2016 july-august actionlines

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MAY / JUNE 2016 ACTION INDIANA ASSOCIATION OF CITIES AND TOWNS MAGAZINE LINES I N D I A N A A S S O C I A T I O N O F C I T I E S A N D T O W N S JULY / AUGUST 2016 INDIANA ASSOCIATION OF CITIES AND TOWNS MAGAZINE ANNUAL CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION 2016 IACT Looking ahead to the

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MAY / JUNE 2016

ACTION INDIANAASSOCIATION OF CITIES AND TOWNSMAGAZINELINES

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INDIANAASSOCIATION OF CITIES AND TOWNSMAGAZINE

ANNUAL CONFERENCE& EXHIBITION

2016 IACTLooking ahead to the

Losing your immunity; contracting without proper precautions; dealing with employees; accepting grants, gifts or subsidies without knowing the consequences; or thinking good intentions will outweigh bad results is fraught with risks you have to manage… or trouble will surely come calling.

You don’t have to figure it out alone. Bliss McKnight’s insurance and risk management programs include knowledgeable people to help you avoid “getting into trouble”. IACT endorsed for over 30 years.

Heavy responsibilities. Plenty of pitfalls.

IACT-8x10.5-PRESS.indd 1 1/7/16 9:59 AM

ACTIONLINESJULY / AUGUST 2016 3

IN WRITING

21 FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Telling Your Story Both Inside and Outside Your Community

IN PLACE

14 WHAT TO EXPECT AT THE 2016 IACT ANNUAL CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION IN FRENCH LICK

IN BRIEF

26 INFOGRAPHIC Annual Conference By The Numbers

CONTENTS

Actionlines (ISSN 1092-6259) is published by the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns. Statements of fact and opinion are the responsibility of the authors alone and do not imply an official opinion on the part of the officers, staff or membership of IACT. Indiana elected municipal officials receive an annual subscription to this publication through payment of their municipality’s membership dues. IACT Associate Members receive an annual subscription to this publication through payment of their annual membership dues. The annual subscription rate is $50. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Actionlines, 125 W. Market St., Suite 240, Indianapolis, IN 46204.

ACTIONLINES

IACT OFFICERS

Greg GoodnightPresident

Kokomo Mayor

Lloyd WinneckeFirst Vice President

Evansville Mayor

Brenda YoungSecond Vice President

Clerk-Treasurer, Nashville

Matthew GrellerExecutive Director &

Chief Executive Officer

REGULAR STAFF CONTRIBUTORS

Rhonda CookDeputy Director and

Chief Federal and State Policy Officer

Benjamin EasleyGraphic Design &

Website Coordinator

Brian GouldGovernment Affairs Director

Natalie HurtSpecial Events & Conferences Director

Erin Jamison-KoenigCommunications Coordinator

Jennifer SimmonsDeputy Director & Chief Operating Officer (COO)

Jodie WoodsGeneral Counsel

ADVERTISING

Anne TrobaughCorporate Relations Director

VOLUME 19 / ISSUE 4JULY / AUGUST 2016

IN THIS ISSUE

DEPARTMENTSIN ACTION

4 MUNICIPAL DEADLINES

7 QUESTION OF THE MONTH How might there be meaningful internal con-trols procedures with very few or just one person handling the municipal finances?

IN MEMBERS

9 MEMBER NEWS

10 CALENDAR & WEBINARS

12 MEMBER Q&A Ian Nicolini, Speedway Town Manager

14

Losing your immunity; contracting without proper precautions; dealing with employees; accepting grants, gifts or subsidies without knowing the consequences; or thinking good intentions will outweigh bad results is fraught with risks you have to manage… or trouble will surely come calling.

You don’t have to figure it out alone. Bliss McKnight’s insurance and risk management programs include knowledgeable people to help you avoid “getting into trouble”. IACT endorsed for over 30 years.

Heavy responsibilities. Plenty of pitfalls.

IACT-8x10.5-PRESS.indd 1 1/7/16 9:59 AM

Indiana Association of Cities and Towns | 125 W. Market St. Suite 240 Indianapolis, IN 46204 | Phone (317) 237-6200 | Fax (317) 237-6206 | www.citiesandtowns.org

A preview of the workshops, speakers, exhibits and highlights for this year’s Annual Conference and Exhibition.

ACTIONLINES JULY / AUGUST 20164

JULY

20 Last day to report and make payment of state and county income tax withheld during June to the Department of State Revenue, Indianapolis.

31 Last day to make report and complete payment of federal tax and F.I.C.A. (Social Security Tax) tax withheld in the second quarter of the year to the District Director of Internal Revenue. Make report and file quarterly unemployment compensation report with the Indiana Employment Security Division.

AUGUST

1 Department provides to each taxing unit that levies a property tax an estimate of the amount by which property tax distributions will be reduced in the ensuing year due to circuit breaker credits. IC 6-1.1-20.6-11.1.

County auditors must provide to the Department and each political subdivision a notice via Gateway of the assessed value withholding from the ensuing year certified net assessed values (“CNAV”). IC 6-1.1-17-0.5

Last day for appropriate fiscal body (county or municipality) to reject or approve a library’s CPF plan submitted by the library board. IC 36-12-12-4

Deadline for the SBA to certify an estimate of the income tax distribution for 2017. IC 6-3.5-1.1-9; IC 6-3.5-6-17; IC 6-3.5-7-11

County auditors must submit to the Department the CNAVs for the ensuing year. The Department will make values visible to political subdivisions via Gateway. IC 6-1.1-17-1 The county fiscal body shall review at its first meeting in August the estimated property tax levy limits and the estimated reductions due to circuit breakers for each taxing unit. The county fiscal body will either prepare and distribute a written recommendation for the taxing units or the county auditor will distribute the minutes of the meeting to all taxing units after the minutes are approved by the fiscal body. IC 6-1.1-17-3.6

Deadline for units to submit to the Department cumulative fund proposals. IC 6-1.1-17-16.7

Deadline for Gateway submission of Certified Net Assessed Values through Gateway DECAF – CNAV. IC 6-1.1-17-1

20 Last day to report and make payment of state and county income tax withheld during July to the Department of State Revenue, Indianapolis.

31 The Department and the SBA jointly calculate the CAGIT or COIT rate that must be imposed in a county to raise income tax revenue in 2017 for the property tax levy freeze. IC 6-3.5-1.5

SEPTEMBER

1 Last day for units, including certain libraries under IC 6-1.1-17-20.3, to submit proposed 2017 budgets, tax rates, and tax levies to county fis-cal body or other appropriate fiscal body for review and recommendation or binding adoption, as applicable. IC 6-1.1-17-3.5, IC 6-1.1-17-20, IC 6-1.1-17-20.3

This feature should not be considered a complete list of deadlines. If you know of an important deadline, please submit it to Erin Jamison-Koenig at [email protected].

MUNICIPAL DEADLINES

INACTION

INSIDE• Municipal Deadlines• Question of the Month

ACTIONLINESJULY / AUGUST 2016 5

Your Source for Government Solutions As one of the largest public accounting and consulting firms in the United States, Crowe Horwath LLP has been serving government entities for more than 50 years. Our services include:

• Financial advisory

• Cost analysis and rate studies

• Financial reporting

• Internal controls

• Grant management and compliance

• Management consulting

• Risk management

• Accounting and auditing

• Enterprise resource planning

• Debt issuance

To learn more, visit crowehorwath.com/gov.

In accordance with applicable professional standards, some firm services may not be available to attest clients.

© 2016 Crowe Horwath LLP, an independent member of Crowe Horwath International crowehorwath.com/disclosure PSS-17001-026A

Audit / Tax / Advisory / Risk / Performance Smart decisions. Lasting value.™

ACTIONLINESJULY / AUGUST 2016 7

IN ACTION

Your Source for Government Solutions As one of the largest public accounting and consulting firms in the United States, Crowe Horwath LLP has been serving government entities for more than 50 years. Our services include:

• Financial advisory

• Cost analysis and rate studies

• Financial reporting

• Internal controls

• Grant management and compliance

• Management consulting

• Risk management

• Accounting and auditing

• Enterprise resource planning

• Debt issuance

To learn more, visit crowehorwath.com/gov.

In accordance with applicable professional standards, some firm services may not be available to attest clients.

© 2016 Crowe Horwath LLP, an independent member of Crowe Horwath International crowehorwath.com/disclosure PSS-17001-026A

Audit / Tax / Advisory / Risk / Performance Smart decisions. Lasting value.™

?OTMQUESTION OF THE MONTHWhat might a council and fiscal officer do to have some meaningful internal controls pro-cedures when there are very few or just one person handling the municipal finances?

ANSWER: There should be some separation of duties. A lack of separation of duties increases risks associated with errors, omissions and fraud. Instead of the clerk-treasurer doing the collection of the cash, inputting the data in the accounting system, issuing the receipts, depositing the money, reviewing for errors and reconciling the bank account, someone else could do one or more of those jobs (just be certain you are following bonding and internal controls requirements for these helpers). A council member, a town/city manager, a bookkeeper, a volunteer, a responsible student, an independent contractor, a neighboring municipality’s clerk-treasurer or a part-time worker are options to consider. At a minimum, one of them could do a monthly review of the clerk-treasurer’s reconciled bank account. The fewer the employees, volunteers and contractors, the harder it is to have separation of duties but there are other things you can do.

Each council member should have a working knowledge of what amount of funds is expected to be received each month by the municipality. This could be documented in the minutes following a discussion at a council meeting. At a monthly council meeting, for example, the council could receive a fund report, an appropriation report and a check register for the previous month’s carefully reviewed and approved claims docket. If the council does not approve the claims docket, then the board that does approve the claims docket should review the check register.

It is the council’s job now to “ensure” that the minimum level of internal control standards and procedures are developed and adopted by the city or town and are effective. It must also “ensure” that personnel with access to the funds have training on the internal control system as provided in IC 5-11-1-27. And yes, if all of the individuals (including those qualifying elected officials) that have some access to the municipal funds have not watched the video on Internal Controls at www.in.gov/sboa/, and completed the certification form that the clerk-treasurer has, please do so by December 31, 2016. The State Board of Accounts will be looking for it. There is absolutely nothing wrong with all the elected officials of the municipality watching the 30 minute video on Internal Controls. We would recommend it. This would demonstrate Standard One: Control Environment and Principle 1. “… commitment to integrity and ethical values”. It would also help with understanding of the statutory standards or components required by IC 5-11-1-27 so management is knowledgeable about the other 4 Standards and 16 Principles required by law.

The Indiana Association of Regional Councils is a 501 (c)(3) statewide association of regional planning organizations that promotes regional strategies and solutions to address local issues.

ACTIONLINESJULY / AUGUST 2016 9

Lieutenant Governor Eric Holcomb has announced six communities have been awarded Downtown Enhancement Grants to help fund economic development plans. The grants are awarded by the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs. The grant funds range from $5,000 to $10,000 and were awarded to Aurora, Columbia City, Peru, Seymour, Veedersburg, and Vevay.

The March/April report from Atlanta-based Garner Eco-nomics ranks the metropolitan statistical area of Indianap-olis, Carmel and Anderson as the 13th most productive for Gross Regional Product per worker.

A Michigan-based automotive manufacturing supplier is planning to expand in Huntington. Continental Structural Plastics Inc. intends to invest $33.5 million into a new facil-ity next to its current Huntington County operations and add up to 80 workers by 2020.

Wabash is the winner of the Minnesota-based Deluxe Corp.’s Small Business Revolution program and will receive $500,000 for development efforts. With more than 180,000 votes, Wabash beat out runner-up Silverton, Oregon in the national revitalization competition.

Ed Barnett, engineer for the City of Washington, received a Lifetime Membership Achievement Award from the American Society of Civil Engineers – Indiana Sections. The award acknowledged Barnett’s lifelong work in engineering and his decades-long support of the ASCE organization.

A Realtor.com national analysis of the 20 Hottest Markets For Real Estate includes Lafayette and Fort Wayne.

Four new Bird Town Indiana communities have received the status of Bird Town in 2016: Albion, Blooming-ton, Carmel and Connersville. The designation was awarded by the Indiana Audubon Society to Hoosier communities that demonstrate and active and ongoing commitment to the protection and conservation of bird populations and habitat.

Connecticut-based Blue Buffalo Pet Products says it will invest more than $100 million to build a production and distribution facility in Richmond and create up to 165 jobs. The facility, which will be Blue Buffalo’s second in the United States, will also include a research and devel-opment center.

MEMBER NEWS

INMEMBERS

INSIDE• Member News• Calendar & Webinars• Upcoming Workshops• Member Q&A

Downtown Wabash

ACTIONLINES JULY / AUGUST 201610

IN MEMBERS

CALENDAR & WEBINARSIACT CALENDAR

JULY

21 Webinar – IACT Internal Controls Q&A

26 IACT Communications and Media Relations Workshop, Carmel

AUGUST

9 Webinar – Navigating the Waters: An Overview of Environmental Compliance

10-11 Ball State – ICI/IACT Mayors Institute, Fishers

18 Webinar – The Latest on the Americans with Disabilities Act

SEPTEMBER

13 Webinar – Code Enforcement 101: Tools for Enforcing the Rules

OCTOBER

4 IACT Board of Directors Meeting, French Lick

4-6 IACT Annual Conference & Exhibition, French Lick

AFFILIATE CALENDAR

UPCOMING WORKSHOP

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15 Southern Mayors Roundtable, Princeton

29 Northern Mayors Roundtable, Whiting

AUGUST

17-18 IMPACT Annual Conference, Fort Wayne

23-25 Indiana Street Commissioners Association Annual Convention, Plymouth

26 Southern Mayors Roundtable, Jasper

26 Northern Mayors Roundtable, Fort Wayne

SEPTEMBER

23 Southern Mayors Roundtable, Evansville

23 Northern Mayors Roundtable, Angola

25-28 ICMA 102nd Annual Conference, Greater Kansas City Region

28-2 International Municipal Lawyers Association 81st Annual Conference, San Diego, CA

OCTOBER

12-13 ILMCT District Meeting, Middlebury

25-26 ILMCT District Meeting, Rising Sun

Communications and Media Relations Workshop July 26, 2016 9:30 a.m. -- 3:30 p.m.

Renaissance Indianapolis North Hotel11925 N Meridian Street, Carmel, IN 46032

Whether you are large enough to have an entire communications team or small enough to only wish you did, having a communi-cations strategy is important to the ability of your administration to properly inform your citizens. This one-day workshop will help those who have always wanted some basic media training and offer some quality reminders to those who have worn the communications hat for many years. We’re putting together a fast-paced day filled with a quality, experienced line-up of speak-ers. Head to Carmel in July and take part in #IACTmedia!

ACTIONLINESJULY / AUGUST 2016 11

IN MEMBERS

UPCOMING WEBINARS

IACT Internal Controls Q&A

July 21, 2016 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Still in knots over Indiana’s new internal controls requirements? You are not alone! Experts at IACT and Umbaugh are here for you and are ready to help answer any questions on your mind. Register for the July 21st webinar where we’ll take on your ques-tions and pass along any new guidance from the State Board of Accounts. Submit your webinar questions by July 15th.

Navigating the Waters: An Overview of Environmental Compliance

August 9, 2016 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

In today’s regulatory climate, it is important for all municipal employees to stay up-to-date on the latest compliance and regulatory requirements. This webinar will provide you with the tools necessary to meet the many compliance requirements as-sociated with relevant environmental rules and regulations.

The Latest on the Americans with Disabilities Act

August 18, 2016 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

The American’s with Disabilities Act has been a welcomed beacon for the disabled in all of our communities. Let’s get back to the basics and remind ourselves about why the Act exists. We’ll discuss how we speak, treat and work with our disadvantaged consumers of government services and users of our infrastruc-ture. This webinar will be a great opportunity to provide employee training required under Title VI.

Code Enforcement 101: Tools for Enforcing the Rules

September 13, 2016 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Code Enforcement is a difficult and time consuming task for most municipalities. This webinar will provide insight on tried and true methods for addressing issues within your community. Are war-rants necessary to perform code enforcement inspections? Have there been changes to the statute that affect how you should address weed and rank vegetation abatement? These and many other questions will be addressed. Learn how partnering with your local health department can benefit your efforts, how to make sure that your ordinances are kept up-to-date and how to decide whether enforcement is warranted in difficult situations.

IACT webinars and the Communications and Media Relations Work-shop qualify for one credit through the IACT Municipal Management Institute, sponsored by Wessler Engineering.

ACTIONLINES JULY / AUGUST 201612

IN MEMBERS

Ian Nicolini serves as the Speedway Town Manager, the ad-ministrative manager for the town. The Town of Speedway had several massive projects in anticipation of the 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500. Now that the race has ended and the crowd has left, we caught up with Ian.

The Indianapolis 500 runs every year but what made this year different from previous? What special projects were done in anticipation of the 100th Running?

As you might imagine, May is equal parts incredible and insane in Speedway. We grow from a town of 12,000 people to about the size of Tampa, FL. This requires tremendous partner-ships, and considerable planning—especially this year for the 100th Running. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway along with several business and nonprofits assembled a Host Committee focused on engaging fans, both statewide and nationally, to participate in the race. The Host Committee covered every-thing from special events, concerts, public art, and unique racing-themed experiences all focused on energizing folks about the 100th Running.

In Speedway, we wanted to make sure that visitors and locals alike knew that we were excited about the race, so we installed several photo-op spots including a giant Borg-Warner trophy on Main Street and the famous “Wing and Wheel” logo in the roundabout just outside the recently-opened Legends Plaza at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s Gate 1. We had several block parties on Main Street as well as numerous porch parties throughout the neighborhoods to celebrate what the 500 means to the community.

From an economic development standpoint, we wanted this May to be a showcase for people who haven’t visited Speedway or haven’t been in a number of years to see the progress that the community has made and provide a glimpse of what the future holds. Several businesses used the month’s festivities as a way to get exposure to hundreds of thou-sands of potential customers including the grand openings of Speedway Indoor Karting & 1911 Restaurant, Big Woods Speedway Restaurant, and the Voom Room Salon. All three opened with a lot of buzz and excitement. The improvements associated with Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s Project 100 also were opened to the public including $92M worth of fan experience improvements including new suites, grandstands, and Legends Plaza.

How did these projects change the Town of Speedway? What impacts have you seen on Main Street?

Because we have so many visitors who only come once a year, May is always a bit of a touchstone for people. We hear about how different things are from year to year from visitors. When you’re in the grind day after day, you don’t always have that per-spective, but May always reminds us that hard work pays off.

In a more literal sense, we’re in the midst of about $150M in investment in a town with a total assessed value of $570M. Whether its new commercial development, small business investing and reinvesting in their shops, to growth in the racing industry, or the continued support from our major corporate partners like Allison Transmission, Praxair, and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, it’s awesome to be a part of a really talented team that is capitalizing on momentum while staying focused on our vision for the future.

What do these projects mean for the community? How have community members and groups been involved?

I’m so impressed with how passionate Speedway people are for this community. Dozens of community leaders have put it upon themselves to encourage investment and the revitalization of the community; and you can’t make major changes without taking risks. Speedway is a community that understands this. Maybe it’s the town history of sparking innovation or the fact that this is a special place with an important story to tell. Either way, the community “gets it” and that’s more than half the battle.

Participation from community groups like our Chamber of Com-merce, Trails Association, Lion’s Club, schools, neighborhood associations, and volunteers throughout the community put together more than 25 public events. Every weekend in May, we treat Main Street like a park—programmed with all kinds of things to do in a gathering place for locals and visitors alike to share in a truly unique American experience. Frankly, Speed-way’s neighborhoods are more decorated for May than most places are decorated for Halloween.

The countdown to next year’s race has already started. Are there any projects we can look forward to for the 101st running?

If we learned anything this year, it’s that the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, our partners in public safety, and, most importantly, the fans can come together to put on an incredible experience. I know it’s anecdotal, but the vibe for this year’s race was special. It was fun and extremely positive. So we want to build on that positive vibe and find ways to engage fans throughout the year to remind them of how special that experience was. If the com-munity rallies around the 101st running like they did the 100th, then we may have another sell out.

Ultimately, that’s our goal: to create an incredible experience in May that people want to be a part of year-round. That’s why we’re investing in economic development, working with major employers to create opportunities to work and live in Speedway, supporting our world-class schools, and strengthening our neighborhoods for the next generation of people to call Speed-way home for more than a day in May.

IAN NICOLINI SPEEDWAY TOWN MANAGERMEMBER Q&A

Ian Nicolini

administered by:www.ipep.com

Quarter Century of Claims Paid: 60,901 Dollar amount paid out: $201,627,981

FOR OVER 25 YEARS WE HAVE PROVIDED THE PROTECTION THAT INDIANA’S PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS DESERVE.

ACTIONLINES JULY / AUGUST 201614

IN PLACE

What to Expect at the 2016 IACT Annual Conference & Exhibition in French Lick

French Lick will once-again serve as home to the IACT Annual Conference & Exhibition! We are thrilled to be back in the Southern Indiana town

that has been the location of some of IACT’s best at-tended events. Running October 4-6, the 2016 IACT Annual Conference & Exhibition will feature a diverse line-up of workshops, knowledgeable and influential speakers, a large exhibit hall with hundreds of munici-pal experts, and exclusive opportunities for network-ing with your colleagues in municipal government.

WORKSHOPSDue to the positive feedback from our members, it’s

become the norm for IACT to have at least 25 work-shops and organized networking sessions during the Annual Conference. This year we’ve raised the bar even higher. Attendees will chose from a huge menu of 32 extended Early Birds, one-hour workshops and peer networking gatherings. Topics range from the nuts and bolts of managing government, like how to read and respond to your 782 Notice or the specifics of Internal Controls to big picture topics like public en-gagement and maximizing municipal funds. There are also two interesting public safety topics on this year’s docket, in addition to a highly anticipated Early Bird workshop on road funding.

KEYNOTE & GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATESThe IU Public Policy Institute recently unveiled

extensive data on Indiana’s population trends and what they mean for Indiana’s cities, towns and counties. IU’s Senior Policy Analyst Drew Klacik will offer keynote remarks during the Annual Confer-ence highlighting some key facts and figures and explaining how he believes Indiana’s most exem-plary cities and towns are rendering themselves im-mune to the decline that others are seeing. Since joining the Center for Urban Policy and the Environ-ment, now a part of the IU Public Policy Institute, as a policy analyst in October 1992, Drew Klacik’s principal areas of work have included economic de-velopment, state and local taxation, and affordable housing and neighborhood development policy. Much of his work is focused on Indiana and trying to understand how these issues interact and affect the quality of life and economic vitality of metropoli-

tan areas. Prior to joining the Institute, Klacik was a principal planner for the City of Indianapolis Division of Economic Development.

The IACT Annual Conference & Exhibition will con-clude with remarks from the 2016 Gubernatorial Can-didates. Governor Mike Pence and Mr. John Gregg will share their thoughts about Indiana’s future and how cities and towns factor into their visions for the state. Members will want to stick around to hear from the candidates before the election a few short weeks later.

Governor Mike Pence is a lifelong Hoosier with legal, small business and policy experience. He was elected the 50th Governor in 2012. Since taking office, Pence has achieved the largest state tax cut in Indiana history while also lowering the business personal property tax and corporate income tax to strengthen the state’s com-petitive edge in attracting new investment and good-paying jobs for Hoosiers. Under his leadership the state has in-vested more than $800 million in new money for roads and bridges. Prior to being elected governor, Pence represented Indiana’s Sixth Congressional District in Congress.

An experienced and well respected public servant, John Gregg has spent more than 30 years in private business and public life working to bring people together to get things done. Gregg was elected in 1986 to represent Southwest Indiana in the Statehouse. In 2003, Governor Frank O’Bannon asked him to serve as interim Presi-dent of Vincennes University. Gregg was the Democratic Party’s nominee for Indiana Governor in 2012, coming up just short of victory in the closest race for that office in 50 years. In May 2015, John announced his plans to seek the governorship again.

IN PLACE

ACTIONLINESJULY / AUGUST 2016 15

IN PLACE

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTThis year we’ll be shaking up the Opening Business Session with a special announcement from IACT Executive Director and CEO Matt Greller. Come to this formal opening of the Conference to hear an IACT update and learn what exciting plans are in store for the Association.

DELEGATESVoting delegates must be designated by the chief

elected executive to receive voting credentials at the 2016 IACT Annual Conference & Exhibition. The del-egates will be electing the Association’s Officers and Board of Directors, adopting a policy platform and considering proposed constitutional amendment(s) and any other propositions presented at the closing business session on October 6, 2016.

We ask that the mayor or town council president designate voting delegates by filling out a Voting Delegate Designation Form. The form is available on the IACT website, citiesandtowns.org. Please return the form to the IACT office by September 30. Although we are requesting that voting delegates be designated in advance, the chief elected executive can designate voting delegates during registra-tion hours at the conference, with a credentials deadline of 10:30 a.m. Eastern, on October 6.

According to the IACT Constitu-tion, every member city or town that is represented at the IACT An-nual Conference & Exhibition shall be entitled to vote. No city or town will be able to vote by proxy. The number of delegates per munici-pality is based on population and is detailed on the Voting Delegate Form. Contact (317) 237-6200 or [email protected] with any questions or concerns.

EXHIBIT HALLNearly 140 companies, organizations and state

agencies specializing in municipal government solu-tions will be on-hand in the exhibit hall. Make sure to visit their booths to learn what they can offer your city or town and to find innovative technology and resources to take back to your community. This year, the exhibit hall will kick off with the welcome reception on Tuesday and also feature a continental breakfast on Wednesday. Don’t forget to pick up your scavenger hunt map of participating vendors at registration for your opportunity to win a number of great prizes!

IACT AWARDS PROGRAM & OTHER AWARDS IACT honors and recognizes the accomplishments

of individuals and communities across the state each year through the Annual Awards program. The awards, sponsored by Umbaugh, recognize commu-nity and individual achievements in several categories and are presented at the conference. Addition-ally, Green Communities Initiative will recognize the Hoosier communities for successes in green efforts.

Share in the celebration of winners and be inspired with ideas to

bring back to your community.

IN PLACE

“The IACT Annual Awards program is great for honoring the hard work of communities and individuals. The benefits of it reach much far-ther than the Conference, however. I always pick up some ideas and feel energized when I see so many inspiring projects that might also work in my community.”

Bernie Doyle, Town Manager, Chesterton

CONFERENCE AGENDAavailable on page 16

Tuesday, October 410:00 a.m. –

6:00 p.m.

Registration

11:00 a.m. –

1:00 p.m.

IACT Affiliate Group Meetings

• Indiana Conference of Mayors (ICOM) Luncheon

• Indiana League of Municipal Clerks and Treasurers (ILMCT) Executive

Committee Luncheon

• Indiana Municipal Lawyers Assocation (IMLA) Luncheon

11:00 a.m. –

5:00 p.m.

Comcast Newsmakers

1:15 p.m. –

2:45 p.m.

Early Bird Workshops

• A Real-life Deep Dive into Creating a Quality Place

• Revealing the Secrets to Engaging the Public

2:00 p.m. –

3:45 p.m.

Board of Directors Meeting

3:00 p.m. –

4:00 p.m.

Workshops

• Mastering Your Title VI ADA Responsibilities

• The Benefits of Brownfields Redevelopment and the Resources Avail-

able to Municipalities

• Downtown Planning: Civic Improvements Paired with Private Investments

• Beyond Roads – A Broad Overview of Indiana’s Infrastructure Network

• Understanding the Accounting Side of Municipal Bonds and State

Revolving Funds

3:00 p.m. –

4:00 p.m.

IACT Procurement Card (p-Card) Consultations

4:15 p.m. –

5:00 p.m.

Opening Business Session

5:15 p.m. –

7:15 p.m.

Welcome Reception in Exhibit Hall

7:15 p.m. Board of Directors Dinner

7:15 p.m. Evening Open for Vendor Events

Wednesday, October 58:00 a.m. –

5:00 p.m.

Registration

8:00 a.m. –

10:00 a.m.

Continental Breakfast in Exhibit Hall

8:00 a.m. –

11:15 a.m.

Exhibit Hall Open

8:30 a.m. –

10:00 a.m.

IACT Affiliate Group Meetings

• Redevelopment Association of Indiana (RAI) Meeting

• Indiana ADA Coordinators Association Meeting

• Indiana Municipal Management Association (IMMA) Meeting

8:30 a.m. –

11:30 a.m.

State Board of Accounts Resource Center

9:00 a.m. –

5:00 p.m.

Comcast Newsmakers

10:00 a.m. –

11:00 a.m.

Workshops

• Examining the Fiscal Analysis of Land Use Decisions

• Fostering Greater Understanding through a Citizen Police Academy

• Can’t Miss Human Resources Reporting Requirements

• Our Kids, Our Communities: Municipal Role in Building Afterschool

Systems

• Vendor Solutions Workshop: Controlling Healthcare & Benefit Costs

(Colonial Life)

10:00 a.m. –

11:00 a.m.

INform Consultations

10:00 a.m. –

11:00 a.m.

IACT Procurement Card (p-Card) Consultations

11:15 a.m. Grand Prize Giveaway and Exhibition Closes

11:30 a.m. –

1:45 p.m.

IACT Annual Awards Luncheon presented by Umbaugh,

Keynote Address sponsored by Bingham Greenebaum Doll LLP

2:00 p.m. –

3:00 p.m.

Associate Member Advisory Council Meeting

2:00 p.m. –

3:00 p.m.

Workshops

• Demystifying the 782 Notice

• Using Tax Increment Financing to Create Thriving Communities

• Risk Management Content Provided by Bliss McKnight, Inc.

• Creative Approaches for Maximizing the Municipal Dollar

• Using the Indiana Bond Bank to Strengthen the Power of Public

Funds

2:00 p.m. –

3:00 p.m.

INform Consultations

2:00 p.m. –

4:00 p.m.

State Board of Accounts Resource Center

3:15 p.m. –

4:15 p.m.

Workshops

• What are Internal Controls and Why do they Matter?

• How Indiana’s Natural Resources and Energy Infrastructure Can Foster

Economic Development

• Risk Management Content Provided by Bliss McKnight, Inc.

• Public and Private Redevelopment Projects in French Lick – A Case

Study

• Vendor Solutions Workshop (Financial Solutions Group)

4:30 p.m. –

5:00 p.m.

Policy Platform Hearing

5:00 p.m. –

6:30 p.m.

Presidents’ Reception

6:30 p.m. Evening Open for Vendor Events

Thursday, October 67:30 a.m. –

11:30 a.m.

Registration

7:30 a.m. –

9:00 a.m.

Continental Breakfast

8:00 a.m. –

9:00 a.m.

IACT Affiliate Group Meetings

• Democrat and Republican Mayors Breakfasts

8:30 a.m. –

10:00 a.m.

Peer Networking Sessions:

• Fiscal Officers and Clerks

• Council Members

• Attorneys

• Appointed Officials and Town Managers

9:00 a.m. –

10:00 a.m.

Peer Networking Session:

• Mayors

10:15 a.m. –

11:15 a.m.

Workshops

• A Comprehensive Review of Asset Management Planning and Indi-

ana’s New Road Funding Options

• Modernizing your Approach to Police and Fire Protection

• The Eminent Restructuring of Indiana’s Local Income Taxes

• Factors to Consider when Leasing Large Equipment

• Vendor Solutions Workshop (Frost Brown Todd LLC)

11:30 a.m. –

1:00 p.m.

Closing Lunch and Business Session, featuring the Gubernatorial

Candidates

ACTIONLINES JULY / AUGUST 201616

= Municipal Management Institute credit

= Continuing Legal Education credit

= Continuing Professional Education credit

*Please note that all CLE and CPE credits are tentative and subject to change.

ENERGY SYSTEMS GROUPProviding leading energy and infrastructure solutions that help Indiana cities and towns:

▪ Rebuild Deteriorating Infrastructure

▪ Modernize Buildings Lowering Operating Cost

▪ Environmental Stewardship

▪ Promote Economic Development & Sustainability

▪ Improve Energy Efficiency

▪ Lower Greenhouse Gas Emissions

▪ Implement Alternative Fuel Strategies For Fleet Operations

▪ Improve Delivery of Core Services

▪ Convert Waste to Energy

▪ Increase Safety and Livability

Indianapolis Office 317.228.3676

8910 Purdue Rd, Ste 200Indianapolis, IN 46268

Corporate Office 812.471.5000

4655 Rosebud LaneNewburgh, IN 47630

www.energysystemsgroup.com

©2016 Energy Systems Group, LLC

ACTIONLINES JULY / AUGUST 201620

ACTIONLINESJULY / AUGUST 2016 21

INWRITING

FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & CEO MATTHEW C. GRELLER

Telling Your Story Both Inside and Outside Your Community

In our personal lives telling our stories can be difficult. We don’t want to brag about our accomplishments, appear self-centered or even bore others with our successes. But in the work we all do, telling our stories is critical to the success of our cities and towns. Recently, I read a quote on the internet from a notable career consultant, “I believe your Story is a powerful connector. Your Story helps illuminate your uniqueness and makes you inherently relatable. Telling your story is what makes you real.” While it was written to inspire entrepreneurs, I found it extremely poignant.

Believe. Connect. Illuminate. Unique. Relatable. Let those words sink in for a moment and think about your

community. If you had five minutes on National television to tell your story, what would you say? If you had ten minutes with a statewide newspaper, how would you tell your story? And, if you had thirty uninterrupted minutes to help the citizens of your town understand the story of their community, how would it go?

If you really stop and think about it, just like in our personal lives, we don’t spend as much time as we should telling our own city’s stories. If we did, think how powerful it could be.

BelieveYou believe in your community or you wouldn’t be in the

position you’re in. It’s your responsibility to ensure that belief is clear and contagious. How? Through the positive words you use, the endless cheerleading you do, and the optimism for the future you exude.

ConnectBring the story of your community to the people who live

there and those who don’t. Make sure you’re using the tools at your disposal to make connections far and wide. Social media

is the obvious avenue for making these connections. It’s easy and it’s free, for the most part.

IlluminateIt’s common for most people to lament that they are never

a tourist in their own town. It’s up to you to open their eyes to what your community has to offer and the qualities that make it so special. If you aren’t shining the light, who will?

UniqueI’ve said it many times, you can’t paint Hoosier cities and

towns with a broad brush. But if we aren’t telling our sto-ries how can anyone tell us apart? The best tenderloin, the boyhood home of James Deen, the Indianapolis 500, the first State Capitol, etc., etc. Every resident of every Indiana city and town should know what makes their community unique. It’s up to you to remind them by honoring your uniqueness in a special way.

RelatableTo me, the entire story-telling mantra means nothing if

your story isn’t relatable. Even if your community is wildly unique or chock-full of believers, your story won’t spread if you can’t make it relatable to your audience. Figure out who you want to listen to your story and make sure you tell it in a way that resonates.

Telling the stories of our municipalities will not only make our communities tighter knit, it will tell the rest of our state and our nation that Indiana is a special place. A place to be respected. A place to be visited. A place to start businesses. And, a place to call home. So boast, brag and tell your story as many times as you can stand it. And when you can’t stand it, tell it some more. That’s just about the time it’s starting to sink in.

GRW | engineering | architecture | geospatial

7112 Waldemar DriveIndianapolis, IN 46268(317) 347-3650

Offices in IN, OH, KY, TN & WV

w w w . g r w i n c . c o m SWE CARE ABOUT WATER. IT’S WHAT WE DO.(800) 492-8373 • www.indianaamwater.com

At About a Penny a Gallon, Water is a Great Value

Indiana American Water is committed to keep water flowing for all of us – today and well into the future. We put our expertise to work each day to deliver affordable and reliable, high-quality water service to all our customers in Indiana. All for about a penny a gallon.

ACTIONLINES JULY / AUGUST 201626

6% C

ITY

& TOWN MANAGERS 4% ATTORNEYS

28% FISCAL O

FFICE

RS

& C

LER

KS

27% COUNCIL MEMBERS

21%

OTH

ER

OF

FIC

IALS

14%

MAYORS

6% 4%

IN BRIEF

Annual Conference By the Numbers

Did You Know? HOW DID FRENCH LICK GET ITS NAME? It was settled by the French, the first Euro-

peans in Southern Indiana. They traded with the Native Americans, who were hunting buf-

falo. The buffalo and other wildlife enjoyed lick-ing the salt and other minerals from the mineral

springs prevalent in the area.

THE HOOSIER STATE SONG Paul Dresser composed Indiana’s state song “On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away”at the French Lick Springs Hotel.

32

WORKSHOPS10STATE AGENCIES

REPRESENTED

33

AWARDS

NETWORKINGOPPORTUNITIES

19

3 FEATURED SPEAKERS,INCLUDING BOTH CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR

EXHIBITORS,300+REPRESENTING 140 COMPANIES

SPONSORS

60+

WHO CAME TO THE2015 ANNUAL

CONFERENCE?

Downey Public Risk has provided insurance and risk management for more than 1,000

municipalities, counties, schools, and emergency service organizations. At Downey,

we work with local, independent insurance agents to offer coverage plans that address

the specific needs of those organizations. Contact us at 1-800-383-8837.

GUARANTEED THEY’RE NOT THINKING ABOUT INSURANCE COVERAGE RIGHT NOW.

www.downeypublicrisk.com

Ice Miller has been working with Municipalities throughout Indiana for over 100 years to “Build Community.”

Buddy DownsPatricia Zelmer

Lisa Lee Karen Arland

Heather James

icemiller.com

community

Special Counsel to the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns and co-author of the Indiana Elected Municipal Officials Handbook since 1999.