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Academy Notes
January 2016

Registration continues for Newly Elected Officials Course
Congratulations to all the officials sworn into office in January!  LGA will continue accepting registrations for the Newly Elected Officials Course until January 21, 2016. 
This course is unique in Pennsylvania for its scope and content.  More than 1,000 individuals have attended the Newly Elected Officials Course in its more than 30 years of existence, and the course has been distinguished as a recipient of the League of Women Voters Good Government Award.
Registrations between now and January 21 complete the balance of the course and LGA's online Introduction to Public Sector Human Resource Management course.  Additional topics include: Intergovernmental Cooperation, Ethics, Community Development, Public Works and Infrastructure and Conflict Resolution.  
Expert instructors, networking, online resources, scholarships, resource guide, and a delicious dinner all included!   For more information and to register click here, or contact Susan Hockenberry at 412.586.5659.

 

Managing Marcellus:  Free Webinar on Governor’s Pipeline Task Force Report
PA Governor Tom Wolf impaneled a Pipeline Infrastructure Task Force which is due to issue a detailed report in February 2016. Join LGA and the Washington & Jefferson College Center for Energy Police and Management for a FREE webinar on January 21 at 11:00 AM to review the work of the task force and highlights of the Draft Report. To learn more click here.
 

Registration opening soon for Human Resources course
Registration for our "Introduction to Public Sector HR" course starts January 18, 2016. This course, running through April 8, 2016, provides an introduction to managing human resources in the local government setting, addressing fundamental issues facing the municipal employer. Whether you are an elected official, a manager/secretary, a department head or a staff member tasked with human resource responsibilities, this program will provide the foundation of a sound human resource management system.
Registration ends March 7, 2016. Learn more here.
 

NEOC Grad Dinner Slated for March 24
Preparations are underway for the 2015 NEOC Grad Dinner!
Please join Local Government Academy, municipal and local government leaders, and other in recognizing the accomplishments of participants in the 2015-16 Newly Elected Officials Course.
The NEOC Grad Dinner will be held Thursday, March 24, 2016 at Sheraton Station Square. The event begins at 6 PM with registration and cocktails and continues with speakers, dinner, and the presentation of certificates to those participants who completed the full Certificate Program.
Learn more, including sponsorship and registration options by clicking here
.

 

Rising Professionals to Meet Feb 12
Our next Rising Professionals in Local Government event, “Mapping Your Career Trajectory,” is February 12, 2016  from 1 to 3 PM at the LGA offices. 
Rising Professionals in Local Government is a program for individuals getting their start in local government or new to the area.
Where are the opportunities? How do you best market yourself? How do you prepare to interview with a board? To participate, contact Executive Director Susan Hockenberry at 412-586-5659. Learn more here.

 

Municipal Intern Program
The purpose of the Municipal Intern Program is to provide a service to communities by placing students from graduate and undergraduate programs at local colleges and universities in municipalities, authorities and Councils of Governments to complete summer internships.
Municipal intern projects will be announced on the Local Government Academy's website on March 9, 2016. Students will meet with municipal representatives at the Municipal Intern Fair on March 18 in Carnegie Mellon University's Heinz College. Students from all colleges and universities are invited to attend. 
Learn more and register for the Municipal Intern Fair here.
 

The Great GASB is here!
It’s 2016...that means its time to gear up for 2015 audits. Significant this year is the implementation of GASB 68 which revises the way local governments present and report pension obligations. How will this impact local government’s fiscal position? How will 2015 financial statements differ from statements of previous years?
These questions and more are explored in LGA’s October 14, 2015 webinar presented by Brian McCall of Maher Duessel which is now available in an online archive version. 
Learn more here.

 

Professional Police Operations; Regional Policing
Operating a police department is among the most important, highly valued and costly services provided by local governments. With costs and demands for services increasing each year,  many elected and appointed officials in southwestern PA communities are facing questions about the sustainability of the status quo.
LGA will examine professional police operations and regional policing in a four-part series starting May 18, 2016.  Interested participants can register for all 4 programs, or just the single evening regional policing program.
Click here for more information. 

 

2016 Promoting Excellence Golf Outing
Mark your calendars for LGA’s 2016 Promoting Excellence Golf Outing! The annual event, benefiting our Michael P. Lynch Scholarship Fund, will be held Thursday, May 12, 2016.
The Michael P. Lynch Scholarship Fund provides low-cost to no-cost training to municipal elected and appointed officials and employees in financially distressed communities. Last year over 140 golfers participated.  Learn more about the Golf Outing here.
  Registration begins February 29!

 

                             Know Your Codes
Understanding the Pennsylvania municipal classification system can be a challenge. In addition to amendments continuously occurring, case law sometimes alters the application of the codes to specific situations.  To address these concerns, LGA will offer a live webinar program, “Know Your Codes,” on February 17, 2016. 
Know Your Codes will be presented by experienced municipal solicitors. Participants will then submit their questions about their municipal code. This interactive program is intended to improve participants' working knowledge of their governance structure and help them become more familiar with the classification under which they are governing. 
Free for NEOC participants. $20 for all other local government officials and employees. Learn more and register here.

 

Managing Marcellus: Land Use, Zoning and Addressing Impacts of Shale Gas Drilling after the PA Supreme Court Act 13 Rulings
Pennsylvania municipalities experiencing shale gas development need to know how best to address gas industry impacts following the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and Commonwealth Court decisions.  This online course is currently available and ready to help.

Planners and lawyers experienced in local government and shale gas issues analyze the situation, consider possible community objectives, and review a range of responses available for communities based on actual experience.  The program is a project of Local Government and Washington & Jefferson College Center for Energy Policy and Management.  The program cost is $50 and scholarships are available. Learn more here


Save the Date - Alumni Association Confab
The Newly Elected Officials Course Alumni Association meets twice a year for networking, mentoring and issue sharing.  The 2016 schedule is tentatively set for April 27, 2016 and September 29, 2016.  Learn more here.

Muni Account update
The 2015 municipal election is history and local officials have been sworn in for 2016!  That means it's time to double check our complete contact information. For each municipality in LGA's database, we will be sending the Primary Contact a list of all the contacts we have in our records.  Please review the names, term dates, contact information for the elected officials and check the other contacts we have for your organization for accuracy.  As a thank you, you are entered into a drawing for a $25 Amazon gift card!  Questions?  Contact Justin Philman at 412.586.5659.
 

Role of the Planning Commission
Land use planning is a critical function of Pennsylvania local governments and planning commissions play a vital role in determining the course of their community's land use, economic development, natural and historic resources, and in how their communities will be shaped for future generations. Because of this importance, Local Government Academy is offering a comprehensive three-evening course, designed specifically for appointed members of the municipal planning commission. The program begins March 30, 2016 at the Green Tree Municipal Building. Learn more and register here.
 
 
Join LGAOnline - Gain Access to Content and LGA Learners Network
Local government elected officials and employees are invited to join LGAOnline by following this enrollment key link.
There you will have access to, "Introduction to LGAOnline for Learners," a 5-minute course in your "My Courses" section, which you should take right away to learn what you can learn in LGAOnline! 
With an LGAOnline account, you will be able to register for programs, have access to content from your past programs, access our bank of resources, and join "LGA Learners"  our network for students of good government (including topic groups such as Managing Marcellus, Ethics, Community Development). 

 
 
Support Good Government  - Two Ways

As an individual, please consider a tax deductible donation to Local Government Academy
Your donation supports local communities by assuring government officials, employees, volunteers, and average citizens continue to have access to programs that promote excellence in local government from a trusted, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization. 
Click here to access our online donation form.

For Municipalities - By Municipalities
Join Leadership Circle
Southwestern Pennsylvania has 277 communities with median incomes at or below the average across its 10 county region. Since local tax sources in Pennsylvania are dependent on the value of homes or earned income, local governments with flat or falling property values and limited earned income taxes are being stretched thin.Locally there is something that can be done to help municipal colleagues obtain the training and assistance they need to provide adequate local services to their citizens. Click here to make a donation to Leadership Circle. 

Keeping Tabs on What is Happening at LGA?
 
Visit www.localgovernmentacademy.org
to learn more about LGA events, sign up for programs and to subscribe to our announcements. Be sure to provide us any feedback on the new site as well. Comments welcome!
 
Follow us at http://twitter.com/LocalGovAcademy
to receive program and event updates.
 
Other ways to find out what's happening at LGA:
Local Government Academy
1501 Preble Avenue  |  Suite 202
Pittsburgh, PA  15233
412.586.5659   fax 412.904.4928
www.localgovernmentacademy.org

 
 
In This Issue:

Resource Guide Ads Now Being Taken
Local Government Academy is now accepting orders for our 2016 Resource Guide.

Published every 2 years upon the completion of the Newly Elected Officials Course, this comprehensive resource provides highlights of course content, key benchmarking data, contact info for state, federal and local governments as well as key local government association and nonprofit resources. 

Learn more and order here
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Local Government Academy (LGA) is a collaborative effort of business, government, education and civic leaders promoting excellence in local government.  LGA is a nonprofit, nonpartisan  organization specializing in programs that promote economic development and revitalization, environmental quality, & intergovernmental cooperation. Educational programs are presented as a service to  elected and appointed officials, public employees and citizens to help local governments perform  with greater efficiency and effectiveness. LGA has been in existence for 25 years and serves the 10-county southwestern Pennsylvania region.

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