Workshops

All workshops on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday are at the
Yakima Convention Center and Red Lion Hotel Yakima Center.

Wednesday, June 18

9 – 11:30 am

2:30 – 4 pm

A Conversation with Legislators and City Lobbyists
Explore and hear various perspectives on critical issues facing cities with a moderated group of state legislators. Take time to build awareness of their perspectives on cities and obtain feedback with legislators who work on issues that impact your communities.
Clusters as a Downtown Strategy
Yakima’s downtown winery clusters are a natural economic development strategy. During a walking tour of three downtown wineries, you’ll hear how the wineries fit into the city’s downtown plan.
Finance 101 for Smaller Cities
Finance 101: This course will cover the nuts and bolts of city finances. Learn what government “fund” accounting is, how some funds and their revenues are restricted, the terminology unique to government financing and a general overview of “good” accounting practices for small cities.
Long Term Planning: Capitol Projects, Funding & Community Involvement
Tired of talking about it? Not sure where to start? What are the next steps and in what order? Participate in a "how to" approach to Long-term Planning that aligns your City's vision, outlines a strategic decision-making process, takes into account competing City needs, explores funding options, maps out a realistic timeline, and meaningfully involves the community along the way.
The Rogue Councilmember
There they go again! Off on a tangent and seemingly uncontrollable! Got a councilmember who doesn’t want to buy into the concept of team and seems bent on destroying what the city has been doing? Find out why they are doing what they do, and what you can do to keep your sanity when they are “doing it again.”
Working with Your Court: New Resources, Mandates and Appropriate Limits
This workshop covers a variety of court issues, touching on new mandates and resources and reminding us of appropriate roles for council members and judges. Hear from the state office of public defense about grant funds and technical expertise available to assist cities to meet their public defense responsibilities. Learn about new limits imposed by the legislature on cities and their clarification of other important authority. Find out about appropriate limits between council members and judges.

Thursday, June 19

9:15 – 10:15 am

Charting Your Fiscal Future
As we experience more hiccups in the economy, plan now for the future of city finances. Understand the changing landscape for governments: the major trends affecting your city’s revenue sources, the impact of the global economy on taxation, and escalating expenses such as capital improvement and healthcare.
Doing the Right Thing Part One: Auditing Standards
New auditing standards SAS 112 and 114 are likely to have an impact on your city’s audit (or have already). They also place a greater emphasis on the responsibilities of elected officials to provide oversight on financial operations. This interactive workshop will give you an opportunity to hear from a representative of the State Auditor’s Office and ask questions about how your city should prepare for these new standards.
Getting the Most from Your Small City $$$ – Managing Contractors
As small cities are challenged to fulfill the wide-ranging aspects of running a city, many leaders have turned to contracting for services to get the job done. Come hear ways to manage your contractors and your money to get the best bang for your buck.
Meeting Housing Challenges in a Changing Market
Wondering what is happening with the housing market and how your city might be impacted? Attend this session to get a brief update on what recent housing trends mean for cities and get practical tips and insights for both mobile home preservation and the creation of new affordable workforce housing.
Step Out of the Box Funding (mobile tour)
Get out into the community and take a look at how Yakima combined funding sources to create a visitor’s center that draws traffic and focuses on the region’s assets.
Value Based Decision Making in the Public Sector
Public leaders make decisions every day that affect constituents both positively and adversely. This session explores decision making styles, illustrates how personal values act as filters in our decision making process, and provides a model for making defensible decisions when the stakes are high.

10:30 am – Noon

Courageous Leadership
Public expectations require a higher level of government accountability than ever before. As a leader, the demand for accountability and improved organizational performance require leadership that is fair, courageous and demanding. This session introduces you to tools and approaches that will help you meet constituent expectations and give you ways to communicate performance concisely.
Doing the Right Thing Part Two: Open Public Meetings, Public Records
Not understanding your responsibilities under the Public Records Act (PRA) and Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA) can be costly. In this workshop, you will hear from experts on how to build a public records program that will help avoid problems before they develop. You will also learn when the OPMA applies, and when it doesn't. The workshop will feature real-world examples to illustrate the requirements of the PRA and OPMA.
Land Use Short Course for Smaller Cities
This session will provide the big-picture essentials of land use for elected officials, with a focus on the needs of smaller cities. Experienced officials from cities and staff with the Department of Community, Trade & Economic Development will help you learn to navigate some of the big land use planning challenges for cities, such as Critical Area Ordinances and using Best Available Science.
Setting Municipal Utility Rates – The Do's and Don'ts
This session will provide attendees with a step by step guide to help in the process of setting rates for municipal utilities such as water, sewer, wastewater, solid waste, electricity and natural gas. And, learn how to avoid some of the pitfalls.
Sustainable Workforce – What is it and How to Get One
Local governments are falling behind in planning efforts to ensure that employees are recruited and developed to step into key roles within the organization when senior managers retire. This session focuses on strategies in succession planning.

1:30 – 3 pm

Civic Ecology: Practical Solutions for Real Communities
Public concern about the environment is increasing; however, most problems concerning environment and ecology are not resource problems - they are people problems! In this session, explore emerging trends. How do people in cities and communities benefit from being involved in environmental projects? How do urban ecosystems benefit communities? How do you encourage conservation behavior?
Communicating Across the Generations
To be successful as a community leader, it’s important to connect with multiple generations and pay attention to their different values, interests, and needs. Ignoring or overlooking a generation increases the chances of conflict arising during a community process. Develop strategies to overcome the most common communication problems between the generations.
Infill Development and Downtown Housing
Today, elected officials interested in creating vibrant downtown business districts realize that infill development is a key element in the formula for success. Communities across the country are increasingly recognizing that the spread out patterns of growth, which have shaped American communities for the past several decades, cannot be sustained. In this session, learn how many communities have used infill development as a catalyst for economic revitalization of their communities.
You Can Make It Happen: Infrastructure Funding
Sources for much needed infrastructure funding are growing scarcer and more competitive. Come prepared to discuss your local infrastructure funding issues and concerns. Find out how your city can benefit from state grant and loan programs and talk to representatives from state agencies.
Streamlined Sales Tax – Update on Implementation & Mitigation
In July 2008, the sourcing provisions of SSB 5089, conforming Washington’s tax structure to the streamlined sales and use tax agreement (SST), take effect. Get updated on how the tax structure transition is working, mitigation for negatively impacted jurisdictions, assistance to the business community in implementing these changes, as well as news about what’s happening at the national level.

3:30 – 4:30 pm

A Look at the Future: Where Are the People Going?
Washington State’s population is expected to increase rather dramatically in the next few decades. Where are these people expected to live? Work? Recreate? How might our communities look and feel with all of our new friends and relatives and what options might we have on where and how to accommodate them?
Beyond Branding: Not Just a Logo and Slogan
Often communities think of branding as a slogan, logo and new color schemes for their brochures and website. This session digs into the philosophy of community “positioning” and branding, how to go about it and its benefits for tourism, business and community development.
Budgeting for Capital Projects
As an elected official, you hear a lot about the facility needs in your community. Budgeting for new streets or a community center requires different practices than budgeting for your operating expenses.
Going Green Strategies
If conserving energy and water doesn't persuade you to adopt green strategies, maybe saving money will. See examples of how other cities and agencies are successfully implementing green strategies into their policy frameworks and as well as their daily operations…and impacting their bottom line!
Responding to Natural Disaster: How Did We Do It?
Learn how the state and locals partnered to insure timely responses to the devastating floods in Lewis County. While the work continues – this workshop will focus on the initial responses of the state and local governments. Come learn how you can insure a similar response if your city is impacted by a disaster.

Friday, June 20

8:45 – 10:15 am
Basics of Budgeting (CML)
The budget is one of the most important documents your city puts together. This session will cover the very basics of municipal budgeting: roles and responsibilities of staff and elected officials, legal requirements and terminology.

9 – 10:15 am
Roundtables

Can We Do More with Less?
As local government leaders grapple with decreased revenues and budget gaps, this roundtable discussion seeks to explore innovative approaches to maintaining core services and quality of life, on reduced budgets.
New Tools for Help with Gangs: Suppression, Intervention & Prevention
Join this lively roundtable to discuss how cities plan to use new tools created by the Legislature in 2008 for help with gang activity. Examine alternatives to gang membership for at-risk youth, statutory definitions to help inform local ordinances that seek to suppress gang activity, and funding for enforcement and graffiti abatement.
Puget Sound Partnership
The Action Agenda, due by December 1, 2008, impacts your city’s future land use policies, capitol projects, permit obligations, funding opportunities, and more. Hear how the Partnership is approaching this effort, share your perspective, find out what other cities are thinking. and learn about opportunities for providing input into Action Agenda process.
Small Cities
Share ideas and perspectives unique to smaller cities. You’re each other’s best resources!
Tribal Relations
Learn about practical strategies to establish effective city-tribal relationships and partnerships. Share information about the tribal issues and regional activities that are important in your community. Understand the meaning of tribal sovereignty and how it impacts your city.