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Making the Most of the SDMLConference
Making the Most of the SDML Conference
Before you go
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Bring a good idea from home to share and a supply of business cards. If your city has promotional stickers or pins, bring a supply to share to make your hometown visible and help you make connections.
Make a plan
Whenyouarrive,reviewthefullprogramofsessions.Map out the sessions you will attend. If others from your community are attending, decide together who will go to what.Yourmunicipalitywillgainthemostwhenattendees divide and conquer. ALL MEETINGS ARE OPEN TO ALLATTENDEES.
Orientation
If you are a first time attendee, plan on going to the “Orientation for New Attendees” session on Wednesday morning so you can learn more about the conference and the League, as well as meet other first-timers.
Attend the sessions
All sessions listed on the conference program are open to ALL conference attendees – you do not have to be a member of the affiliate group to attend their meeting.
For the Elected Officials
While you are welcome to attend any of the meetings you see in the program, the elected officials are especially invitedtojointheSDFinanceOfficers’Associationtohear about dealing with both planned events and natural disasters. The Incident Command System will be discussed, along with the significance of the local officials’roles and responsibilities. On Thursday, Elected
Officials have their own session dealing with the local impact of methamphetamines; project management, technology, and federal postal services.
Take notes
Good session notes – complete with notations of who you wanttosharetheinformationwithaftertheconferenceand ideas the information generates – will be invaluable when you prepare a summary. Plan to share it with other municipal officials, citizens and appropriate staff.
All SDMLAnnual Conference information can be found at www.sdmunicipalleague.org.
Daily review
Each evening as you wind down from the day of sensory overload, review your session notes and jot down the top threediscoveries.Whatwerethemostimportant,pertinent, useful or amazing discoveries that day? How are they significant to your municipality? Write them down.And –on a specific day in your calendar – note an idea you want to pursue.
Network
Make it a habit to introduce yourself to others around you at session and events. Have plenty of business cards to share. You can start conversations by asking questions. What part of the conference have they enjoyed most so far? How long has he/she held his/her position? What are the biggest issues the community faces? You may have common concerns to explore, or solutions that your community has developed.
Visit the exhibits
Exhibitorshavealotofexperiencewithmunicipalitiesand are experts in their field. They can be great sources of informationandsolutionsformunicipalconcerns.Exhibits are open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday and 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. onThursday.
Policy Committees
If you serve on a Policy Committee, those meet on Wednesdayafternoon.Ifyouarenotonapolicycommittee, this is an excellent opportunity to sit in on one that is of interest to you. Policy Committees shape the Statement of Policy that guides the League’s legislative agenda for the coming session.
Vote
Make sure your municipality has a voting delegate at the business meeting on Friday morning so your voice is counted in the election of League board members and the adoption of the Policy Statement.
Cost/Benefit
Know what it costs your municipality to send you to the conference and be prepared to talk about the benefits your local government receives as a result. Municipal governmentisalotlikeparenthood.Itisimpossibletoknow all about it until you are in the thick of it. There is a lot of on-the-job learning – and the SDML Conference is the single best forum for learning about municipal governance inSouthDakota.
Relax
Relax and enjoy the sights and delights of Pierre. Take time to renew yourself every evening to be refreshed the nextday.Returnhomewithyournotes,contacts,resources, ideas, and dreams – and the commitment to make a differencewithwhatyouhavelearned!
2018 Topics at a Glance
Pierre is the place to be October 2-5 as SDML members gather for theAnnual Conference.
Can Small Cities Be Cool?
Dr. David Ivan, Michigan State University We live in a changing world. Achieving community vitalityrequiresnon-traditionalcommunityandeconomic development strategies. Based on successful approaches ofhighperformingsmalltomid-sizedtownsacrossNorth America, this session provides real strategies from real communities on enhancing entrepreneurship, strengthening human talent, addressing youth migration, and building successful regional partnerships.
Other Sessions Include:
•Strengthening the City Manager/Police Chief Relationship • ChartingYour Leadership Journey • Code Enforcement Best Practices • Community Facility, Water and Environment Programs: Funding Opportunities forYour City • You and Your City ’s Finances: What an Elected Official Needs to Know • Supreme Court Status Update • Utility Rates and Financial Planning: What the Future Holds • RegionalismandCommunitySuccess:Stretching Your Resources • Top SecurityThreats and ProtectingYour City • Emergency Managment: Public Employee Do’s and Dont’s • New Employee Orientation and Onboarding Best Practices • Performance Evaluations and Reviews • Thin Overlay Pilot Project and other Street Maintenance Strategies • Understanding your South Dakota Retirement System, Supplemental Retirement Plan & Special Pay Plan Benefits • Housing:WhatYou Need, How to Get It • Open Meeting - Open Record - Executive Sessions: EverythingYou Need to Know
First-Time Attendees
City employees and elected officials who have not previously attended an annual conference are invited to attend the Orientation for NewAttendees meeting inPierreonWednesday,October3,2018at9:00a.m. This is an opportunity to learn more about the South Dakota Municipal League (SDML), get a chance to meettheMunicipalLeaguestaffandBoardMembers and get a better understanding of what the League does for the municipalities in South Dakota.
ThismeetingwillbehostedbySDMLPresidentMike Wendland, who is also the City Administrator of Baltic, and other members of the SDML Board of Directors and Staff. They will review the conference agenda,sharesomeofthesuccessstoriesoftheSDML andexplainthepurposeofthepolicycommittees.
Other Board members and League staff will be introduced and have an opportunity to share some of their thoughts.
PastOrientationforNewAttendeesmeetinggoershave spoken very highly of attending this gathering and learningmoreabouttheSDML.
If this is your first conference, you are encouraged to attend this meeting. See you in Pierre!
SDML Committees
2018 Nominating Committee
Dennis Olson,Assistant CityAdministrator/ Finance Officer, Brandon,Chair Al Cerny, CityAdministrator/ Finance Officer, Gregory Meri JoAnderson, Finance Officer, New Underwood
2018 Auditing Committee
KarlAlberts, Finance Officer,Aberdeen, Chair Pauline Sumption, Finance Officer, Rapid City Becky Brunsing, Finance Officer,Wagner MichelleDeNeui,AssistantFinanceOfficer,Spearfish TracyDavis,DeputyFinanceOfficer,RapidCity
Preliminary Agenda Subject to Change
Tuesday, October 2, 2018
2:00 p.m. SDML Golf Tournament Pre-registration required. (Visit www.sdmunicipalleague.org for registration form.) Hillsview Golf Course, Pierre Hosted by: City of Pierre South Dakota Municipal League
7:00 p.m. SDML Board of Directors Meeting
Wednesday, October 3, 2018
8:00 a.m. Registration 8:00 a.m. Exhibits Open 9:00 a.m. Orientation for New Attendees 9:00 a.m. SD City Management Association
to Presiding: Justin Weiland, SDCMA President, Dell Rapids 4:00 p.m. 1. Charting Your Leadership Journey Rick Melmer, Director, Leadership South Dakota 2. Business Meeting and Election
9:00 a.m. SD Municipal Electric Association
Presiding: Russell Halgerson, SDMEA Vice President, Brookings Municipal Utilities 1.Missouri River Energy Services Jeff Peters, Director, Federal & Distributed Power Programs, Missouri River Energy Services 2.Heartland Consumers Power District Update Casey Crabtree, Director of Economic Development, Heartland Consumers Power District 3.SD One Call 811 Update Larry Janes, Executive Director, SD One Call 4.WesternArea PowerAdministration Update 5 Business Meeting and Election 9:30 a.m. Guided Tours - sign up at registration desk
• Capitol Tour
Take a guided tour of South Dakota’s Capitol Building and its outdoor memorials (weather permitting).
• New City Facilities Tour
Tour some of the City of Pierre’s newest facilities including City Hall, Pierre Solar, Pierre MunicipalAirport andAirport Rescue Firefighter Facility.
• Trail of Governors Tour (walking tour)
Take a guided walking tour of the nation’s only Trail of Governors. The two-mile trail, featuring 22 life-size bronze statues of former South Dakota Governors, between the State Capitol Campus and historic Downtown Pierre.
10:00 a.m. SDML Pooling Meetings
• South Dakota PublicAssuranceAlliance • Health Pool of South Dakota • SDML Workers’ Compensation Fund
11:00 a.m. Pooling Escape Room
Want to get away? Escape the conference and join us to test your risk-sharing pool trivia knowledge...hope you are not claustrophobic! Brad Wilson, Administrator, SDML Workers’ Compensation Fund and President of Insurance Benefits, Inc. Lynn Bren, Director of Member Services, SDPAA Jerry Krambeck, Member Services Representative, SDPAA Gary Drewes, Marketing Representative, SDML Workers’ Compensation Fund/Insurance Benefits, Inc. Ladene Bachtell, Account Executive, SDML Workers’ Compensation Fund/Insurance Benefits, Inc.
Noon Safety Awards Luncheon
Presiding: Doug Kirkus, Safety Benefits, Inc. Hosted by: SDML Workers’ Compensation Fund South Dakota Public Assurance Alliance
2. Community Facility, Water, and Environment Programs: Funding Opportunities ForYour City Tim Potts, Community Program Director, United States Department of Agriculture 3.You andYour City’s Finances: What an Elected Official Needs to Know Rod Fortin, Director of Local Government Assistance, SD Department of Legislative Audit
1:00 p.m. SD MunicipalAttorneys’Association
Presiding: Gary Blue, SDMAA President, Wessington Springs 1.Business Meeting and Election 2.Supreme Court Status Update - Brant Lake Case Todd Meierhenry, Meierhenry Sargent LLP
1:00 p.m. SD Building OfficialsAssociation
Presiding: Brett Bill, SDBOA President, Aberdeen 1.Business Meeting 2.TBD
1:00 p.m. SD Governmental Finance Officers’Association
Presiding: Dawn Murphy, SDGFOA President, Tea 1. Business Meeting and Election 2. DLAUpdates Rod Fortin, Director of Local Government Assistance, SD Department of Legislative Audit 3. Utility Rates and Financial Planning - What the Future Holds Kevin Smith, Operations Manager, AE2S
1:00 p.m. SD Police Chiefs’Association
Presiding: Lee McPeek, SDPCA President, Watertown 1. Presentations Marty Jackley, SD Attorney General Denny Kaemingk, SD Department of Corrections Trevor Jones, SD Department of Public Safety Craig Price, SD Highway Patrol Bryan Gortmaker, SD Department of Criminal Investigation Stefan Pluta, SD Homeland Security Jeff Pierce, SD Bureau of Information & Telecommunications 2. National Violent Death Reporting System Grant and Naloxone Project Ashley Miller, Epidemiologist, SD Department of Health Marty Link, Director of EMS and Trauma, Department of Health 3. Business Meeting and Election 1:30 p.m. Guided Tours - sign up at registration desk
• Capitol Tour
Take a guided tour of South Dakota’s Capitol Building and its outdoor memorials (weather permitting).
• New City Facilities Tour
Tour some of the City of Pierre’s newest facilities including City Hall, Pierre Solar, Pierre MunicipalAirport andAirport Rescue Firefighter Facility.
• Trail of Governors Tour (walking tour)
Take a guided walking tour of the nation’s only Trail of Governors. The two-mile trail, featuring 22 life-size bronze statues of former South Dakota Governors, between the State Capitol Campus and historic Downtown Pierre.
4:00 p.m. SDML Policy Committee Meetings General Government
Presiding: Stephanie Ellwein, City Administrator, Mitchell
Public Health, Safety, and Welfare
Presiding: Tom Paisley, Building Official, Spearfish, Chair
Public Works
Presiding: Mark Cotter, Public Works Director, Sioux Falls, Chair
Taxation and Revenue
Presiding: Pauline Sumption, Finance Officer, Rapid City, Chair
4:00 p.m. SDMLAuditing Committee
Presiding: Karl Alberts, Finance Officer, Aberdeen, Chair
4:00 p.m. SDML Nominating Committee
Presiding: Dennis Olson, Assistant City Administrator/Finance Officer, Brandon, Chair
5:00 p.m. ExhibitArea Social 6:00 p.m. The City of Pierre invites you to enjoy their downtown!
Thursday, October 4, 2018
7:00 a.m. SDML 15thAnnual Walk/Run Pre-registration required. Starts at Ramkota Hotel lobby at 6:30 a.m.. Hosted by: Health Pool of SD SDML Workers’ Compensation Fund South Dakota PublicAssuranceAlliance
7:45 a.m. Breakfast
7:45 a.m. SDML Past Presidents’Breakfast
8:00 a.m. Registration 8:00 a.m. Exhibits Open 8:00 a.m. Resolutions Committee
Presiding: Pauline Sumption, Finance Officer, Rapid City 8:30 a.m. Guided Tours - sign up at registration desk
• Capitol Tour
Take a guided tour of South Dakota’s Capitol Building and its outdoor memorials (weather permitting).
• New City Facilities Tour
Tour some of the City of Pierre’s newest facilities including City Hall, Pierre Solar, Pierre MunicipalAirport andAirport Rescue Firefighter Facility.
• Trail of Governors Tour (walking tour)
Take a guided walking tour of the nation’s only Trail of Governors. The two-mile trail, featuring 22 life-size bronze statues of former South Dakota Governors, between the State Capitol Campus and historic Downtown Pierre.
9:00 a.m. Elected Officials Workshop
1.Regionalism and Community Success: StretchingYour Resources David Ivan, Michigan State University 2.Top SecurityThreats and ProtectingYour City James Fry, Enterprise Solutions Engineer, Riverside Technologies Inc.
9:00 a.m. SDAirport ManagementAssociation
Presiding: Cody Roggatz, SDAMA President, Aberdeen 1. Business Meeting and Election 2.TBA
9:00 a.m. SDAssociation of Code Enforcement
Presiding: Geoff Fillingsness, SoDACE President, Beresford 1.Business Meeting 2.Emergency Management - Public Employee Do’s and Dont’s Randy Hartmann, State Voluntary Agency Liaison, SD Office of Emergency Management Harold Timmerman, Lincoln County Emergency Manager Geoff Fillingsness, Code Enforcement Officer, City of Beresford
9:00 a.m. SD Governmental Human ResourceAssociation
Presiding: Paullyn Carey, SDGHRA President, Huron 1.Business Meeting and Election 2.New Employee Orientation and Onboarding - Best Practices Donna Bottema, Human Resource Generalist, City of Rapid City 3. Performance Evaluations and Reviews Nick Stroot, Community Resource Director, City of Rapid City
9:00 a.m. SD Municipal Street MaintenanceAssociation
Presiding: Pete Jahn, SDMSMA President, Vermillion 1.Thin Overlay Pilot Project and other Street Maintenance Strategies Mark Metzinger, Street Superintendent, City of Pierre Kyle Kurth, Engineer Staff Assistant EIT, City of Pierre 2.Understanding your South Dakota Retirement System, Supplemental Retirement Plan & Special Pay Plan Benefits Alan Freng, Retirement Planner, SD Retirement System 3. Business Meeting and Election
Noon Excellence in SD Municipal GovernmentAward Luncheon
Featured Speaker: David Owen, President, South Dakota Chamber of Commerce and Industry Presentation of the 2018 Excellence in SD Municipal GovernmentAward SDMLHall of Fame Induction – Honoring 20 years and more of municipal service. Hosted by: BankWest Trust Department The First National Bank in Sioux Falls – Trust Department
1:30 p.m. SD Chapter,American Public WorksAssociation
Presiding: Jackie Lanning, President, SD Chapter APWA 1.Ken Justice, National Ready Mix ConcreteAssociation 2.RoundTable Discussion orTour 3.Business Meeting
1:30 p.m. South Dakota Fire ChiefsAssociation
Presiding: Michael Koopman, President, SDFCA 1.Welcome and Introductions 2.Fire Marshal’s Office 3.SD EMS 4.Business Meeting
1:30 p.m. General Session 1. Can Small Cities Be Cool?
Dr. David Ivan, Michigan State University We live in a changing world. Achieving community vitality requires non-traditional community and economic development strategies. Based on the successful approaches of high performing small to mid-sized towns across North America, this session provides real strategies from real communities on enhancing entrepreneurship, strengthening human talent, addressing youth migration, and building successful regional partnerships.
2. Mock Council Meeting
Learnaboutdoingtherightthingbywatchingthiscastofcharactersdothewrongthing!Themostentertaining way to learn!
3. Forum
5:30 p.m. President’s Reception (for all attendees) 6:30 p.m. Dinner
Hosted by: Dougherty & Company LLC
Entertainment: Todd Oliver and Friends
Have you ever met a talking dog, a real talking dog? Get ready because when comedian and ventriloquist Todd Oliver takes the stage you’ll meet his two funny companions - Irving and Lucy. These little dogs are making crowds across the country howl for more. When they get behind the microphone they turn everyday K-9 experiences into knockout comedy. Todd Oliver & Friends are traveling the country with outrageous comedy that has everyone talking. And here’s what audiences are saying: “I’ve never laughed so hard in my life, amazing!” “Incredibly funny!” “Agreat act!” Hosted by: Midcontinent Communications
8:00 a.m. Registration
8:00 a.m. Breakfast
Friday, October 5, 2018
8:30 a.m. General Sessions 1. Housing: What You Need, How to Get It
Join the SD HousingAuthority as we learn about solving one of the biggest problems in South Dakota: the availability of workforce housing. Lorraine Polak; Director of Rural Housing Development, South Dakota Housing Development Authority Eric Ambroson, Community Development Specialist, Planning & Development District III Margo Gillette, SD Executive Director, Beadle and Spink Enterprise Community (BASEC)
9:30 a.m. 2. Open Meeting - Open Records - Executive Sessions: Everything You Need to Know
Our experts will take you through all the ins and outs of open meetings, when executive sessions are appropriate, and what you need to know about open records. David Pfeifle, Executive Director, SDPAA Diane Best, Assistant City Attorney, City of Sioux Falls
10:30 a.m. SDMLAnnual Business Meeting and Election
1.Auditing Committee Report 2. Executive Director’s Report 3. Resolutions Committee Report 4. Discussion andAdoption of 2019 Statement of Policy 5. President’s Report 6. Nominating Committee Report 7.Annual Election of Officers 8. Other Business 9. Prize Drawing – Must be Present to Win!
