7:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Attendee Registration
8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Exhibitor Registration
10:30 a.m.-Noon
Opening General Session and Presentation of Awards
Maximize Human Potential: Win Together in a Shifting World
Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., President and CEO, SHRM
In a world characterized by constant change and economic uncertainty, the true powerhouse of every organization is its human capital. However, many organizations are not leveraging the full potential of their most valuable asset – their people. In this opening keynote, Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., President and CEO of SHRM, will help community leaders maximize their role in shaping the workforce, nurturing talent, and steering their city through the complexities of the business landscape. When we face uncertainty with innovative thought and evolved strategies, we’re unstoppable. Learn how, by working together, we can win together.
Noon-5:00 p.m.
Exhibit Hall Grand Opening
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| 1:45-3:00 p.m. | Concurrent Sessions |
| Legislative Outlook | The 89th session of the Texas Legislature will begin on January 14, 2025. Learn what issues are likely to be priorities, and how the League and Texas cities will work together to protect your ability to serve your residents. Speakers: Bennett Sandlin, Executive Director, Bill Longley, General Counsel, JJ Rocha, Grassroots and Legislative Services Manager, Mike Martin, Legislative Counsel, Monty Wynn, Grassroots and Legislative Services Director, Texas Municipal League |
| Texas Emergency Management 101 | In this session, the Texas Division of Emergency Management will discuss what local emergency managers and city officials need to know and have ready before, during, and after disaster strikes. Speaker: Shaun Miller, Assistant Chief, Texas Division of Emergency Management |
| Sex, Drugs, and Political Patronage: Why Employment Law Is So Much Fun | Learn from an experienced employment attorney the basics of the laws affecting public sector employment, such as what to do when there’s a complaint of sexual harassment, when you can choose employees based on their politics, what to do about employees who shouldn’t be on leave, and those who should not be at work, how to have (and document) difficult conversations about performance, when you have to pay overtime, and what employees have the right to say on social media. This is an opportunity to ask questions and talk about the best way to run an efficient workplace while staying on the right side of the many laws protecting public employees. Speaker: Sarah Glaser, Principal, Lloyd Gosselink Rochelle & Townsend, P.C. |
| Banking in Art: Making a smART Investment | The cultural arts are an important economic driver for many Texas cities. The downtown area is oftentimes the cultural center for communities of all sizes. This session will focus on the economic importance of arts and culture to communities of all sizes, strategies to fund downtown arts initiatives and development, and best practices from across Texas for investing in the arts. Speakers: Chris Kiley, Executive Director, Texans for the Arts; Travis James, Vice President, TXP Inc; Ann Arnold-Ogden, Executive Director, Wichita Falls Alliance for Arts and Culture; Chance Sparks Freese and Nichols |
| Building Teams That Stick | Highly cohesive teams use smart strategies for resolving conflict and building consensus, even when they disagree. Disagreement isn’t fatal to team cohesion, and divergent opinions often help teams see flaws in their thinking. This session combines research and practice from organizational scientist Cindi Baldi to deliver powerful and immediately implementable strategies to turbocharge the teams we are on and the groups we supervise. Speaker: Cindi Baldi, PhD, Founder and CEO, Culsure |
| 2:00-2:30 p.m. Municipal PFAS Recovery Update – What Municipal Officials Need to Know | Greenhouse Session Presented by Milberg Coleman Bryson Phillips Grossman PFAS or “forever chemicals” are finding their way into public water systems in Texas and across the country. Recently established EPA guidelines will soon require all public water systems to test for PFAS and require costly upgrades to systems in order to combat this problem. These costs will no doubt fall upon system customers and taxpayers. Recent settlements with PFAS manufacturers have now made money available to help address this issue. This session will give an overview of the PFAS issue, provide an update on the current and future settlements making their way through the court system, and discuss what this means to municipalities and public water systems. |
| 2:45-3:15 p.m. Sales Tax Tools: Understanding Data and Budgeting | Greenhouse Session Presented by HdL Companies In this sales tax presentation, we’ll delve into the details of your city’s sales tax data and learn how to interpret it effectively. We’ll also discuss essential sales tax concepts that you can combine with your data to master sales tax budgeting like a pro! |
| 3:30-4:45 p.m. | Concurrent Sessions |
| Legal Q&A | Meet the TML legal staff and hear the answers to questions you’ve always wanted to have answered in this fun, insightful, and informal session. Speakers: Amber McKeon-Mueller, Assistant Director of Legal Services; Tad Cleaves, Legal Counsel; Sarah Tompkins, Legal Counsel; Stephanie Huser, Legal Counsel; Mike Martin, Legislative Counsel, Texas Municipal League |
| Unveiling the Dynamics of Election Services and Contracts Session courtesy of the Texas Municipal Clerks Association, Inc. | In this session, a panel comprised of a mayor, the clerk, a county elections administrator, and the Texas Secretary of State elections division all come together to give the audience a thorough understanding of the start to finish of the election, and how to maintain the relationships between agencies involved in the election process. You’ll discuss the pros and cons of an election contract, the challenges of implementing new legislation, the consequences on election costs and administration, and why it takes so long to count those ballots. Speakers: Rosemarie Kanusky, Of Counsel, McCall Parkhurst & Horton; Jannette Goodall, City Secretary, City of Fort Worth; Christina Adkins, Director, Elections Division, Texas Secretary of State; Bobby Warren, Mayor, City of Jersey Village |
| Neighborhood Walk Program Builds Relationships | Cedar Hill launched its Neighborhood Walk Program to build community engagement and better serve its residents. The walks are led by the police department’s community policing team and include a cross-section of city employees from various departments, neighborhood leaders, elected officials, and city administration. The program has been successful in identifying issues that affect quality of life, giving residents a voice, and building relationships one door at a time. Learn how you can adapt this innovative program in your community in this enlightening session. Speaker: Ely Reyes, Chief of Police, and Stephen Mason, Mayor, City of Cedar Hill |
| Effective Council and Staff Relations Session courtesy of the Small Cities Advisory Council | Building a successful relationship between the city council and staff is critical to collaboration and effective governance. This session will explore the roles of the council and staff, share effective ways to communicate, provide framework for policymaking, and more. Speaker(s): Holly Gray-Moore, Mayor Pro Tem, and Cody Petree, City Manager, City of Roanoke; Tobe Shields, Mayor, and Justin Parker, City Manager, City of Spearman |
| The Future Is Here: AI Applications in Municipal Government Session courtesy of the Texas Municipal Library Directors Association | Dive into the exciting world of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its transformative applications in libraries, economic development, and tourism. You will gain valuable insights into how AI can empower public libraries to serve their communities more effectively, and understand how AI can optimize event planning, marketing, and recruitment to foster vibrant communities and thriving economies. Speakers: Drew Bailey, Managing Director of Tourism and Business Development, Town of Little Elm; Dianne Connery, Development Director, Pottsboro Library |