April 25, 2014, Number 13

.pdf Version: TML Legislative Update Number 13 

What Every Elected Official Needs to Know about Municipal Law
May 29-30 Workshop or Live Videocast 

Are you aware of the key laws that affect you and your city? Join us at the Municipal Law 101 Workshop or via live videocast, May 29-30, in Austin, for a quick-paced, abridged tour of the Public Information Act, personnel law, liability, election law, annexation, municipal court, land use, purchasing, and more. You'll learn the basics, understand why your attorney advises in certain ways, and be able to help spot the issues that need legal review.

If you have a role in developing and/or implementing your city's budget, the Budget, Tax Rate, and Audit Workshop is for you. You'll learn about:

• Legal requirements for the budget and audit
• Your role in the budget and tax-rate setting process
• Forecasting municipal revenue
• Top issues discovered by the audit
• Preparing and reading the financial statement

Workshop participants will receive a complimentary copy of the 2014 TML Revenue Manual for Texas Cities.

May 9, Abilene, 8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
June 6, Conroe, 8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Get a Head Start on Your TML Membership Update

Every year, we reach out to you, as the key contact in your city, to update your city's membership information. Keeping accurate information is vital to providing member city officials with TML membership benefits.

Although we won't mail the membership update survey until next month, we are giving you a head start in completing your directory update - especially if your city won't be holding a May election.  

This year, there's a new addition to the update survey. TML is now collecting the term of office for elected officials:  the month and year the official entered office, and the month and year the current term ends.

Save yourself some time later, and update your city's information now at www.tml.org/directoryupdate.

Texas Association of Former Municipal Officials (TAFMO)

TML loses contact with many veteran elected and appointed officials when they conclude their time in public service to Texas cities. With these departures, the knowledge and experience these former city officials gained over the years are lost to the League. The Texas Association of Former Municipal Officials (TAFMO) provides an opportunity for former municipal officials and TML to stay in touch. Benefits include a subscription to Texas Town & City magazine, special registration rates to the TML Annual Conference and Exhibition, and the opportunity to network with former colleagues.

Asset Management and Source Assessment Workshops for Small Public Water Systems

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) is hosting free workshops for Small Public Water Systems, based on the agency's five-part guide Managing Small Public Water Systems (RG-501). The workshops will help system owners, managers, and operators create an inventory and budget, identify maintenance needs, and assess their source.

Five workshops will be conducted: 

• Amarillo, May 15                   
• Conroe, May 29      
• Tyler, June 12                      
• Nacogdoches, June 13      
• New Braunfels, June 26     

For more information and to register for a workshop near you, go to http://www.tceq.texas.gov/goto/small-pws-workshop, or call the TCEQ Small Business and Local Government Assistance Hotline at 1-800-447-2827. 

Take the Climate Adaptation at the Local Level Survey

The National League of Cities (NLC), in collaboration with the Urban Sustainability Directors Network, ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability, and the Kresge Foundation, are surveying local governments (cities, towns, counties, boroughs, villages, and tribal communities) to assess the current state of local climate adaptation and preparedness efforts. The survey will help identify where local governments are in their work to build more resilient communities, what resources they are using, and what resources are needed. The survey results will help NLC and its collaborators provide useful resources to help advance local climate efforts.  

This survey is designed for representatives of local government, including staff and elected officials, and will take about 30 minutes to complete.

Please help NLC and complete the online survey by May 2.