Academy Notes

January 2014  
Powers & Duties of Local Government Officials 

In addition to the 2013-2014 Newly Elected Officials Course, Local Government Academy has several programs slated for the first quarter of the New Year. Make a resolution to improving your knowledge and skills on topics such as the powers granted to local governments through the various municipal codes and "Authorities 101."

Additionally, a free webinar, "Stormwater Ordinances - Friend or Foe to Sustainable Stormwater Management?" will be presented next week.
Free On-Line Program
Storm Water Ordinances - Friend or Foe to Sustainable Storm Water Management?

Learn about the results of a recent report on the barriers and facilitators to green infrastructure in Allegheny County communities

In 2013, 3 Rivers Wet Weather requested that the University of Pittsburgh School of Law review all local municipal ordinances relevant to storm water management and identify ways that local governments are either facilitating or creating barriers to implementing green infrastructure and low impact development. This free webinar will present an overview of the study and observations about updates to municipal ordinances that would facilitate more sustainable storm water management in the region.
computer
On-line Training: Participate from the convenience of your home or office.

Thursday, January 30, 2014
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Upon registering, you will receive a separate e-mail with instructions on how to participate in the webinar 

This webinar is offered as part of the Sustainable Development Academy, a partnership of Local Government Academy and Sustainable Pittsburgh.
February 21st: Municipal Intern Program Project Application Deadline

Municipalities, authorities and councils of government in Allegheny, Butler and Washington Counties, as well as Act 47 communities in western Pennsylvania, are invited to submit project ideas for the 2014 Municipal Intern Program.

The Municipal Intern Program facilitates a match between graduate or undergraduate students with an interest in public administration with municipalities, authorities or councils of government that would like to have professional-level assistance on a project. A grant, administered by Local Government Academy, covers 50% of the interns' wages for up to 480 hours of work.

Organizations interested in applying should submit an application form and project description by Friday, February 21, 2014. The process is competitive and funding is limited. Those interested in applying should download the following:

Successful applicants will be notified by Friday, March 7, 2014. A representative from each community chosen will be required to attend the Municipal Intern Fair on Friday, March 21, 2014 at Carnegie Mellon University. 

 

Do you know a student interested in public administration?  Please share the "For Students" section of LGA's website with them and encourage them to pre- register for the Municipal Intern Fair.

 

The 2014 Municipal Intern Program is provide with funding support from Allegheny County, the Redevelopment Authority of the County of Washington, the Butler County Council of Governments and the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development Governor's Center for Local Government Services.

 

Elected Officials: Do You Know Your Codes?
Interact with experienced municipal solicitors in the free webinar

As a local official, how confident are you in your knowledge of your governments' fundamental statutory powers and duties and the limitations of those powers? Often, local government officials report that understanding the complexity and nuances of Pennsylvania's municipal codes can stand in the way of making decisions as efficiently and effectively as possible.

To help municipal officials better understand the codes that govern their specific form of government, LGA is offering a free "Know Your Codes" webinar, led by experienced municipal solicitors. These professionals will provide a brief overview of the codes, as well as any current or pending changes. Participants will then be given the opportunity to ask questions about their specific form of government.

Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Beginning at 7 PM
Upon registering, you will receive a separate e-mail with instructions on how to participate in the webinar

Instructors include:
Tim Bish, Babst Calland
Chuck Means, Goehring, Rutter & Boehm
Pat McGrail, McGrail & Racunas
Chris Voltz, Tucker Arensberg
Authorities 101

Municipal authorities in Pennsylvania are very common and often misunderstood by the public and some municipal officials. It is no wonder as they can have drastic differences in the purposes they serve, the services they provide, and the governance they operate under. The flexibility and variation is both a strength and a weakness of these special purpose governments. For elected officials, understanding the roles and responsibilities of authorities is critical as they interact and coordinate programs and operations. This upcoming program, offered specifically in the evening for the convenience of elected officials, will explore the nuts and bolts of municipal authorities as well as recent case studies on the changing landscape of their governance, operations and financing.

 

Tuesday, March 25, 2014 
6 PM - 9 PM  |  Leetsdale Borough Municipal Building
Registration Fee: $35. Your municipality may be eligible for a 50% discount through the Scholarships for Good Government program. Please contact LGA for details.  

 

Topics include:

  • Understanding the purposes of authorities as created by the Pennsylvania Authorities Act
  • Examining the diversity of roles, responsibilities and functions of municipal authorities
  • Updates on current state legislation impacting authorities, including the addition of storm water management as a purpose for municipal authorities
  • Case Study: the merger of the Shaler Water Department and the Hampton Township Municipal Authority to create The Hampton Shaler Water Authority

Instructors include:

Ron Brown, Grogan Graffam, P.C.

Tim Rogers, Shaler Township

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Local Government Academy
901 Western Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA  15233
412.586.5659   fax 412.904.4928
www.localgovernmentacademy.org
 
In This Issue
Webinar on Stormwater Ordinances
2014 Municipal Intern Program
Do You Know Your Codes?
Authorities 101
Advocates for Good Government
Join Our Mailing List
Job Postings on Local Government Job Network

 

Township Manager,
Penn Township


Township Manager, Harmony Township

NEOC
Opening Day
Photos

2013 Interns
Click here to view photos from Opening Day of the 2013-14 Newly Elected Officials Course

LGA On-line

Overcome time and distance barriers with these FREE webinars

 

 

Blight & Abandonment
Webinars

Managing Marcellus Webinars

 

TreeVitalize
Grant Program
  


Sustainable Community Essentials Certification

4/29/2013

 

July 31, 2013 Feasibility Study Deadline: Is Your Municipality on the Right Track? 

4/17/2013   

 

Summary Information & Important Data for Municipalities Regarding ALCOSAN's Recommended Draft Weather Plan

3 Rivers Wet Weather's Municipal Data Support Tool
11/14/2012

Plaintiffs' Attorneys Discuss Recent Act 13 of 2012 Ruling
8/17/2012

Environmental Advisory Councils 101
5/30/2012 

 



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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.