Annual January Training and Education for Newly Elected Mayors and Council Members Brings Over 150 New City Officials to Sacramento
Jan 21, 2018
This year more than 150 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..aspx?width=400&height=266)
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:
League President and South San Francisco Council Member Rich Garbarino addressed the mayors and council members Thursday morning. “Congratulations and thank you for stepping forward to serve your residents and to improve your community,” said Garbarino.
He also stressed the fact that the League exists to help cities and city officials serve their residents. “Our commitment at the League is to provide you and your city with relevant services and programs that will help you be a stronger leader for your community.”
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. She emphasized that the League advocates for the common interests of all California cities.
Each of the League’s lobbyists provided a brief overview of their areas, emphasizing the key issues the League sees as priorities for 2017.
League Officers Attend Meetings in the Capitol
League President Garbarino, First Vice President Mark Kersey and Second Vice President Jan Arbuckle, Executive Director Coleman and Deputy Executive Director Dan Carrigg on Wednesday met with Gov. Jerry Brown and several legislative leaders and their representatives. The series of meetings provided an opportunity for the League’s leaders to discuss city priorities, the League’s 2018 goals, last year’s accomplishments and hear from the Governor and legislators about their policy focus this year.
The League’s 2018 goals center on four key areas, including addressing public safety concerns of California cities, ensuring sustainability of public pension and retirement health benefits, protect existing transportation funding for local priorities; and improving housing affordability and support additional resources to address the homelessness crisis.
Along with Governor Brown, League officers met with:
Thursday and Friday
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.
Pictures from the conference are available on the League’s Facebook page.
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. Approximately 350 city officials serve on these committees. 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 welcome from League President Rich Garbarino followed by 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.
Pictures from policy committees are available on the League’s Facebook page.
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 South San Francisco Council Member Rich Garbarino addressed the mayors and council members Thursday morning. “Congratulations and thank you for stepping forward to serve your residents and to improve your community,” said Garbarino.
He also stressed the fact that the League exists to help cities and city officials serve their residents. “Our commitment at the League is to provide you and your city with relevant services and programs that will help you be a stronger leader for your community.”
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. She emphasized that the League advocates for the common interests of all California cities.
Each of the League’s lobbyists provided a brief overview of their areas, emphasizing the key issues the League sees as priorities for 2017.
League Officers Attend Meetings in the Capitol
League President Garbarino, First Vice President Mark Kersey and Second Vice President Jan Arbuckle, Executive Director Coleman and Deputy Executive Director Dan Carrigg on Wednesday met with Gov. Jerry Brown and several legislative leaders and their representatives. The series of meetings provided an opportunity for the League’s leaders to discuss city priorities, the League’s 2018 goals, last year’s accomplishments and hear from the Governor and legislators about their policy focus this year.
The League’s 2018 goals center on four key areas, including addressing public safety concerns of California cities, ensuring sustainability of public pension and retirement health benefits, protect existing transportation funding for local priorities; and improving housing affordability and support additional resources to address the homelessness crisis.
Along with Governor Brown, League officers met with:
- Senate President pro tem Elect Toni Atkins (D-San Diego);
- Katie Kolitsos, special assistant to Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Los Angeles);
- Sen. Mike McGuire (D-Healdsburg), chair of the Senate Governance and Finance Committee;
- Assembly Member Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters), chair of the Assembly Local Government Committee;
- Judson True, chief of staff to Assembly Member David Chiu (D-San Francisco);
- Joseph Shinstock, chief consultant to Republican Leader Brian Dahle (R-Bieber); and
- Myriam Bouaziz, consultant to Senate President pro Tem Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles).
Thursday and Friday
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.
Pictures from the conference are available on the League’s Facebook page.
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. Approximately 350 city officials serve on these committees. 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 welcome from League President Rich Garbarino followed by 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.
Pictures from policy committees are available on the League’s Facebook page.