Tuesday, August 31, 2021
7:30 - 8:30 a.m.
Continental Breakfast with the Exhibitors
8:45 - 10:45 a.m.
Opening General Session
Kevin Brown
Motivational speaker and author presenting “The Hero Effect – Being your best when it matters the most!”
In a fresh and entertaining style, Kevin shares ideas, strategies and principles that will inspire and equip participants to show up every day and make a positive difference. At the heart of Kevin’s message is a simple, yet powerful philosophy for life that drives every thought, every action and ultimately every result we achieve both personally and professionally. Your team will be motivated to reach beyond what is required and do something remarkable!
This program is designed to help participants:
- Achieve greater results by eliminating “ordinary" thinking and mastering the habit of excellence.
- Own the moments that matter (and they all matter) by taking responsibility for their attitude, their actions and their results.
- Create meaningful relationships and deliver an extraordinary experience for every “customer” at work and at home.
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Breakout Sessions
Resolving Conflict Constructively
CPS HR Consulting
Have you ever wondered how to identify specific types of conflict, how to respond to baiting language and how to use building language to respond to defensive language? Learn through experience with three interactive activities that encompass: challenging behaviors, subversive language, and the effective use of communication.
Creating a Strong Foundation for your Public Agency
BHI Management Consulting
There are a number of subtle aspects of public agency work that are easy to overlook that, when strengthen, can truly make the difference during tough times.
Taxes, Assessments, and Fees: Recent Developments and Considerations for Your District
Colantuono Highsmith & Whatley, PC
Special Districts have limited revenue-raising powers and often need alternative revenues to fund operations. This session will highlight recent developments and key considerations between common alternative revenues.
Managing COVID-19 Issues: Now and What’s Next
Liebert Cassidy Whitmore
Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District
In this training, we will provide a wide-ranging survey of the labor and employment issues implicated by COVID-19. We will provide both legal and practical advice for special districts on myriad subjects from labor relations to wage and hour to litigation. The workshop will address the most important and timely issues facing employers now including, preparing for and responding to outbreaks of COVID, managing employee leave, addressing accommodation requests, ensuring healthy and safe workplaces, and controlling and reducing employers’ costs. We will also look forward to what may be next for special districts, including statutory and contractual claims which may be brought against your district and how to help avoid them. We will also discuss budgetary constraints, bargaining obligations, and a potential resurgence of the virus.
Buying, Selling & Leasing Property: Keys to Successful Transactions and AB1486 Compliance
Meyers Nave
This session covers laws and regulations governing real estate transactions that involve special districts, including the Surplus Lands Act which was extensively amended by AB 1486 in October 2019.
Collaboration: How Multiple Agencies Can Work Together, Better
Probolsky Research and special district panel
We will break down some of the key advantage and elements of success when two or more agencies team up to build something or partner in some other way.
- Get off the ground more quickly
- Spread the risk
- Build a broader coalition of support
- Demonstrate innovation
- Pooled talent
- And more
Trending: Using Social Media to Promote Transparency and Accountability
Aleshire & Wynder, LLP
Social media has transformed how governments interact with constituents. Explore the benefits of social media in promoting transparency and the challenges of complying with the Brown Act in a post-pandemic virtual world.
12:15 - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch with the Exhibitors
1:45 - 3:00 p.m.
Breakout Sessions
AB 5: So, You're Saying Our Independent Contractor is Actually an Employee?
Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo
Many public agencies benefit from the use of independent contractors in many types of projects. This is usually done out of convenience for the district, the ability to leverage a specialized skill set on a temporary basis, and as a cost savings for ratepayers. However, what if your ‘independent contractor’ wasn’t really ‘independent’ after all? This session will explore the latest rules as set forth by AB 5, the various methods used to determine whether a contractor is truly independent, and how your district should handle any claims of employee misclassification.
How to Make Your Board / Manager Team a Success
Rauch Communications Consultants
This session focuses on building an effective board manager team by improving board governance and the board and manager roles and relationships. Topics include committee meetings; focusing the board on the right information and issues; dealing with difficult personalities; providing clear policy direction to the manager; a pain free and productive method for evaluating the Manager’s performance; and more. The session features real-world examples, opportunities for Q/A, and sharing of experiences.
Public Contracting Requirements: Emergency Preparedness and Federal and State Reimbursement
Meyers Nave
This session covers contracting best practices and procedures that special districts should have in place before a disaster, steps that can be taken during the disaster to help manage the situation and plan for potential State and Federal reimbursement, and what must happen immediately after the disaster to move forward quickly to address the affected community’s needs.
Developments in Prop 218 and the Law of Water Rates
Hanson Bridgett, LLP and Best Best & Krieger LLP
Water and wastewater rates are under continuing legal attack throughout the state. Retail water suppliers and wastewater service providers must collect and fairly allocate the costs of service among their ratepayers, and even well-designed plans may come under attack from disgruntled users and their often-entrepreneurial attorneys - who take the cases on contingency and bet on being able to collect their fees from the special district. A class action case filed against 81 water retailers last year brought the threat of these suits and their financial impact into sharp focus. And recent case law proves to be a mixed bag for public entities. In this program, attendees will learn about:
- the impact of recent legal decisions,
- the threats posed by certain pending lawsuits,
- recent and proposed legislation affecting rate setting and collections, and
- practical steps special districts might consider to reduce the risks of Prop. 218 challenges
Reserve Policies for Special Districts – How Much is Enough?
Eide Bailey CPAs
Special Districts are struggling to develop reserve policies and determine how much reserve they really need without appearing to have too much. This session will talk about what reserves are needed and why, how to establish reserve level policies, support for your reserve policy including a capital improvement plan and how to communicate your reserve polices to your constituents. We will also provide resources to help you get started in establishing or revising your reserve policy.
Civil Grand Jury Insight and Proactive Cooperation
Grand Jurors Association
This session will provide an overview of the grand jury process and the five foundational elements that make it an effective instrument of democracy. Attendees will learn the necessary processes for districts and juries to work together in order to make local governments more effective and efficient.
Harassment Prevention Training for Board Members and Supervisors - part 1
Renne Public Law Group, LLP
This training promises to provide a fun and interactive way for board members and managers to satisfy their bi-annual harassment prevention training requirement. Conducted by two experienced and engaging employment attorneys, the speakers will have participants weigh in through an electronic survey-method tool (done through an iPhone/Android app) throughout the presentation, facilitating more candid and educational responses. The presentation will teach participants how to identify, prevent, and properly respond to workplace harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and workplace bullying and will address how best practices can reduce the risk of personal and agency liability. Presenters will also highlight new laws that have emerged because of the #MeToo movement and the topic of implicit bias in the workplace. (See AB 1825, 2053, 1661.)
3:45 - 4:45 p.m.
Breakout Sessions
Key Considerations for Utilizing Debt
California Special Districts Association Finance Corporation
If your district is considering using debt as a tool to fund all or part of a mission-critical capital project, it is important to know what your options are. Join the expert consultants from the CSDA Finance Corporation in a discussion of funding structures, sources of repayment, market conditions, and more. Hear one special district’s story of how successfully leveraged debt helped them meet their funding needs.
Effective and Legal Meetings in a New Technology World
Richard Watson Gershon
COVID-19 presented districts with unprecedented challenges, including how to keep public meetings safe and effective, while encouraging public participation and maintaining transparency. Technology has played a key role in this, but it can also open a Pandora’s box of pitfalls. This presentation will explore how districts can harness the value of incorporating technology into the board room, while minimizing the potential risks. Topics will include best practices for online board meetings, procuring and using technology support and services, compliance with the Brown Act, accessibility, and more.
How to Help Your General Manager Succeed - And the Board, too
Regional Government Services Authority
Costa Mesa Sanitary District
Advice and humor from the real world. Topics Include: Giving Clear Direction; How to succeed even though you voted against that motion, and a game show, “What lane am I in”?
Supercharge Your Writing with Inclusive Language
CPS HR Consulting
Spoken communication should empower others, promote inclusion, reduce bias, and avoid giving some groups privilege over others. This workshop will help you understand the ways word choice impacts spoken and written communication, and help you create messages and documents that build relationships and convey respect for your audience and stakeholders.
Dead Gift-Away: The Constitutional Prohibition on Gifts of Public Funds
Aleshire & Wynder, LLP
This session will provide a primer on the doctrine of “gift of public funds,” which prohibits the giving or lending of public funds to any person or entity, public or private, regardless of the amount of the expenditure or loan. 1) Attendees will learn the statutory and judicial exceptions to the doctrine. 2) Attendees will also learn its application to special districts and the critical services provided to communities, including disaster relief, infrastructure maintenance, water, and fire protection, as well as its application to compensation of managers and employees. 3) This session will also explore how a public expenditure is challenged under the doctrine, and the potential repercussions of a violation.
Climate Adaptation Topic - invited
Harassment Prevention for Directors and Supervisors - part 2
Renne Public Law Group, LLP
This training promises to provide a fun and interactive way for board members and managers to satisfy their bi-annual harassment prevention training requirement. Conducted by two experienced and engaging employment attorneys, the speakers will have participants weigh in through an electronic survey-method tool (done through an iPhone/Android app) throughout the presentation, facilitating more candid and educational responses. The presentation will teach participants how to identify, prevent, and properly respond to workplace harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and workplace bullying and will address how best practices can reduce the risk of personal and agency liability. Presenters will also highlight new laws that have emerged because of the #MeToo movement and the topic of implicit bias in the workplace. (See AB 1825, 2053, 1661.)
Must attend both sessions to earn your certificate.
5:00 - 6:30 p.m.
Mix & Mingle in the Exhibit Hall