NCLM pre-conference seminars

County officials are eligible to to attend the pre-conference seminars at the N.C. League of Municipalities' Annual Conference, Oct. 24-26 in Winston-Salem. The seminars are sponsored by the Local Elected Leaders Academy (LELA), a partnership of the N.C. Association of County Commissioners, the N.C. League of Municipalities and the School of Government at UNC-Chapel Hill. Participants earn credits toward levels of accomplishment within LELA.

County officials can register online through the NCLM here. When registering, be sure to select "Pre-Conference Activities ONLY" in the type of registration drop-down menu.

BALANCING YOUR BUDGETS IN TOUGH TIMES
Saturday, Oct. 23, 1 – 5 p.m.
Cost: $50

Elected leaders will face tough decisions in their upcoming budgets. The easy cuts were made last year and the "low-hanging fruit" has been plucked. The economic downturn adds additional pressure. In this interactive workshop, you will role-play activities based on real-life budget situations designed to help you understand your leadership role in the budget process, alternatives to consider when cutting services/programs and options for generating revenues.

ENGAGING CITIZENS IN THE BUDGET PROCESS
Sunday, Oct. 24, 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Cost: $50

Many elected officials complain that citizens don’t understand the tough decisions facing local government. Involving citizens in the budget process means they are better informed and can give you information about the services and facilities they need and value most. In addition to learning how to make hearings work better, participants will be introduced to a variety of ways to engage citizens including Web-based communication tools and how to use advisory committees, forums, and workshops.

Finally, ways to positively respond to citizen concerns about the budget will be presented.