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KACM Winter Conference 2019 

Be a part of the KACM Winter Conference for an opportunity to engage on various topics that directly impact city/county management. You will be able to select sessions that give you an opportunity to expand your skills, knowledge and abilities. Come and hear from experienced presenters, network with other professionals, engage with keynote speaker Dan Oblinger and participate in 30-minute breakout and general sessions.  

Thursday, February 14, 2019 | 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Marcus Welcome Center, Wichita State University Campus

 Leadership from the Ledge presentation

To see additional pictures, please click here

2019 Conference Topics & Presenters

  • Keynote: Leadership on the Ledge | Dan Oblinger, Founder, Leadercraft Corporate Education
  • LKM Legislative Update| Trey Cocking, Deputy Director, League of Kansas Municipalities

  • Crossing the Ethical Boundary: Insights from a Fraud Investigator | Shauna Woody-Coussens, Managing Director, BKD- Forensics & Valuation Services

    • Numbers don’t lie.  This is a cliché you’ve likely heard but one you may know to be false.  As we all know, numbers are only as truthful and transparent as finance professionals interpret and report them to be. Enter the conundrum of accounting ethics.  As companies fall victim and headlines scream of “manipulation of data”, “embezzlement”, or “falsifying information”, focus must be given to this topic.  This program will: Discuss examples of individuals who have crossed ethical boundaries and explore a framework for ethical decision making. 
  • Leadership Lessons | Hannes Zacharias, Robert A. Kipp Professor of Practice in Local Government Management and Urban Policy KU School of Public Affairs & Administration
    • Hannes will share stories of his life in public management, pictures and stories of his river experience, and reveal the lessons learned both personal and professional as they relate to his new life in public service. 

  • Can We Hear You Now? New Approaches to Stakeholder Engagement  |  LaShonda Garnes, Community Development Manager, WSU, Public Policy & Management Center

    • Community participation has become an important tool local governments use to involve citizens in decision-making. This session illuminates the importance of community as it relates to local government and the delicate balance that must be maintained between responsiveness and meeting public needs. Today public management often involves communication, consultation and negotiation with a range of stakeholders.
  • Attract and Retain Early Career Local Government Talent  |  Craig Crossette, Assistant to the City Manager, City of Goddard; Elizabeth Blythe, Local Government Management Fellow, City of Olathe

    • This session involves a discussion on how to attract and retain newly minted professionals in the local government sector.  Early career professionals bring fresh insights and new ways of thinking. Organizations who prepare and incubate their early career professionals will see a benefit to their culture, processes, and subsequently the neighbors they serve. Join us in discussing some of the best-practices that can help prepare your organization for the next wave of local government talent. We'll tell you what we like! 

  • What have you read and what did you learn? |  Kathy Sexton, City Manager, City of Derby
    • Join your peers in a facilitated discussion about articles and books that made an impression on you.  Participants are encouraged to share your recommendations across all topics and bring the title/author and a bit about what you learned. A recommended reading list will be compiled using your recommendations to share with all attendees of the conference. If you want to continue your professional and personal development, join this discussion session.
  • E-Scooters in Kansas | Scott Wadle, Senior Management Analyst, City of Wichita and Kiel Mangus, Deputy City Manager, City of Derby
    • Electronic Scooters are growing in popularity in cities across the United States.  With them come many challenges for cities in how to handle these new forms of transportation.  There are things cities should think about now to prepare. Discussion will center around some best practices and policies in regulations and operating agreements with e-scooter companies.  Information will also feature efforts form the City of Wichita on a draft scooter pilot program concept.
  • Penciling It Out: Considerations for Economic Development  | Matt Stiles, Project Manager, WSU, Public Policy and Management Center
    • Economic Development is catch-all term deployed as the cause of and/or solution to a communities problems. Often economic development is misunderstood by elected officials and the general public which can create unrealistic expectations and frustration. Utilizing the Economic Development Toolkit developed for REAP by the PPMC, managers can help the community have an honest dialogue about possibilities and formulate a strategic approach to economic development. 
  • Recruiting Talent: Answering the Why |  Pam Pennington, City of Wichita
    • Recruiting top talent is one of the most important and critical functions any organization performs but is often the most dreaded and deferred action because it is time consuming.  This session will be a discussion on how to prepare for recruitment and bring clarity to answering the “why” to ensure a strategic and successful hire. 
  • How to Engage On Social Media |  Erin McDaniel, Director of Communications, City of Newton and Matt Childers, Former Mayor of City of Augusta
    • Local governments want to be transparent and accessible to residents, but responding to every citizen inquiry can quickly become overwhelming.  We will share general best practices about social media engagement along with some of our personal experiences managing social media accounts.
 PPMC Naming Unit