proceeds from the auction support the Association’s training and scholarship programs. Regional Networking Regional meetings are back by popular demand this year on Wednesday. Please remember to wear you region’s color! Instructional Materials Once again the conference will be “binderless.” Attendees will be provided onsite with a flash drive containing handouts from all general and concurrent sessions. Prior to the conference all registrants will receive a password-protected link to the GTS website pages containing all session handouts. Having this code several weeks before the event will allow attendees to print out materials (or load to their personal device) in advance for use during the conference. Registration Information Fees The MCFOA member rates are $220/person (if registered by 2/9/15) or $240 (if registered after 2/9/15). To qualify for these rates, individuals must be current, paid members of MCFOA. The non-member rates are $270/person (if registered by 2/9/15) or $290 (if registered after 2/9/15). To determine membership status, contact Angie Storlie (MCFOA Administrative Assistant) at [email protected] or 218-743-3782. Special rates are available to those who have never attended a conference (regardless of the date of registration). These rates are: $200 for Association Members and $255 for Non-Members. All above fees include tuition for Wednesday-Friday, instructional materials, one reception, bowling mixer, two lunches, one banquet, two breakfasts, and all refreshment breaks. MCFOA retirees can register at a special rate of $140. To be eligible for this reduced rate, they must not be employed by or under contract with a Minnesota community. This fee includes tuition for Wednesday-Friday, instructional materials, one reception, bowling mixer, two lunches, two breakfasts, and all refreshment breaks. Tickets for the Thursday evening banquet ($40 each) must be purchased separately. Registration fees for all Tuesday optional workshops are in addition to the overall Conference amounts. 1. If you are registering for the Wednesday-Friday conference, the following fees (regardless of registration date) for the optional Tuesday Workshops are: • Full-day “Creative Thinking” workshop — $100/person (lunch included) • Morning or afternoon half-day workshops — $45/person each (no lunch) 2. If you are NOT registering for the Wednesday-Friday conference, the following fees (regardless of registration date) for the optional Tuesday Workshops are: • Full-day “Creative Thinking” workshop — $110/person (lunch included) • Morning or afternoon half-day workshops — $55/person each (no lunch) Extra banquet tickets for Thursday evening are available for $40 each and can be purchased as part of the conference registration process. (Note: One banquet ticket is included in each FULL conference registration fee.) Registration Online registration (available at www.mngts.org/MCFOA) is the standard registration method. The system accommodates group registrations from the same organization, allows payment via all major credit cards, and provides an immediate registration confirmation. Invoices can also be printed or emailed for future payment via purchase order and check. If online registration is not possible, you may also register by downloading a paper form off the GTS website (www.mngts.org/ MCFOA) and returning it via U.S. mail (GTS Educational Events, 2233 University Avenue, Suite 150, St. Paul, MN 55114) or fax (651-223-5307). Registrations must be received no later than March 2, 2015 to ensure that all onsite instructional materials can be provided. Approximately one week before the conference, registrants will receive a final electronic confirmation ONLY if an email address was provided! Cancellations/Refunds Fees will be refunded (less a $20 service fee) only if cancellation notification is received via email ([email protected]) by March 3, 2015. If you do not cancel your registration and do not attend, you are responsible for payment of the entire applicable fee. Should inclement weather (or other circumstances beyond our control) necessitate program cancellation or postponement, notification will be posted on the WCCO web sites (www.WCCO.com under the School Closings tab and www.830wcco.com). For Further Information Registration Questions: Kim Wielinski — [email protected] x200 Program Questions: Carol Schoeneck — [email protected] x205 GTS Educational Events — www.mngts.org 2233 University Avenue W., Suite 150, St. Paul, Minnesota 55114 651-222-7409 (Twin Cities) 800-569-6882 (Greater Minnesota) 651-223-5307 (fax) Agenda TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2015 THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015 8:00-9:00 am Full Day and Morning Workshops Check-in 8:00 am Sit-Down Breakfast MCFOA Business Meeting, Oath of Office 9:15 GENERAL SESSION: No More Drama! How to Build High Engagement, High Morale and a Happier Workplace 10:30 Refreshment Break in Exhibit Area Silent Auction Opens (Exhibits Open until 4:00 pm) 8:30-11:30 half-day workshop: Google Forms & Apps Especially for Clerks 9:00-4:30 full-day workshop: of the People Creative Thinking Workshop: An Enemy 12:30-1:00 pm Afternoon Sessions Check-in 1:00-4:30 half-day workshop: How to Plan Your City’s C.I.P. and Equipment Replacement 1:00 –4:30 half-day workshop: 5:00-8:00 Onsite Conference Check-In 6:30-8:00 President’s Reception: Minion Mingle 8:00 Dancing & Cash Bars in the Parlay Lounge (open to public) XI for Clerks Technology Training: Adobe Professional 11:15 CONCURRENT SESSIONS III (choose one) 11. Don’t Get Tripped Up by Affordable Care Act Administration 12. Property Taxes Made Simple 13. Positive Social Media Solutions for Cities 14. Adventures in Collaborative Leadership Skills 15. Financing Tools for Your City 12:30 pm Lunch in the Exhibit Area 1:45 CONCURRENT SESSIONS IV (choose one) 16. Presentation Skills: No One Has the Right to 8:00 am Onsite Conference Check-In and Be Boring Continental Breakfast 17. TIF & Tax Abatement for Dummies 18. The Perils of e-Data and e-Discovery: Avoiding 9:00 Welcome and Presentation of Colors Technology Pitfalls and Knowing Where to Look 9:15 KEYNOTE ADDRESS: for the Data It’s Time to Take the Lead: How to Build Outstanding 19. Succession Planning for Clerks Internal and External Business Relationships 20. Liquor Licensing 101 for Clerks 10:15Break 3:00 Refreshment Break in Exhibit Area WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2015 10:45 CONCURRENT SESSIONS I (choose one) 1. Financial Management Tools for the Overwhelmed 2. Why Good People Become Bad Bosses — And How to Work with Them 3. Document Imaging for Clerks 4. MMMM-What?! IIMC Certification and Professional Advancement for Clerks 5. Natural Disasters: The Clerk’s Role (Especially for Small Cities) 12:00 noon Lunch MCMC & CMC Recognition Awards 1:15 pm GENERAL SESSION: Focus on Your Region 2:15Break 2:30 CONCURRENT SESSIONS II (choose one) 6. Property Nuisances & Hoarder Properties 7. Increase Your Engagement and Create a Positive Work Environment 8. GIS: Bringing It All Together 9. Classification, Compensation and the Minnesota Local Government Pay Equity Act 10. Credit Card Security and PCI Compliance 3:45-6:00 Free Time 6:00-8:00“Minion Mixer” with Regional Bowling, Arcade, Food, and Cash Bars 4:00 Exhibits Close Silent Auction Closes - Winners Pay/Pick Up Merchandise 4:00 Free Time 6:00Reception 7:00 Banquet and Entertainment 9:00 Dance with DJ FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2015 8:30 am Breakfast, Check-out and CEU Certificate Pick-up 9:00 FINALE GENERAL SESSION: How’s Your Laugh Life? Humor, Health and High Productivity 11:15Adjourn General Sessions WEDNESDAY KEYNOTE ADDRESS It’s Time to take the Lead: How to Build Outstanding Internal and External Business Relationships cmc/mmc 1 hour THURSDAY KEYNOTE ADDRESS No More Drama! How to Build High Engagement, High Morale and a Happier Workplace cmc/mmc 1.25 hours Michelle Ray, Leadership Expert, Author and Founder, Lead Yourself First Institute Michelle Ray, Leadership Expert, Author and Founder, Lead Yourself First Institute Successful business outcomes require a collaborative team spirit at work. The collective efforts of all lead to increased creativity, motivation, high morale and low turnover. In this interactive workshop session, the concept of personal leadership will be reinforced with an emphasis on building and sustaining successful business relationships both internally and externally. PEOPLE challenges have consequences for your organization and your bottom line. Many individuals are working longer hours, spending more time with co-workers than their own families. Stress levels have accelerated as organizations of every description feel the pressure of delivering results in less time, with fewer resources. Teams are expected to be efficient, engaged and happy. As local government professionals, we have the opportunity to profoundly affect the connection between local officials, staff and others within your city by being the best version of ourselves. In addition, teams flourish in an atmosphere of camaraderie and respect, fostering a deeper commitment to service excellence and ultimately strengthening relationships with our citizens. In this content-rich, fun and informative workshop, attendees will have the opportunity to re-energize and re-commit to service excellence as municipal clerks and finance officers. They will learn to network and learn specific tools to take the lead and to build trust, collaboration and co-operation in order to achieve tangible, long-term results. WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON SESSION Focus on Your Region Members of each state region will gather after lunch. Your region’s leaders have planned region-appropriate sessions. See full descriptions elsewhere in this brochure. SHOW MCFOA SPIRT BY WEARING YOUR REGIONAL COLORS ON WEDNESDAY! Your VP’s have selected colors for each region. These colors will help new attendees and VP’s find each other at the special regional lunch on Wednesday. They will add color, show regional pride, and facilitate regional networking. Colors are: Region 1 – Red Region 2 – White Region 3 – Purple Region 4 – Blue Region 5 – Green Region 6 – Black However, the demands of today’s workplace often take a toll on the most important resource of all…your people. Under these conditions, it is not uncommon for drama and chaos to reign. Is your office equipped to deal with personality clashes, emotional explosions, “my way or the highway” mindsets, and other theatrics that undermine productivity and success? Are you ready to manage the high cost of low morale? Delivered with humor and insight, this exciting session offers practical solutions to the most common office problems…helping your audience put a stop to the drama…once and for all. FRIDAY KEYNOTE ADDRESS How’s Your Laugh Life? Humor, Health, and High Productivity cmc/mmc 1.25 hours Karen Susman, Speaker/Author/Coach Karen Susman and Associates Medical research shows a positive correlation between humor and emotional and physical health. Research also shows a positive correlation between laughter, attitude and productivity. Discover ways to add fun to your work and home life. Learn how humor boosts your health and your bottom line. Your co-workers will thank you; your constituents will smile; your family will rejoice; your dog — well, your dog loves you no matter what. This lively program will help you: • • • • • Look at your work and home life with fresh eyes Strengthen and reward teams Shift attitudes, smooth conflict, boost creativity and vitality Create a portable humor kit Discover 17 ways to easily and appropriately lighten up at work Plus, learn a few laughter yoga moves that will energize and relax you. Guarantee: You’ll leave the session healthier than when you entered. This session will be a terrific finish to the 2015 conference Tuesday Pre-Conference Workshops half-day morning: cmc/mmc Tuesday, 8:30 - 11:30 am 2.75 hours Google Forms & Apps Especially for Clerks* Linda Muchow, Alexandria Technical & Community College Customized Training Center Learn how to use Google Drive, Google Docs, and Google Sheets; how to share files and work on them collaboratively; and how to use Google Forms. We will cover how to upload Excel and Word files, convert them to Google Docs and Google Sheets files, and do the reverse. Please set up a Google account prior to attending this course. You can do that by using this site: https://accounts.google. com/SignUp. This will create a Gmail account and your Google Drive account, which will give you access to all of the Google Apps! Please make sure to bring your username and password with you to class! full-day: Tuesday, 9:00 am - 4:30 pm cmc/mmc 6 hours Creative Thinking Workshop: An Enemy of the People Susan M. Frost, Associate Lecturer – Humanistic Studies, University of Wisconsin – Green Bay When everyone is right, when everyone is wrong, when you hit gridlock, how do you find vision? This workshop in creative thinking uses Henrik Ibsen’s play, An Enemy of the People, as a platform for discussion. In the play, Ibsen pits four institutions of society against each other: business, government, media and science, and in doing so, creates a fascinating problemsolving setting. Participants will examine the dynamics of the major impasse. Topics covered will include: • Listening as a tool in negotiating, management, and customer service • Critical thinking and analysis • Empathy as a tool in customer / citizen problem resolution An exciting approach to learning, the workshop offers new insights into ways to effectively move projects and communities forward. Problem solving, empathy and understanding yield communication and productive solutions half-day afternoon: Tuesday, 1:00 - 4:30 pm cmc/mmc 3.5 hours How to Plan Your City’s C.I.P. and Equipment Replacement Tammy Omdal, Senior Vice President, Northland Securities, Inc. Facilities, infrastructure and equipment represent significant investments for every city. A capital improvements plan (CIP) is a valuable tool for managing limited financial resources and meeting important capital investment needs. A CIP is both a process and an outcome. The process requires a community to look into the future, identify major investments, explore funding alternatives, and reach consensus on a course of action. The outcome is a framework for managing the financial implications of capital improvements. This approach allows the city to prepare for the significant investments rather than react only to next year’s budget. Attendees will come out of this session confident in how to embrace the capital improvement planning (CIP) process - where to begin, policy considerations and other requirements, how the CIP can be an effective planning tool, how best to communicate the CIP to others, and how to manage the CIP. half-day afternoon: cmc/mmc Tuesday, 1:00 - 4:30 pm 3.5 hours Technology Training: Adobe Professional XI for Clerks* Linda Muchow, Alexandria Technical & Community College Customized Training Center This hands-on course will cover the basics of working with PDFs, including how to create, combine, edit and export documents. We will cover how to create a file in a Microsoft product and publish a PDF from that file. Learn how to set your own bookmarks and hyperlinks. Finally, we will take a look at how to create interactive forms. NOTE: If you are bringing your own laptop you MUST have the full version of Adobe Professional XI. Adobe Reader will NOT work. You can download a free 30-day trail of Adobe Professional XI online at: https://www.acrobat.com/en_us/free-trial-download.html This MUST be done prior to attending class. * NOTE: A limited number of laptops will be available — indicate your need when registering. You will be notified if your request cannot be accommodated. If you are bringing your own laptop, be sure to have a power cord! Concurrent Sessions I: 1 cmc/mmc Financial Management Tools for the 1.25 hours Overwhelmed Jean McGann, President, AEM Financial Solutions, LLC Are you spending more time managing your financial information than achieving your goals? Does your council ask for more information than you have the time to produce? This session is designed to show different ways to manage and present financial information and explain your city’s financial position to your council and other stakeholders. With these tools at your disposal, you will have more time to focus on the goals and objectives of the city you serve. Takeaways: • Key information to have at your fingertips • Key performance indicators • Reporting dashboards • Process improvement techniques • Resources to help get you on track • How to collaborate with consultants and advisors 2 Why Good People Become Bad Bosses — And How to Work with Them Denise Moreland, Manager, Author cmc/mmc 1.25 hours Have you ever known someone who was a great co-worker but seemed to undergo a personality change (for the worse) when they became a supervisor? This workshop will examine why this happens, and more importantly, what you can do to deal with a bad boss or be a better boss yourself. Come learn how to: • Understand workplace culture and how it affects relationships between supervisors and employees • How to reduce workplace drama and frustration • How to promote a positive work environment • How to help your boss be more successful so that you can be too 3 cmc/mmc Document Imaging for Clerks 1.25 hours Amy Domeier, City Clerk, Hopkins Clay Baer, Solutions Manager, Crabtree Companies Inc. If you are looking for better ways to properly manage organizational records, you have probably discovered Imaging or ECM (Enterprise Content Management). So how can you identify which records management solution makes sense for your city? The answer lies in understanding your current technology and compliance environment as well as records management software itself to identify musthave and nice-to-have features. You will leave this class with that understanding. 4 MMMM — What?! Linda Rappe and Anne Uecker, IIMC Region VI Co-Directors Confused about certification processes? Join us for a hands-on session to help you understand how to get IIMC certified, how to get M3C certified, and how to advance professionally as a clerk. Bring your transcripts and any forms you have, and we will help you work on application paperwork. In this session, we will: describe the differences between MCMC, CMC, M3C and MMC; address M3C versus MMC certification; discuss letters of recommendation; and answer your questions about professional advancement as a clerk. Bring your certification materials with you, and we can help you fill out your certification paperwork. We will have the blank certification forms available for all certifications. Wednesday, 10:45-12:00 noon 5 Natural Disasters: The Clerk’s Role Scott Gerber, Fire Chief, Excelsior Fire District cmc/mmc 1.25 hours How can your small city be prepared before the disaster comes to town? What do you, as the city clerk, do when it does? This session will provide an overview of the emergency management system in Minnesota and across the Country. The focus will be on the city clerk’s roles and responsibilities in emergency management. A scenario-based discussion will center on recent lessons learned from emergencies of this sort and help to identify resources available for use in a disaster. The session will also provide an overview of available state and federal support. Wednesday, 1:15-2:30 pm Focus On Your Region Each region’s VP and Assistant VP have planned their own meeting agenda for this event. Remember to wear your regional color on Wednesday! Region 1 (wearing red) — Come to the Region 1 Meeting and meet your new Region 1 MCFOA Officer candidates! Network with other Region 1 Members. Share stories, challenges, and successes in your City! We’ll have a brief overview of Region 1 happenings, and then we’ll break into roundtables to discuss whatever is on your mind. Remember to wear RED on Wednesday, which is the color to identify members from Region 1. Region 2 (wearing white, new color) —Join us for an informal session to discuss, in roundtable format, future training, new ideas and challenges faced over the last year. If you have specific topics you would like addressed, please email them to [email protected], and I will make sure that they are included. This is a great opportunity to get to know other clerks in our region, and to encourage new members. Until then, stay warm, my friends! Region 3 (wearing purple) — We’ll start with introductions and also welcome some of our new MCFOA Region III members. We’ll spend some time discussing training that has happened over the last couple years and what types of upcoming training people are interested in for future regional meetings. We’ll finish up with roundtable discussions and networking. Region 4 (wearing blue) – We will make introductions and welcome first-time attendees. As a region, we can discuss future meeting topics and answer questions you may have regarding certification or other areas of interest or concern. Come join us for this great networking opportunity! Region 5 (wearing green) — We will begin with introductions and a special welcome for first-time attendees. We will then have an informal, open agenda to discuss important issues to you. If you would like to submit a topic ahead of time, please send it to [email protected]. We will discuss various certification processes through MCFOA and IIM, the mentorship program, MCFOA leadership opportunities on Committees and on the Board. We will also review the survey for Region V training that was sent out early in 2014. Region 6 (wearing black) — We will begin with introductions and welcomes to our first-time attendees. As a group, we will discuss past and future regional training opportunities, and we will finish with an open forum allowing time for issues that clerks may want to bounce off their counterparts. Concurrent Sessions II: 6 Property Nuisances & Hoarder Properties John Weinand, Environmental Health Supervisor, City of Minnetonka cmc/mmc 1.25 hours This session will give the participants background and knowledge on common nuisance situations with property owners, including: exterior storage/debris, junk/inoperable vehicles, tall grass/ weeds, and hoarder properties. This session will go step-by-step through the process of how to deal with the property owner, clean up the properties, and collect the city’s costs after the cleanup is completed. After attending this session, participants will have a better idea of how to deal with property owners and improve their city codes/ordinances to provide a more effective code enforcement program—and they will have the forms and tools to implement the those processes successfully. 7 Increase Your Engagement and Create a Positive Work Environment Denise Moreland, Manager, Author cmc/mmc 1.25 hours How engaged are you in your work? Would you like to be more engaged? How much does engagement (or disengagement) affect your productivity and satisfaction at work? This energetic workshop will help you explore your level of engagement at work, and give you practical advice on how to increase it. You will learn: • Why employee engagement has become such a popular topic in organizations • Why people disengage • How work culture impacts employee engagement • How to increase your own engagement, and create a healthy work environment 8 GIS: Bringing It All Together John Shain, GOSP, Bolton & Menk, Inc. cmc/mmc 1.25 hours Learn what Geographical Information Systems (GIS) are and how they can benefit your community. While GIS are often thought of as mapping tools, they can also be used as spatial information hubs that connect large amounts of departmental information. The sharing of knowledge is key to moving your organization forward and operating efficiently. Gain knowledge on ways to capture, organize and access information among multiple layers of departments and staff. Learn how many Public Works Departments are using GIS to store asset and operational information within a GIS. Also, understand the availability of GIS on many different platforms and who your community can look to for help. 9 cmc/mmc Classification, Compensation and the 1.25 hours Minnesota Local Government Pay Equity Act Ann Antonsen, Vice-President/Consultant, Springsted Incorporated Compensation plans and pay equity are important to cities. Join us to learn how to establish and maintain a strong job evaluation system and compensation plan for your city, and how to incorporate Minnesota’s new minimum wage requirements. The session will also cover the employment of seasonal/temporary/part-time staff and State of Minnesota pay equity. We will cover: • Strategies and goals • Job evaluation • Compensation plans and trends • Temporary/seasonal/part-time workers • Pay equity • FLSA • Other things to think about Wednesday, 2:30 - 3:45 pm 10 Credit Card Security and PCI Compliance Fred Brantner, Director, QSA, McGladrey LLP cmc/mmc 1.25 hours Credit Card Security and PCI Compliance are crucial for cities, but often not well understood. In this session, participants will receive an overview of these topics that will include explanations of: payment card breaches; PCI Data Security Standard; merchant levels; noncompliance; and why to comply with the standards. City Clerks and Finance Officers will also learn how to reduce their city’s risk through: • • • • • Network Segmentation EMV – Chip and Pin P2PE – Point to Point Encryption Tokenization Restrict the IP Address Participants will leave this session with relevant credit card security and PCI Compliance resources. Enter bewildered and walk out with a handle on credit card security for your city. Concurrent Sessions III: 11 Don’t Get Tripped Up by Affordable Care Act Administration Dan Reynoso, Group Consultant, A.T.Group Al Roth, Group Consultant, A.T.Group Bill Singer, Group Consultant A.T.Group cmc/mmc 1.25 hours The ACA is here. Have you wondered how the old rules and the new rules are going to work together? If so, you’re not alone. Everyone is wondering, the rules keep changing, and it is almost impossible to keep up with it all. We are going to review some very tricky and not well-documented administrative issues in an informative session you will not want to miss. We will touch on all these issues and more: 1. What do you need to know before you click “Send”? 2. Should you take COBRA? What are the implications of saying “YES”? 3. What’s the big deal about offering an opt-out amount? 4. What exactly are the strict new enrollment guidelines? 5. Fully insured or self-insured: what is the difference? 6. Can our city just buy the individual plans on MNSure? Taxes Made Simple 12 Property Rusty Fifield, Director of Public Finance, cmc/mmc 1.25 hours Northland Securities 14 Thursday, 11:15 - 12:30 pm Adventures in Collaborative Leadership Tim Pflieger, NREMT, Founder/President, Team Leadership cmc/mmc 1.25 hours This interactive leadership development curriculum directs participants to explore the idea of collaborative leadership style. Collaborative efforts allow for better use of resources, cooperation and positive group dynamics. Participants will be able to directly apply and transfer the information to their teams and encourage a positive atmosphere between members. Participants will learn techniques to address and change their own personal leadership style or tendency, have greater influence as a leader and more effectively invoke collaborative teamwork. 15 Financing Tools for Your City Doug Green, Vice-President, Springsted Inc. cmc/mmc 1.25 hours Have you ever wondered how to finance your capital improvement project? You see cities issuing general obligation bonds, obtaining PFA or USDA loans, or taking out loans with local banks. Knowing which option is the most cost effective and appropriate for your city is not always clear. This session will take the mystery out of financing capital improvement projects and provide you with reference materials to ensure you use the best financing option available to your city. Property taxes are the most important source of revenue for most Minnesota cities. Unfortunately, the complexities of the property tax system make it hard for city officials and the Public to understand how the system works. This session will give participants a clear understanding of the elements of the property tax system and how these elements affect taxes paid. Specific topics to be discussed include: • Basic building blocks of property taxes - Values, levies and rates • Fitting the pieces of the puzzle together - What creates taxes paid for any property? • Understanding the nuances - The implications of TIF, tax abatement and State programs. • Deciphering the property tax statement - Explaining property taxes to residents. 13 cmc/mmc Positive Social Media Solutions for Cities 1.25 hours Jennifer Bennerotte, Communications & Technology Services Director, City of Edina Roger Knutson, Attorney, Campbell Knutson Heather Slechta, Clerk Treasurer, City of Montgomery Whether your city has 100 or 10,000 fans or followers on a social media platform, “Positive Social Media Solutions for Cities” will help you grow your online audience and increase your audience’s engagement. Representatives of two Minnesota cities and a lawyer who represents dozens more will share their experiences with using blogs and Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. They will discuss ways to build a social media following and write and respond to posts. These experts will also speak about the benefits and the potential pitfalls of social media. They will cover some legal issues, including record retention and data practices. Leading Growth and Development in Communities By Supporting Clerks and Finance Officers for Over 60 Years. Ehlers has led midwestern public finance since 1955. We help counties, municipalities, townships and school districts find the financial resources they need to build the communities they envision. EMERALD SPONSOR - Debt Planning & Issuance - Economic Development & Redevelopment - Financial Planning - Strategic Communications www.ehlers-inc.com Concurrent Sessions IV: 16 cmc/mmc Presentation Skills: No One Has the 1.25 hours Right to Be Boring Karen Susman, Speaker/Author/Coach, Karen Susman and Associates Are you putting your audience to sleep? You may know your content when you get up to speak, but that’s not enough. If you don’t want your audience of one to one thousand to finish listening before you stop speaking, you have to connect. Today’s audiences refuse to respond to boring speakers and those who won’t or can’t make a connection. In this session, learn how to engage your audience, connect and inspire action. Learn six proven ways to add punch and pizzazz to your presentations. The results are that people pay attention, take action — and no one uses the hook to get you off the stage. • • • • • Learn how to quickly organize your remarks Connect before, during and after your presentation Pulverize podium panic Overcome the knowledge gap and acronym acrimony Answer the three questions you must answer before you open your mouth 17 TIF & Tax Abatement for Dummies Mike Bubany, Associate, David Drown Associates cmc/mmc 1.25 hours Are TIF and Tax Abatement a mystery to you? Let Mike Bubany of David Drown Associates break it down for you in a manner that is easy to understand. The good news is that it isn’t rocket science. It is simply understanding the basic formulas on calculation, how to manage risk, and some of the basic regulations associated with each tool. This session will teach you: • How to calculate property taxes, and by extension, how to calculate TIF and Tax Abatement as well • The major differences between TIF and Tax Abatement • Available assistance / risk management • Regulations associated with both TIF and Tax Abatement You will leave this session feeling “armed and dangerous” with your newfound understanding. We look forward to seeing you there! 18 cmc/mmc The Perils of e-Data & e-Discovery: 1.25 hours Avoiding Technology Pitfalls and Knowing Where to Look for the Data Corrine Heine, City Attorney, City of Minnetonka Patty Latham, Information Technology Director, City of Minnetonka Every modern convenience has its pitfalls. Emails have made communication quick, easy and convenient. But retrieving electronic data in response to litigation is an un-natural disaster for the unprepared. Do you know where to find the data? Emails, mobile devices, and cloud storage are just a few examples of where to look. This presentation will provide you with guidance on preparing for e-discovery requests and will explore some of the data management issues raised. 19 Thursday, 1:45-3:00 pm cmc/mmc Succession Planning for Clerks Sharon Klumpp, Senior Vice-President, Springsted 1.25 hours Inc. and Doris Nivala, Administrator, City of Ham Lake With a shrinking labor force and increasing competition for skilled workers, organizations are turning to succession planning to develop employee talent and prepare them for future leadership and management roles. This session will discuss the benefits of succession planning and present approaches you can use in your organization. We will also see an actual succession plan and discuss the case history of a succession experience in one city from planning through completion. Licensing 101 for Clerks 20 Liquor Mike McManus, Alcohol Enforcement Administrator, cmc/mmc 1.25 hours Alcohol & Gambling Enforcement Division (AGED) Scott Mueller, Special Investigator, AGED Holly Phillips, Special Investigator, AGED Nick Busch, Special Investigator, AGED This session will explain liquor statutes, the history that led to prohibition in our country, and how that history affects our current laws. Come learn about: • Manufacturing licenses, import licenses, wholesale/distribution licenses, and retail licenses • Statutory regulations of each license • Liquor violations and their importance to public safety • Common issues/violations occurring in each license type The presentation will cover the processes of licensing an applicant; using common forms; and determining what licenses are available to each licensee type. 2015 Planning Committee CHAIR, Terri Boese City of Dassel Diane Frauendienst City of Norwood-Young America Melissa Barker City of Plymouth Toni Hirsch City of Independence Darla Berry City of New York Mills Kim Johnson-Gibeau City of Grand Rapids Deb Boelter City of Winsted Janet Lewis City of Bloomington Sandy Borders City of Dayton Deb Mangen City of Edina Dan Buchholtz Spring Lake Park Val Martin City of Ashby Amy Domeier City of Hopkins Linda Rappe City of Kasson Renee Eckerly City of Paynesville Kerry Rausch City of Eagle Lake Lanell Endres City of Cannon Falls Britt See-Benes City of Aurora Sandy Engdahl City of Plymouth Heather Slechta City of Montgomery Audra Etzel City of Rockford Angie Storlie MCFOA Administrative Assistant; City of Big Fork Andrea Swenson City of Starbuck Sue Uhrinak City of Cass Lake Terri Wickham City of Pillager Staff for GTS Educational Events: Karen Beaulieu, Exhibit Manager Claire Buchwald, Program Planner Nancy Olson, Graphic Designer Carol Schoeneck, Program Manager Kim Wielinski, Registrar 2233 University Avenue W., Suite 150 St. Paul, MN 55114 FIRST-CLASS MAIL U.S. Postage PAID Twin Cities, MN Permit No. 3137 return service requested sponsored by: MCFOA Annual Conference Conference March 17-20, 2015 Exhibit Show March 19, 2015 Treasure Island Conference and Event Center Welch, Minnesota
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