Annual January Training and Education for Newly Elected Mayors and Council Members Brings 450 New City Officials to Sacramento

Jan 19, 2017
This year more than 450 city officials traveled to Sacramento to attend the three-day event designed to give newly elected city officials the information and skills they need to successfully lead their cities.

The conference covers a wide range of policy topics and city council procedures as well as the state-required AB 1234 ethics training. Other sessions focused on:
  • Land use planning;
  • Legal powers and obligations;
  • City council/city manager form of city government;
  • Effective meeting running techniques;
  • Communications and the new media; and
  • Local government finance. 
League President and Lodi Council Member JoAnne Mounce addressed the mayors and council members Wednesday morning. She made the connection between the League’s founders in 1898 and city officials today. “The League’s motto is simple. ‘Cities working together’ because collaboration and common effort are our strengths. I am so grateful to you newly elected officials for engaging in the League and helping continue that tradition.”
 
She encouraged members to become engaged in the League to keep local governments strong when addressing the strategic priorities for the year. “I would first like to applaud you for your commitment to your community and hope you will consider getting more involved with the League to help advocate for funding and resources that are important to your city. It is your dedication that helps keep cities strong.”
 
League Executive Director Carolyn Coleman welcomed city officials to Sacramento, thanked them for their dedication to public service and explained how League services can help them more effectively serve their communities.
 
Each of the League’s lobbyists provided a brief overview of their areas, emphasizing the key issues the League sees as priorities for 2017.
 
Wednesday afternoon started with a Fix Our Roads coalition news conference. The Fix Our Roads coalition, of which the League is a founding member, held the event in the Sacramento Convention Center near the Capitol to once again talk with reporters about the urgent need to pass a transportation funding plan. It comes down to “Pave me now or pay more later.”
 
President Mounce, an accountant by profession, spoke on behalf of the League and called for Gov. Jerry Brown and the Legislature to uphold the promise they made to tackle the tough issue of funding California’s crumbling transportation infrastructure. “With 30 years of accounting experience, I know the importance of fiscal responsibility. And I strongly believe that protecting the investments of our taxpayers have already made should be a priority,” Mounce stressed.
 
Sessions continued on Thursday with presentations on city council-city manager relations, communications and the new media and more. One of the most popular sessions features a mock city council skit. Led by expert city attorneys and featuring experienced city officials, the session called session called “City of Dysfunction Junction — How to Conduct an Effective and Respectful City Council Meeting,” brings humor to the very serious and important topic of city council meeting process and transparency.
 
The conference closed Friday with AB 1234 ethics training. Newly elected and appointed city officials are required to receive this training within a year of being elected and then they must go through it every two years following.
 
League Policy Committees Hold First Meetings of 2017
 
Also this week in Sacramento, the League’s seven standing policy committees held their first meetings of the year. League policy committees meet at least three times annually, with some committees meeting during Annual Conference to review proposed resolutions for the General Assembly.
 
Both days began with joint legislative briefings before the individual committees took up their business.
The briefings also included a legislative and state budget update by the League’s Deputy Director and Director of Legislative Affairs Dan Carrigg and Michael Coleman, the League’s fiscal advisor.
 
Actions taken by policy committees this week will next go to the League board of directors for review and action. Agendas are available on the League website.