The November Conference Business Meeting will feature a presentation by the Illinois Public Works Mutual Aid Network (IPWMAN). Secretary/Treaurer Barbara Stiehl will share the benefits of being a member and will include information about membership application, benefits and responsibilities. It will also include facts about past deployments and how the organization works to assist its members during times of need. The meeting will be on Wednesday, November 14 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Glen Ellyn. Click here to register or contact Kim Sumner, Member Services and Communications Manager, for more information.

The Conference and the Law Firm of Ottosen, Britz, Kelly, Cooper, Gilbert and DiNolfo invite you to a seminar on the Open Meetings Act and Freedom of Information Act. This seminar will cover the changes in the Open Meetings Act law regarding the posting of agendas and the more specific content requirement, as well as some recent PAC opinions and the salary posting requirements for new hires. The workshop will be held Friday, November 16 at the Addison Village Hall, One Friendship Plaza, from 8:30 to 11 a.m. The cost is $50 per person. Click here to register or contact Kim Sumner, Member Services and Communications Manager, for more information.

A Springfield Drive Down will be held during veto session on December 4-5. The focus will be on municipal public safety pension reforms, the wireless 9-1-1 surcharge, and conflicts with municipal holidays during election periods.

The lame duck session is expected to occur during the first two weeks of January. Once legislative leaders have firmly established these additional dates, staff will finalize details for a January Drive Down. As it is anticipated the legislature will focus on pension reform, we will use this opportunity to remind legislators that it is essential they address municipal public safety pension systems at this time as well. 

The Conference has begun preparations for a large group Springfield Drive Down on May 14-15 with bus transportation available to bring members to and from Springfield. Plans include an evening reception on May 14, an overnight stay at the Abraham Lincoln Hotel, a breakfast briefing, a morning of lobbying and meetings with state officials, and a closing lunch with a featured speaker. Members, municipal staff, and other elected officials are encouraged to attend. Further details will be provided at a later date.   

The Illinois Department of Insurance (DOI) has announced major changes to the rate of return assumptions for police and fire pension systems. The changes are due to the implementation of the 2010 public safety pension reform legislation. The legislation also required the DOI to hire an enrolled actuary and study the actuarial assumptions used by the department when producing their suggested tax levy reports for all police and fire pension funds.

The Department of Insurance study resulted in the department revising the investment return assumptions down from 7% for all funds to a range of 6.75% to 5%, depending on the fund net asset value. Other changes resulting from the study include adjustments to mortality tables, salary increase assumptions and disability rates. The changes are expected to have the greatest impact on funds under $2.5 million in net assets. It should be noted that municipalities and their public safety pension funds have the option of using the DOI tax levy recommendations or engaging their own actuary to determine the contribution requirements. For additional information, contact the DOI Public Pension Division at 800-207-6958.    

The SPC Governing Board has awarded the first of three possible one-year contract extensions to Road Solutinos, Inc., Indianapolis, IN for Natural Deicing (beet juice) products from November 9, 2012 through November 8, 2013. For further information on pricing contact Jim Fee, Road Solutions, inc. Regional Manager at (773) 315-0293. For information on the Suburban Purchasing Cooperative, contact Suzette Quintell, DMMC Operations Director.

CMAP announced 48 new projects that it will fund throughout the region in the second round of Local Technical Assistance (LTA) grants. Shortly after GO TO 2040's adoption in October 2010, CMAP established the LTA program with a grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Funding is intended to help communities plan for "livability" that contributes to sustainable prosperity for the region and its nearly municipalities. Congratulations to the following DuPage communities, which have projects recommended for funding: Addison, Bensenville, Hinsdale, Villa Park, and Wood Dale. For more information read the CMAP press release.

The Civic Leadership Academy of Northern Illinois is offering three upcoming workshops: Strategic Planning, Lean Thinking in Government, and Government in the Age of Social Media. For more information or to register, visit the NIU Center for Governmental Studies website.