The stage is set for one of New York’s largest annual convenings of public sector leaders – the Association of Towns annual conference. Our team is excited to gather with local government leaders from around the state, and to hear lessons from the field on an incredible range of topics.
The AOT team always curates an amazing slate of sessions, and this year is no different. Here are a few of our favorites, and places you might catch us:
Monday, February 20th
10:30 Working Together for a Better New York
Leaders from our two favorite organizations – the Association of Towns and the New York Conference of Mayors – will share the stage to discuss opportunities and challenges on the road ahead for New York’s local governments. Great insights from tireless advocates…
11:30 Common Pitfalls in Budgeting
I never miss a chance to catch Geneva, NY legend Dan Acquilano and his overview of budgeting bests and worsts. This session is a must for first-time Supervisors and anyone who has recently stepped into a budgeting role.
1:00 Local Government Regulatory Tools for Cannabis
The next frontier in land use regulation and other regulatory tools is on the cannabis front. New York is poised to jump start the adult-use cannabis market, and local governments will need to refresh their zoning and other regulations to keep up.
2:00 Facing Down Crisis
Communicating to our residents, stakeholders, and organizational peers is an art – and to do it well in a crisis, you must be a bit of a Picasso. Looking forward to hearing about best practices in crisis management and communicating during tough times.
At 3:00, we hope you’ll join our session on the Town’s role in economic development. We’ll provide you will a whole set of tools to assist in the development and enhancement of your hometown!
Tuesday, February 21st
Following breakfast and the first morning sessions, we hope to see you at our presentation on leveraging public-private partnerships to deliver value to constituents. We’ll share our experiences and case studies on communities who partnered with the private and non-profit sectors to drive down costs and improve services!
11:00 Code Enforcement Duties and Impacts
Community safety, appearance, and functionality are driven in large part by the administration of quality of life and safety codes; and code enforcement officers are the boots on the ground that make this happen. Looking forward to hearing from a couple of practitioners in the field, who’ll share their experiences on the role of code enforcement, and the benefits it affords to our communities.
2:00 NYS ConnectAll – Broadband Investments in New York
The state has announced the largest investment in New York history in broadband access for all. Empire State Development will be on-hand to offer insight on program elements, and help community leaders get ready to support investments in your hometown.
3:00 Long Term Financial Planning and Recovery for Towns
Economic development is complex and moves at a pace all its own. Peers in Town government will share their experiences with declining property values and how planning and community development efforts can transition critical properties into community assets.
4:00 Legal Q&A
We love bouncing around tough issues with the best in the biz…the AOT legal team will hear from community leaders on your thorny issues, and offer some insight and case studies.
That’s about all the professional development you could hope to soak up in a few days. The AOT team has pulled together a world class slate. Bring your listening ears and your thinking caps, and meet us in New York City!
