Assistants and Professional Staff Networking Session   

Session Description: Come and join us to network with your fellow professionals on pertinent topics. This is an opportunity to establish your own personal network among other IGFOA members.  

Led by:
Rita Kruse , IGFOA Assistant Representative

Associates Members Forum

Session Description: Discover the myriad ways IGFOA Associate Members can support professional public finance management. Share tips for working with the public sector.

Led by:
Sam Blahnik, IGFOA Associate Representative

Special District Members Forum

Session description: Join special district finance officers and staff to discuss
financial/budget management issues that are “hot” in your district, training needs, and getting the most out of IGFOA membership.

Led by:
to be announced

New and first time attendees gathering

Session description:

Join an informal gathering as the Membership Committee welcomes first time attendees, reviews the schedule and shares tips for getting the most out of the conference.

Led by:

IGFOA Membership Committee

Revenue: Municipal Revenues from Broadband - The Old, the New, and the Future

Session Description: Broadband usage in municipalities from telephone, cable, and Internet services has figured in a wide variety of revenue sources, such as the Simplified Municipal Telecommunications Tax, utility use taxes, and cable franchise fees. However, the explosion in broadband use since 2007 has opened the door for other revenue sources, including higher rents for more wireless towers and ground facilities and leasing fiber optic networks. The future may provide potential for revenues from downloaded entertainment services, such as video, music, and books, or from revenues deriving from growing municipal use of social networks such as Twitter© and Facebook©. This presentation will help finance officers and other municipal staff to understand the current and future options for broadband as a revenue source and discuss their potential for helping to support sagging budgets.

Learning Objectives: Identify current revenue sources that are broadband-related, Discuss why some revenue sources failed due to economic conditions (e.g. municipal wi-fi) and why other revenue sources need to be revisited (wireline technology) and why others are growing (wireless service), Discuss the increasing reliance on lease-based revenue sources (cell towers, fiber networks) as a way of providing long-term revenue streams, Discuss and illustrate new broadband-based forms of revenues (downloads, social network usage) and how municipalities will need to closely monitor broadband use trends, Encourage dialogue through questions and answers.

Speaker:

Stu Chapman, Municipal Service Assoc., and Lou Karrison, Sikich Group

Earn about 1 CPE

Hot Topic: Legislative Update

Session Description: Learn what actions the General Assembly took that will impact local government fiscal conditions such as pension reform and the State's budget.  Also discuss measures that are pending for the fall veto session and next General Assembly.

Learning Objectives: Gain an understanding of key legislative measures with financial impacts for local governments.

Speakers:

Taylor Anderson, Anderson Legislative Consulting

Earn about 1 CPE

Revenue: Property Tax and Property Tax Appeals

Session Description: will address the following topics related to property tax levies and assessment appeals: Levy authority and preparation, including home rule vs. non-home rule distinctions, strategic considerations to maximize return, the legal framework and new laws concerning levies, and preparation requirements, resources, and timelines;  Assessment appeals, including the effect of recent economic conditions on the appeal process and property tax base, the procedural framework, the rights and obligations of taxing districts, determining whether intervention is worthwhile, working together with other taxing districts, pitfalls in the process, and maximizing efficiency in defending the tax base;  Other property taxation issues, including governmental tax exemption authority and requirements, property tax sales, and new legislation.

Learning Objectives: Levy authority and preparation, including home rule vs. non-home rule distinctions, strategic considerations to maximize return, the legal framework and new laws concerning levies, and preparation requirements, resources, and timelines;  Assessment appeals, including the effect of recent economic conditions on the appeal process and property tax base, the procedural framework, the rights and obligations of taxing districts, determining whether intervention is worthwhile, working together with other taxing districts, pitfalls in the process, and maximizing efficiency in defending the tax base;  Other property taxation issues, including governmental tax exemption authority and requirements, property tax sales, and new legislation.

Speakers:

Adam B. Simon, Ancel Glink and

Nicholas A. Grojean, Ancel Glink

Earn about 1 CPE

Hot Topic: Health Care Reform- "The Marketplace Responds...."

Session Description: This interactive session will center around how health insurers, related industry vendors and brokers will react to the Health Care Reform package. Earning equal weight will be the financial and operational impact to IGFOA members and their communities. The discussion will cover changes to both fully insured and self insured members with a discussion of the operating requirements that may be imposed on your municipality. 

Learning Objectives: Learn about the financial impact of the Health Care Reform on you and your community.  Discover the operational impact that the Health Care Reform will bring to your municipality.  Become aware of changes that will affect fully insured and self insured members.

Speaker:

Gregg Aleman - Gallagher Benefit Services, Inc.

Earn about 1 CPE

Revenue: Forecasting Fee Revenue

Session Description: During the preparation of your budgets you wonder how other communities forecast their revenues.  How do they determine fees?  When does a community raise fees or create new ones? What is the objective of the budget?  Do I have the same objectives as other communities?

Learning Objectives: Learn what Illinois Statutes currently allow,  what is common place, and  recent trends.

Speakers:

Steve Noble, Village of Northfield,

Dave Richardson, Village of Streamwood, Grace Turi, Village of Western Springs, Rita Trainor, Wheaton Park District, Sue Stanish, Village of Willowbrook

Mark Nannini City of Crystal Lake

Earn about 1 CPE

Hot Topic: Ethics - Integrating Ethics into Daily Actions & Behaviors

Session Description: Scandals, crisis, and uncertainty have challenged the financial industry as well government entities throughout the nation. The complexity and dynamics of these circumstances have led to an increased need for ethics training. However, ethics training must move from an organizational requirement, to an integral part of every organizations development. This workshop focuses on making ethics training a preventive, concurrent, and feedback orientated tool for improving organizational performance and sustainability. Participants will gain a multifaceted understanding of ways in which to enhance practices within their organization. 

Learning Objectives: Methods for Integrating Ethical Behaviors into Organizational Culture.  Learn Techniques for Making Ethics a Priority and Vehicle for Delivering Value.  Discover Preventative Skills and Practices Such As:  Trust, Influence, and Sense of Duty.  Learn Techniques for Prioritizing Individual Responsibility in Spite of Perceived Consequences.

Speakers:

Brian Thompson - Black & Essington Solutions, LLC

Earn about 1 CPE

Revenue: Revenue Overview and Common Revenue Sources

Session Description: This session will cover revenue and common sources from both the local finance professional’s perspective and State revenue issues.  The State perspective will include - The State Budget Issues, are we ready to address these matters? Was this current situation expected? How do the current revenue issues, appropriations and payment backlogs affect the communities in the State?  Does the State have the ability to deal with its immediate predicament and exacerbate long run problems?

Learning Objectives: Discuss home-rule vs non home rule - briefly, Key revenue sources for both and some of the differences, Discuss revenue sources of the Town of Normal and how the level of taxation is managed for each as a home rule government, Some focus on property tax and bond issues given home rule status, as well as other not so known revenue sources, Tools that the Town of Normal uses to manage finances in support of keeping home rule status, State Deficits – expected and/or unexpected, State Revenue issues – one-time or on-going, The pension situation – is there an answer, Does the future look better for the State of Illinois.

Speakers:

Professor J. Fred Giertz, University of Illinois;

Andrew Huhn, Town of Normal

Earn about 1 CPE

Hot Topic: Social Media

Session Description: It took the television 13 years to amass 50 million users. The social media site Facebook recently added that same number in about 120 days. Similar to how we officially recognize a recession after-the-fact, there is a good chance the short list of revolutionary communication tools will claim social media as its golden child in the years to come.  Social media is one of the most efficient ways of conversing with your audience, ultimately creating communion within your community.

Learning Objectives:  This session will explore time-tested communication skills and apply them to today’s 142 million-member social media landscape. Additionally, you will walk away equipped to join the conversation that is already taking place about you, advance your cause and build community sentiment.

Speaker:

Matt Kauffman - PMA Marketing Division

Earn about 1 CPE

Revenue: TIF & Special Services Areas

Session Description: This session will cover details of Tax Increment Financing (TIFs) and Special Service Areas (SSAs).  You will learn the historical perspective and the rules, regulations, and challenges to using each.

Learning Objectives: What are TIFs and SSAs?  How are TIFs and SSAs best used?  Comparison of TIFs and SSAs to other methods of financing, Challenges to TIFs and SSAs, and Rules, regulations and how to protect your community when using TIFs or SSAs

Speaker:

Ronald Cope, Ungaretti & Harris

Earn about 1 CPE

Hot Topic: Post Bond Issuance Compliance

Session Description:  This session will cover post sale/closing rules, regulations and covenants related to the issuance of municipal bonds. Topics will include IRS rules regarding record retention, expenditure of bond proceeds, and issue price in addition to what to do when the BAB questionnaire arrives. Also, speakers will discuss adopting of standard procedures and setting personal responsibility for post- issuance compliance. Additional topics include recent securities law changes to post issuance disclosure, proposed securities law changes that may affect future bond issuances, and continued compliance with bond covenants (e.g. rate covenants, coverage requirements, abatement, etc). 

Learning Objectives: Review municipal bond post sale/closing rules, regulations and covenants promulgated by the IRS, securities law agencies (SEC, MSRB, etc), the State of Illinois and bond documents.

Evaluate post-issuance compliance procedures and practices issuers should implement to avoid running afoul of these rules, regulations, laws and covenants.

Learn about proposed changes that could impact how municipal bonds are issued in the future.

Speaker:

Kelly Kost, Chapman Cutler LLP

Robert Lewis, PMA Financial Network, Inc.

Earn about 1 CPE

Revenue: Setting fees and charges - Telecomm, Cable, and Internet Access Taxes

Session Description: In this session you will learn how to set fees using different pricing methods using solid, real life examples.  The speakers will discuss the 1996 GFOA Recommended Practice on setting government charges and fees and provide thoughts on different pricing methods and when to use each in setting fees.

Learning Objectives: The GFOA Recommended Practice on setting fees and charges, Adopting a formal policy regarding fees and charges, Calculation methods to use to set fees and charges (using direct and in-direct costs), Frequency of updating fees and charges based on inflation, cost increases, and other factors, Communicating fees and charges to the public.

Speakers:

Dawn Gunderson of Ehlers & Associates and Maureen Barry of Ehlers & Associates

Earn about 1 CPE

Hot Topic: Responding to the Recession:  Economic Development Climate and Local Policy Options

Session Description:  

Learning Objectives:

Speaker:
Mr. Edward Feser - Professor & Head Department of  Urban & Regional Planning, University of Illinois

Revenue: Mitigating Reduced Revenues in a Challenging Economy

Session Description: In this session, panelist will discuss and answer questions regarding strategies and solutions they have implemented to cope with reduced revenues in the public sector. Solutions ranging from discovering or creating new sources of revenue to creative ways to control costs or reduce expenses with minimal impact on service quality will be presented. Since geographic location and the type of public entity can contribute to some unique revenue challenges, the broadly diversified panel will be able to address a variety of ‘unique’ challenging situations.

Learning Objectives:   How to discover or create additional revenue sources, How to reduce/control expenses without sacrificing service , How to present solutions in a positive context, How to get the staff and employees to support the solutions, How to manage unpopular yet required decisions/solutions, How to solicit ideas for ‘reasonable’ solutions from the public.

Speakers:

Elliott Becker, Wheeling Park District, Sandy Evans, City of O’Fallon, Merle Hollmann, City of Mt. Vernon, and Heather Kuykendall, City of Charleston

Earn about 1 CPE

Hot Topic: Intermediate Accounting Session - Revenue Recognition, Measurement and Reporting Issues

Session Description:  This Panel discussion will focus on current economic conditions that can affect how and when governmental funds recognize revenues, and the differences between modified accrual method in governmental fund statements and full accrual accounting in the entity-wide and proprietary funds.  We will look at various revenue sources common to local governments in Illinois and discuss different methodologies to recognize revenues and receivables. 

Learning Objectives:   How do delays in receiving shared funds affect budgeting and reporting?  How are non-exchange transactions defined in GAS 33, and applied in practice?  What criteria may be applied to grant awards to determine revenue recognition?  When should other local source revenues be reported in fund and entity wide statements?

Speakers:

Christine Torres - Crowe Horwath, John DeLand, Wolf & Company, Jim Egeberg, Village of Westchester

Earn about 1 CPE

Revenue: Revenue Based Development Incentives

Session Description: This seminar will cover the current state of the art revenue concepts in economic development with respect to redevelopment incentives based on shared revenue generation.  Key tools will be examined, including revenue based on tax increment finance (TIF) revenues, sales tax rebates, Business District, and other options.

Learning Objectives: Understand the alternative revenue sources for attracting/retaining business, Gain an understanding of revenue forecasting approaches for certain tools, Learn about the risks and rewards with each tool, Evaluate legislation that may change how incentives are used.

Speaker:

Nick Greifer, Kane, McKenna and Associates, Inc. and

Robert Rychlicki, Kane, McKenna and Associates, Inc.

Brian Caputo, City of Aurora

Earn about 1 CPE

Hot Topic: Economic Update

Session Description:  This session is geared towards professionals and individuals making investment and/or capital allocation decisions.  We will explore trends in the global economy, investment markets and business and asset allocation trends.

Learning Objectives:  Provide a high degree of thought and conviction around the investing and/or capital allocation decisions they are making.  Get attendees up to date on trends in the global economy.

Speaker:

John Augustine - Chief Financial Strategist - Fifth Third Cincinnati

Earn about 1 CPE

Revenue: Communicating Revenue Issues with your Board, Community, and the Media

Session Description: In this session you will learn about the media in terms of what they consider to be news.  You will also hear about ways to tell your story and take advantage of opportunities to express and hit key points of your message and mistakes to avoid.  You will learn communication techniques that can be used internally as well as externally.

Learning Objectives: How to manage your message, The media role in communications, How to take advantage of communication opportunities, Mistakes to avoid, Communication language pointers, Managing a crisis

Speaker:

Wes Bleed, Mack Communications

Earn about 1 CPE

Hot Topic: Advanced Accounting as it applies to Special Districts - plus Missed Areas of Reporting

Session Description:  A review of the most common financial reporting deficiencies for annual financial audit reports with a focus on CAFR’s to be submitted to the certificate review program.  

Learning Objectives:  Common Reporting Errors by Fund Type – Governmental, Proprietary, etc.  Notes to the Financial Statements, Including Required Supplementary Information.  Combined and Individual Fund Financial Statements.  Statistical Section.  Letter of Transmittal and Management’s Discussion and Analysis.  Component Units.  Government Wide Statements.

Speaker:

Sherry Lauterbach, Lauterbach & Amen, and Jamie Wilkey, Lauterbach & Amen

Earn about 1 CPE