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