A MESSAGE FROM ILG'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | |
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Dear Friends,
We hope you and your families enjoyed the Independence Day holiday and are safely back into the swing of the summer season. ILG comes to you today with a mid-summer newsletter pulling together some important local government insights, announcements and events. In this issue, we are celebrating all things sustainability, including a special spotlight of an ILG board member who has devoted her public service career to environmental issues, Judith Mitchell.
For the past few weeks, I have been travelling across the country and our state connecting with local government leaders. At the end of June, I attended the California Special Districts Association General Managers Summit and facilitated a panel discussion with special district leaders (including ILG’s Board Member Lorenzo Rios) about the importance of adaptive leadership. I then travelled to historic Gettysburg, Pennsylvania to serve as co-chair of the Braver Angels National Convention, bringing over 600 delegates together to strategize about how we can better depolarize our democracy and bridge divides. It was an inspiring convention and I'm honored to have served as co-chair representing ILG and the local government perspective. Watch this month’s ED video for a recap of my time in Gettysburg and the important connection to our work and communities here in California.
Team ILG continues to provide unwavering support to cities, counties and special districts, and you’ll find more details about what events and trainings we’re offering this summer in the rest of this newsletter.
We’ll be taking a summer break from our regular newsletter schedule in August, but we’ll release our next full edition in September. In the meantime, we'll see many of you at conferences in August, so be sure to come say hello to us at our panels and expo booths.
In gratitude and community,
Erica L. Manuel
CEO & Executive Director
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Q&A WITH ILG BOARD MEMBER JUDITH MITCHELL | |
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This month, ILG is celebrating sustainability and all the local government leaders who support environmental action in their communities. We were honored to sit down with our board member, Judy Mitchell, who shares her insights about her career's focus on environmental issues and her recommendations for how local governments can work collaboratively on sustainability projects.
Can you share a bit about your path to public service?
In 1986 I joined the Park and Activities Commission of the City of Rolling Hills Estates, where I was involved in planning for special events like The Tracy Austin Tennis Tournament, the city’s annual 5K/10K race, and the city’s annual birthday party celebrating incorporation in 1957. The Commission exercised oversight of the city’s parks, horse trails, riding rings, summer pony camp, tennis courts and tennis programs. I joined the Planning Commission in 1996 and three years later, in 1999, I won election to city council.
What has been your favorite project or biggest accomplishment you achieved in your career?
It is difficult to select a single event. From my start in public service I considered environmental issues extremely important and joined the Environmental Quality Committee at Cal Cities. As Chair of this Committee, I was privileged to work with knowledgeable, concerned California mayors and council members on critical environmental policy decisions. In 2009-2010 I became President of Cal Cities, a significant milestone in my journey. Later as a member of the South Coast Air Quality Management District Board (SCAQMD) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB), I joined a dedicated team of people devoted to addressing climate change and improving air quality. Participating in these agencies led to significant accomplishments: working to reduce environmental impacts on communities through the AB 617 legislation and participating in CARB decisions to transform cars and trucks to zero emission vehicles.
What advice would you give to someone wanting to promote more sustainability projects in their city/county/special district?
There are a lot of options and opportunities to pursue sustainability. I established in my city the Environmental Advisory Commission with interested residents participating in a variety of areas. One of the first things we did was present guidelines for residential water use to offset the impacts of drought, and adopting the city’s Climate Action Plan.
Another avenue is to work regionally, collaborating with others to address environmental issues. One good example is the South Bay Cities Council of Government (SBCCOG) and their South Bay Environmental Services Center (SBESC). SBCCOG, which consists of 15 cities, established partnerships with (1) SoCal Gas and Southern California Edison on energy savings projects; (2) local water agencies on sustainable, drought-resistant landscaping and water conservation; (3) California Green Business Network (CAGBN), which provides a certification program to help businesses become more environmentally sustainable and responsible; the program emphasizes reducing greenhouse gas emissions, reducing waste, conserving water and reducing pollution; and (4) the Los Angeles County Sanitation District to promote recycling and waste reduction. These are just a few examples of the sustainability programs of SBESC.
What has been the best advice you’ve been given in your career? What did you learn from it?
The best advice – thoughtfully consider the impact of your decisions and actions and imagine a description of those in the headlines of your newspaper.
I would also share that it is very important to appreciate the staff of your agency, work with them when conflicts arise to reach a mutually acceptable solution.
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Training
DEADLINE EXTENDED TO JULY 21!
Public Engagement Training for Local Government Leaders
Wednesday, July 26 & Thursday, July 27, 2023
10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. daily
Are you getting the results you want from your public engagement efforts?
Join us for our next T.I.E.R.S. public engagement training! This two-day virtual training will help California local government leaders, staff, and elected officials master equitable public engagement and build trust in their communities.
T.I.E.R.S. will help you operationalize your outreach and engagement efforts in a more sustainable and collaborative way and provide you with resources and digital tools necessary to authentically engage your community.
Registration for this comprehensive training is $625. Register by Friday, July 21 to secure your spot.
Learn more and register today.
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Webinar
Powering the Future: Cost-Saving Energy Efficiency Projects for Local Governments
Thursday, August 18, 2023
10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Energy efficiency projects can help local governments meet greenhouse gas reduction goals and save costs. From solar panel installation at municipal facilities to installing EV chargers, local governments have a wide range of projects they can consider to take advantage of state and federal cost saving programs. Join this webinar to learn about energy efficiency strategies for local governments, including about Strategic Energy Management and new legislative requirements through AB802.
Speakers
- Rondah Zeleke, CLEAResult
- Justine Catherine Chao, Southern California Edison
- Daniel Johnson, California Energy Commission
- Brendan Havenar-Daughton, Contra Costa County
Moderated by Nikita Sinha, Program Manager, Institute for Local Government.
Learn more and register.
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Did You Miss Our Recent Webinars?
Check out the recordings from our recent trainings, webinars and events:
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TEAM ILG IN THE COMMUNITY | |
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ILG Facilitates Stockton Mobility Collective Peer-to-Peer Networking Meeting
This month ILG's team members working on the Stockton Mobility Collective project facilitated a peer-to-peer networking meeting of climate action project teams working in Stockton. The conversation helped participants share lessons learned from their respective projects and explore ways to leverage complementary projects to achieve positive outcomes for the city.
Through engaging group discussions, attendees developed a deeper understanding of the
Stockton community, while also brainstorming barriers to participation and exploring successful engagement techniques Participants were also able to discuss approaches to improving cross-project collaboration, including opportunities to coordinate community outreach, share resources, and collaborate on general needs and events.
The Stockton Mobility Collective is led by the San Joaquin Council of Governments (SJCOG) and made possible by a grant from the California Air Resources Board.
Learn more.
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ILG Talks Funding Needs at Climate Adaptation Forum
ILG’s very own Senior Program Manager, Roberto Carlos Torres, will be participating in the Biennial California Adaptation Forum (CAF) in Pomona July 31 – August 2. As an Integrated Climate Adaptation & Resilience Program (ICARP) Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) member, Roberto will talk about the wide variety of funding needs California communities face, including for adaptation planning and infrastructure funding – raising awareness of the needs our local governments and communities need when tackling climate adaptation and resilience.
#CAF23 gathers the adaptation community to foster knowledge exchange and innovation to create equitable and resilient communities throughout the state and will provide an inclusive space for community leaders, decision-makers, and on-the-ground practitioners working across California to connect and learn together. Secure your seat at the table and register now at https://bit.ly/CAFRegister. See you there!
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Western City: Smaller cities charting a path to carbon neutrality
ILG Program Manager Nikita Sinha authored this article highlighting how smaller cities are responding to recent legislation requiring the state to reach carbon neutrality by no later than 2045. But with just over a decade remaining in the state’s timeline, there is still a lot of work ahead for cities. Fortunately, many cities are ahead of the game. Nearly 100 cities in California have already adopted a climate action plan. These plans allow cities to chart their own path to climate neutrality, accounting for their community’s vision for the future coupled with their unique geographic and financial realities. Read more.
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CSDA: Succession planning for special districts
A recent CSDA blog post authored by Ronald V. Stassi, P.E. provides some tips for special districts looking to bolster their succession planning strategy. This discussion will focus on how to address hiring challenges that are often faced by small districts while still honoring a long-standing tenet: Those receiving district services deserve to know that the best available candidates are considered for key positions. Strategies that can be employed for both long-term and immediate and unexpected situations follow.
Read more.
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CalMatters: What you need to know on the California budget deal
Just in time for the start of a new fiscal year July 1, Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders announced that they have reached a deal on the state budget — a $310 billion spending plan that they say protects core programs and covers a $30 billion-plus deficit without dipping into key reserves. The final compromise narrows the types of projects that can take advantage of an expedited approval of permits, leaving out a contentious proposed water conveyance tunnel under the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. Read more.
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ILG Joins the Technical Assistance Team for CARB’s Clean Mobility Funding Opportunities
Keep an eye out for new clean mobility funding opportunities from the California Air Resources Board (CARB). ILG was recently selected to provide technical assistance on an upcoming Request for Applications for three grant programs: Planning and Capacity Building, Clean Mobility in Schools, and the Sustainable Transportation Equity Project. Eligible activities include planning and implementation for projects that increase transportation equity, such as active transportation infrastructure, zero-emission public transit and school transportation, workforce training and development, and outreach and education.
The solicitation will be released in late July, so local governments should stay tuned for more information on how to apply and how to receive application technical assistance from ILG and the rest of our project team, which includes People for Mobility Justice and Fehr & Peers.
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$8.5 Million Available for Community-led Capacity Building
The Strategic Growth Council (SGC) has made $8.5 million in funding available through the Regional Climate Collaboratives (RCC) program, which is part of the Community Assistance for Climate Equity suite of programs. The RCC program funds cross-sectoral partnerships to build capacity for climate mitigation, adaptation, and resilience within under-resourced communities. In Round 2 of the RCC program, SGC will award small grants ranging between $500,000 and $999,999 and large grants ranging between $1,000,000 and $1,750,000. Grantees will use the funds to strengthen local coordination, leadership, knowledge, skills, and expertise with a focus on increasing access to funding for project planning and implementation. Read more in the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) and final guidelines.
Application details and timelines can be found here.
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Funding Opportunity for Coastal Counties Tackling Climate Resiliency
Coastal counties focused on building resiliency to extreme weather and other impacts of climate change, are eligible to apply for grant funding through the Inflation Reduction Act: NOAA Climate Resilience Regional Challenge overseen by the Department of Commerce. This funding opportunity is aimed at supporting collaborative approaches to achieving resilience in coastal regions with an emphasis on risk reduction, regional collaboration, equity, and building enduring capacity.
There are two different tracks that a county could be eligible to apply for, depending on the status of existing projects, but all applicants under both tracks should focus on building capacity for adaptation that can be sustained into the future within the region (post-award period) including with community-based organizations and for marginalized, underserved, and underrepresented communities.
Coastal counties currently or intending to implement resilience and adaptation actions targeted toward mitigating the impacts of climate change should apply. A letter of intent is due on August 21, 2023 with a final application due on February 13, 2024.
For any questions regarding this grant opportunity, please contact the Grants Coordinator: [email protected].
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ILG does important work in support of local governments, but we could not provide the education, training, consultation and resources to our local agencies without the steadfast support of our corporate partners.
This month’s featured partner is Richards, Watson & Gershon. RWG and ILG recently partnered on a webinar covering new campaign contribution regulations and what they mean for local governments. Check out the webinar recording here.
We also had a chance to connect with Team RWG and learn more about how their firm connects to local government issues and needs. Read their responses below:
Tell us a bit about RWG and its history.
Richards, Watson & Gershon (RWG) is widely recognized as a premier full service law firm to local governments, providing the highest quality legal services. Local governments rely on RWG because it has assembled a team of leading attorneys in the state and dedicated them to providing practical legal solutions for local governments for over 65 years. We have a statewide practice with offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Orange County, Temecula, the Central Coast and Sacramento. Our representation of public entities includes cities, towns, counties, school districts, community service districts, water districts, airports, other special districts, joint powers authorities, and successor agencies.
Why does RWG enjoy partnering with ILG?
ILG’s mission to promote good government principles to California’s public agencies aligns with RWG’s commitment to deliver legal advice to its clients with a strong emphasis on ethical solutions. ILG’s educational workshops and reports are both practical and informative. RWG attorneys often refer clients to these materials when advising clients on all aspects of public agency law.
How can local governments meet the RWG team or learn more about the firm?
RWG attorneys are prepared to help your agency meet today’s complex legal challenges. Contact information for all RWG attorneys is available on the firm’s website rwglaw.com. RWG attorneys regularly attend Cal Cities and CSDA events, provide training for ILG webinars and speak at various educational conferences and seminars.
Connect with RWG at their upcoming conference sessions and events:
- “The Brown Act in a Modern World ” Chelsea Straus – CSDA Annual Conference - August 29, 2023
- “When the Gavel Strikes: Tips for Efficient and Effective Public Meetings” Craig Steele - CSDA Annual Conference - August 30, 2023
- CSDA Annual Exhibitor Booth in Monterey
- Cal Cities Exhibitor Booth in Sacramento
- “Keep Your Eye On the Money: Navigating California’s New Campaign Contribution Prohibitions” Natalie Kalbakian and Chelsea Straus - CSDA Leadership Academy - October 23, 2023
- “Sexual Harassment Prevention Training for Supervisors” Amy Greyson - CSDA Webinar - October 24, 2023
- “Sexual Harassment Prevention Training for Non-Supervisors” Rebecca Green - CSDA Webinar - November 7, 2023
- “Get Reacquainted with the CA PRA & Recent Updates” Lindsay Thorson - CSDA Board Secretary/Clerk Conference - November 7, 2023
- “When the Gavel Strikes: Tips for Efficient and Effective Public Meetings” Lindsay Thorson - CSDA Board Secretary/Clerk Conference - November 7, 2023
- “The Brown Act in a Modern World” Nick Ghirelli - CSDA Board Secretary/Clerk Conference - November 8, 2023
- “Your Board Member Resigned…..Now What?” Nick Ghirelli - CSDA Board Secretary/Clerk Conference - November 8, 2023
Learn more about RWG's work here.
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Employees Near and Far: Considerations for Telecommuting and Remote Personnel Management
Telecommuting is a wonderful tool. Employees with compatible jobs can work from any location with an internet connection. They gain flexibility through ease of access. Telecommuting can reduce turnover and absenteeism, and modern technology has made remote work increasingly reliable. Yet, like any tool, telecommuting may cause issues if employers do not handle it competently. This blog post covers several topics related to remote work with the goals of informing an employer’s choice to offer telecommuting and providing some tips on effective management. Read more.
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Big Rig Electric Charging Rolls Out in South El Monte
Delivery hauling in and around metro Los Angeles is getting cleaner as more heavy-duty truck fleets expand their use of electric charging. Schneider National, Inc recently announced the official opening of an electric charging depot for its heavy-duty, battery-electric truck fleet in South El Monte. The depot will charge Schneider’s zero-emission Freightliner eCascadia trucks through 16 freshly completed dual-corded chargers. Read more.
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Webinar: The Evolving World of ESG Disclosure for Municipal Securities
Investors are demanding more comprehensive environmental, social and governance (ESG) disclosures with respect to municipal securities. The Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) has proposed guidelines for corporations related to ESG disclosure. In this webinar, BBK partners Mrunal Shah and Kim Byrens explore the current practice of municipal ESG disclosure, investor demand and how the proposed corporate ESG may be expanded to apply to municipal securities. Watch the webinar.
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AB 205 – Are Fixed Rates Right for Your Utility?
Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill 205 on June 30, 2022. A trailer bill to the FY 2022–23 budget, it significantly changed regulation of investor-owned utilities, such as PG&E and Southern California Edison. Among its provisions is a requirement that fixed charges — flat rates collected to recover fixed costs for infrastructure and other capital costs — be imposed on an income-graduated basis so low income ratepayers pay less than high-income ratepayers. Collecting fixed costs through a fixed rate component has several advantages. Read more.
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Embracing Tomorrow: Leading a Resilient Local Government into the Future
This year’s MMANC summer symposium will highlight the importance of forward-thinking approaches, innovation, and preparedness in order to effectively address the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Participants will consider how emerging technologies, evolving societal trends, and environmental changes will impact local governance and how to proactively respond to these shifts as a leader. Register today.
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Communications 101 for the Public Sector: Mastering Media Relations and AP Style
In the realm of local government, effective communication strategies are vital for promoting initiatives, garnering public support, and ensuring transparency. However, in today’s competitive media landscape, where there are four times more PR professionals than journalists, capturing attention and securing coverage to reach residents can be challenging.
Associated Press (AP) style expert and Tripepi Smith Principal Katherine Griffiths recently presented on engaging writing strategies and the importance of consistent, clear and correct writing styles at the California Association of Public Information Officials (CAPIO) Communications 101 Boot Camp. Read more.
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ILG is the nonprofit training and education affiliate of the League of California Cities, the California State Association of Counties and the California Special Districts Association. | |
2023 CSAC Challenge Awards Application Now Open
Due Wednesday August 23, 11:59pm
The CSAC Challenge awards are back! These unique awards recognize the innovative and creative spirit of California counties as they find new, effective and cost-saving ways to provide programs and services to their citizens. This is a wonderful opportunity to spotlight your county’s best practices while recognizing staff for developing innovations in county government!
All participants must select both a specific issue area and population category for their program:
Population categories reflect the three caucuses within CSAC: Rural, Suburban and Urban Counties.
Issue categories reflect the main priorities across CSAC’s platforms and policy areas, including:
- Administration of Justice & Public Safety
- Agriculture, Environment & Natural Resources
- Government Finance, Administration & Technology
- Health & Human Services
- Housing, Land Use & Infrastructure
Learn more and apply today.
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2023 CSDA Annual Conference & Exhibitor Showcase
August 28-31, 2023
Monterey, CA
The CSDA Annual Conference & Exhibitor Showcase is the one conference that hits all the right notes for special district leaders!
Join 800-plus special district professionals and industry experts for a three day, must-attend education and networking event.
- Develop new partnerships.
- Discover new products and services to make your district more efficient.
- Expand your horizons with inspiring and motivating keynote sessions.
- Learn about the latest in special district technology, management playbooks, and legal trends.
- Explore new ideas and best practices.
- Walk away with practical strategies, new connections, and innovative ideas to move your district forward.
Learn more and register today.
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League of California Cities Annual Conference and Expo
September 20-22, 2023
SAFE Credit Union Convention Center
1401 K St, Sacramento, CA
This year Cal Cities will celebrate a milestone anniversary: 125 years of strengthening California cities through advocacy and education. The conference will feature a variety of speakers and timely presentations on key topics for local leaders, plus numerous opportunities for peer-to-peer sharing with other city officials throughout California.
Our popular Expo Hall will be filled with new and familiar faces and brimming with opportunities to engage with companies and organizations that provide services to cities.
Importantly, every year at the conference, Cal Cities convenes a member-driven General Assembly and Resolutions process. This is a unique opportunity to engage all members on a range of significant policy issues to protect local control.
In response to member feedback, we have made several updates to improve the member experience and engage members in the process, including a change in the time for the General Assembly. As we lead up to the conference, be on the lookout for more detailed information about the General Assembly, Voting Delegate instructions, and Resolutions process.
Learn more and register today.
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