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Dear Friends of ILG,
As summer gives way to fall, communities across California are entering a season of transition and a busy stretch of work for local government. Shorter days and cooler mornings bring a rapid change of pace, while agencies continue preparing for year-end activities, upcoming elections, winter weather, and community events in the months ahead.
Fall is also a natural time to take stock: celebrating progress made in 2026, reconnecting with residents and partners, and looking ahead to the opportunities and challenges of a new season.
ILG was no different. We hosted our annual board retreat in early September and for two days we mapped out goals and strategies for the year ahead.
Our board of directors remains committed to ensuring that ILG continues to provide education and training to help local leaders navigate current and upcoming changes and challenges.
Just last week, Team ILG was at the Cal Cities Annual Conference providing foundational training around ethics, good governance, and civility in public meetings. We also facilitated a session on AI, which is rapidly emerging as a pervasive issue in our field. Over the next few weeks we will continue that charge, providing webinars and sessions on broadening participation in public meetings, financial management, retaining talented staff, capacity building for climate action, and more. We hope you will continue to engage with us, elevate your evolving needs, and connect with our collective network to seek and share new solutions and ways of thinking.
In this issue, we’re celebrating local agencies’ innovative efforts to create more resilient communities, highlighting the timely trainings and conferences mentioned above, and showcasing valuable resources from our partners.
Here’s to a productive fall and the work we do together to keep California communities thriving!
With appreciation,
Erica L. Manuel
CEO & Executive Director
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Congratulations to our 2026 Beacon Award Winners!
We are excited to announce the 2026 Beacon Award recipients. This year we honored the following agencies for their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save energy, and adopt policies that promote sustainability.
Beacon Vanguard Award:
Beacon Leadership and Innovation Awardees:
- City of Fresno, Leadership in Climate Resilience and Adaptation
- Ross Valley Sanitary District, Leadership in Climate Resilience and Adaptation
- City of Sacramento — jointly with Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT), Cross-Agency Collaboration in Climate Adaptation
- Western Riverside Council of Governments, Cross-Agency Collaboration in Climate Adaptation
- City of San Luis Obispo, Leadership in Equity and Engagement in Sustainability and Climate
- County of San Diego, Leadership in Equity and Engagement in Sustainability and Climate
- City of Pico Rivera, Innovation in Energy
- County of Solano, Innovation in Energy
- South Bay Cities Council of Governments, Innovation in Energy
- City of Costa Mesa, Innovation in Clean Transportation
Beacon Spotlight Awardees:
- City of Coronado
- City of Gardena
- City of Manhattan Beach
- City of Martinez
- City of Mill Valley
- City of Pico Rivera
- City of Rolling Hills Estates
- City of Walnut Creek
- Town of Tiburon
- County of Ventura
The Beacon Program is free and open to cities, counties, and special districts in all stages of climate action planning and implementation. Currently, over 180 California local agencies participate. Find out more information about the Beacon Program here. A complete list of participant achievements can be found here,
| | ILG Featured at RGS's Building Tomorrow's Workforce Today Event | | |
ILG’s Erica Manuel was proud to participate in yesterday’s conversation on “Building Tomorrow’s Workforce”! As we continue to hear from our local government partners, public agencies face ongoing challenges recruiting, developing, and retaining the workforce needed to serve their communities. Building a strong talent pipeline requires collaboration among local government, education, workforce development, and other public-sector partners. ILG joined leaders from across these sectors to share perspectives, explore partnerships, and discuss practical approaches to preparing the next generation of public-service professionals. Erica shared key insights into workforce pipelines for local governments along with her co-presenters:
- Dr. Jorge Saucedo-Daniel, Talent Development & Retention Director, Rancho Santiago Community College District & OC Regional Consortium
- Sergio Verino, Faculty Lead, Public Administration Program, Santiago Canyon College
- Mariann Johnson, VP Strategic Partnerships, Tomorrow’s Talent
- Rashida Washington, Training Lead, RGS
Conversations like these will continue to inform and help shape ILG’s efforts in workforce development as we support the increasing needs of our local government partners.
Thank you to our partners at Regional Government Services for hosting this important discussion!
| | UPCOMING WEBINARS, TRAININGS & EVENTS | | |
Webinars Series: Leading Through the Fiscal Cliff
As California communities face budget shortfalls, economic uncertainty, and increasing demands for public services, local leaders are seeking practical tools and leadership strategies to help them make informed, sustainable decisions.
Through expert presentations and real-world case studies, participants in this webinar series will hear promising practices for fiscal planning, strategic budgeting, governance, and organizational resilience. Sessions will also focus on current and innovative revenue models, best practices in financial management, and a deep dive on how labor costs are impacting budgets statewide.
Whether you are shaping policy, developing budgets, or leading organizational change, this series will provide strategies and examples to help local leaders guide their agencies through fiscal uncertainty while maintaining public trust and delivering essential services. Learn more about the series here.
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Session 1: Strengthening Local Government Financial Management: Strategies for Accountability, Efficiency, and Sustainability
Thursday, Oct 8, 2026
11AM – 12:30PM
Strong financial management is the foundation of effective local government. This webinar explores practical strategies and proven best practices that help California cities, counties, special districts, and other public agencies strengthen financial stewardship, improve transparency, and support long-term fiscal sustainability.
Participants will learn about key financial management principles, including budgeting, forecasting, cash flow management, internal controls, financial reporting, reserve policies, and long-term financial planning. The session will also highlight approaches for managing fiscal uncertainty, complying with regulatory requirements, and using financial data to support informed decision-making.
Register now!
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Webinar: Retention Without a Raise: Retaining Staff When Compensation Isn't an Option
Wednesday, Oct 14, 2026
10 – 11:30AM
As local governments navigate tighter budgets and ongoing fiscal uncertainty, many agencies are facing the reality that salary increases simply aren’t always an option. Yet the need to retain experienced, high-performing employees has never been greater.
This webinar explores practical strategies that help agencies improve employee retention without relying on compensation increases. Participants will learn how career development, leadership practices, workplace culture, recognition, flexibility, and employee engagement can strengthen retention, even during periods of financial constraint.
Designed for HR professionals, executives, department leaders, and supervisors, this session will provide information that local governments can implement immediately to maintain a committed workforce, reduce turnover, and continue delivering high-quality public services despite budget challenges.
Register here.
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Resilient Leaders Mixer
Wednesday, October 21, 2026
6:30 - 7:30PM
Are you an elected official attending the Resilient California Summit? Come meet with other leaders who are creating more resilient communities in their own jurisdictions as we reflect back on how far our state has come in advancing climate resilience and make the connections critical for overcoming the challenges ahead. Refreshments and a no-host bar will be available. This event is made possible at no additional cost to conference attendees. Register by Oct. 13 to secure your spot.
The mixer will take place at The Citizen Hotel in the Scandal Bar. This venue is conveniently located three blocks west of the Safe Credit Union Convention Center and four blocks north of the west steps of the California State Capitol.
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Webinar: Building Trust and Engagement Through Resident Academies
Tuesday, Dec 1, 2026
12:30 - 2PM
Trust in government is a delicate asset, and in an era of high polarization, traditional public comment often feels more like therapy than productive engagement. To build a resilient community, local agencies must move beyond one-way information sharing and invest in deep resident engagement. This webinar explores the strategic blueprint for successful resident academies, and attendees will learn how to move from "just an idea" to a sustainable program that creates a pipeline of informed civic leaders. The session will cover how to curate a curriculum that demystifies complex municipal trade-offs, identify the right "culture-carriers" to lead the sessions, and measure the long-term impact of these programs on community civility and project buy-in.
Register here.
| | ILG FOUNDER & AFFILIATE UPDATES | | |
ICMA Annual Conference
October 17 -21, 2026
Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center
Since 1914, the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) Annual Conference has been the premier gathering for local government management professionals. It’s where they share and discover new ideas, strategies, resources, and solutions for managing local governments in today’s complex environment.
With four and a half days of learning, inspiration, and connection, attendees will leave equipped with the tools and support they need to make their communities better places to live, work, and play. No other local government management conference offers the same level of programming, exhibitors, or networking opportunities that the ICMA conference provides.
Register here.
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MMASC 2026 Annual Conference: Built to Last. Resilient Communities. Courageous Leadership
October 28-30, 2026
Rancho Bernardo Inn
Registration is now open for MMASC’s Annual Conference! This year’s theme "Built to Last: Resilient Communities, Courageous Leadership" is grounded in the work that local leaders do every day, strengthening our communities and leading with courage through change. Additional information on sessions will be released soon!
Register here.
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2026 City Clerks New Law and Election Seminar
Wednesday, November 18 – Friday, November 20, 2026
Sonesta Redondo Beach, Redondo Beach, CA
Designed for city clerks and staff members of all tenures from throughout the state, the City Clerks New Law and Elections Seminar expands an individual’s knowledge on a wide range of topics relevant to the city clerk’s role within their city and fosters relationships and communication with peers. The opportunity for city clerks to learn from and network with each other provides invaluable support. Find out more and register here.
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2026 Fire Chiefs Leadership Seminar
Wednesday, December 9 – Thursday, December 10, 2026
Monterey Plaza Hotel, Monterey, CA
Designed for fire service leaders—including fire chiefs, battalion chiefs, senior command staff, and union leadership—this seminar offers sessions on leadership, succession planning, labor relations, emergency response, changes in fire insurance, and more. It also provides fire professionals with invaluable opportunities to learn from and network with one another. For more information and registration click here.
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2026 Municipal Finance Institute
Thursday, December 10 – Friday, December 11, 2026
Monterey Plaza Hotel, Monterey, CA
Designed for city officials and staff involved in fiscal planning for municipalities, the Municipal Finance Institute connects finance directors and other municipal finance professionals with the essential information they need. This is an opportunity for finance officers to learn from and network with each other. For more information and registration click here.
| | ILG PARTNER NEWS, UPDATES & EVENTS | | |
Stay Informed this Fall with BBK's Public Agency Focused Webinar Lineup
Join BBK for a series of timely webinars covering key issues affecting public agencies, housing
professionals and local government practitioners.
Upcoming webinars:
Whether you are looking to stay current on emerging legal developments, strengthen your
agency’s practices or deepen your understanding of California requirements, these webinars offer practical insights from BBK professionals. Click here for more information.
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Inland Deserts Catalyst Convening
October 6, 2026
8:30AM – 5PM
Palm Springs Leisure Center Pavilion
Long-time partners fo ILG, the California Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI) and the California Strategic Growth Council (SGC) are hosting a series of Catalyst Convenings across the state to help each region advance equitable climate, energy, and land use priorities. Each Convening brings together approximately 150 regional leaders and state agency representatives to highlight regional case studies, share the work of the California Fifth Climate Change Assessment, enable participants to engage directly with state agencies, and to elevate land use, climate and energy priorities.
ILG is looking forward to attending and sharing lessons learned and promising practices from our BOOST Imperial Valley project! Learn more and register here.
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Resilient California Summit
October 20 – 22
SAFE Credit Union Convention Center
Sacramento, CA
The inaugural Resilient California Summit will convene people from across the state to make progress on the policies, partnerships, and practices needed to build resilience as climate change accelerates.
The Summit will feature diverse interactive sessions aimed at fostering conversation, sparking new ideas, and giving attendees the resources and tools they need to be successful in their work and communities. Participants will explore key insights from California’s Fifth Climate Change Assessment, imagine the best possible future that remains within reach, and catalyze the actions needed to turn that vision into reality.
Learn and register here.
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Fall 2026 Lead/Senior Academy
The Lead/Senior-Level Academy focuses on many of the same concepts from our Supervisor/Manager level, but from the lead/senior-level employee perspective. These roles often have to get work done with teams and co-workers without a formal, authoritative role. This Academy shows leads how to contribute to a better work environment and performance and support supervisors and managers. Click here to register.
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