Each year over 600 local officials from around the North Country gather in the spring for a day of workshops, idea exchange, camaraderie and “recharging” to continue with the sometimes-underappreciated task of local government services.
2025 LGC – Turning Stone
2025 Conference Program
1B Providing Fire Protection in Your Community (Dan Acquilano & Katie Hodgdon)
1C Planning Board Overview (DOS – Christopher Eastman & Paula Gilbert)
1F Basics of Electronic Records Management 2025 Revision (Michael Martin)
2A The Code What Every Local Official Should Know (DOS – Christopher Eastman & Paula Gilbert)
2B ORES Tug Hill Presentation (Charles Voss)
3A Fiscal Responsibilities of Governing Boards (Laird Petrie)
3B Lessons Learned from Chaumont Solar Fire (Rivenburgh & Lipczynski)
3C Navigating the Haze: Regulating Cannabis in Your Town (Katie Hodgdon & Lori Mithen-Demasi)
3D GML 239 County Referral (Kristin Campbell)
3F Managing Stress in the Public Sector 2025 (Michael Kenneally & Bob Blaisdell)
4B Preparing for Grant Opportunities (Jay Grasso)
4C Regulating Short-Term Rentals (Henry Zomerfeld & Michael Boncardo- Hodgson Russ)
4F Write This Down (Wade Beltramo)
2025 LGC – March 31, 2025 Presentations
033125 Focused Session Budget and Accounting Laird Petrie
033125 Tackling Vacancy, Blight & Housing in Small Towns & Rural Communities
2024 LGC – Turning Stone
2024 Conference Program
(1B) Historic Preservation: The National Register and Other Preservation Tools (Chelsea Towers)
(1D) ZBA Basics (Mark Schachner)
(2B) What’s Coming Down the Road? (Tim Hunt)
(2C) Innovative Land Use Techniques (Matthew Liponis)
(2F) Hot Topics for Clerks (Sarah Brancatella, Katie Hodgdon, and Lori Mithen-Demasi) (Handout)
(3A) Covering Your Municipal Assets (Peter Baynes and Susan O’Rorke)
(3D) Ethics for Planning and Zoning Boards (Sarah Brancatella)
(3E) Collaborative Solutions for Rural Workforce Development (Khris Dodson, Jeff Ginger, and Marty Miller)
(3F) Annual Financial Reporting (Jacklyn Postulka and Joseph Testa)
(4A) Retirement Reporting: Elected and Appointed Officials (Marsha Miles) (Handout)
(4B) The Tug Hill Commission’s Traffic Safety Program: A Resource for Communities (Chris Barboza, Mickey Dietrich, and Gabriel Yerdon)
(4C) Permitting of Renewable Public Utility Variances and Battery Storage (Matthew Liponis)
2024 LGC – Infrastructure Roundtable Presentations
– Jes Eckerlin, Syracuse University Environmental Finance Center, Katie Malinowski, NYS Tug Hill Commission
– Leila Mitchell, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
– Holly Granat, NYS Department of State
– Charlie Philion, NYS Homes and Community Renewal
– Carl Ublacker, NYS Department of State
– Brenda Smith, USDA Rural Development
– Amy Henges and Ken Bibbins, NYS Department of Transportation
– Casandra Buell, Lewis County Planning and Community Development, Anthony Young, Barton & Loguidice, and Josh Leviker, Village of Turin, Village of Turin Case Study
2023 LGC – Turning Stone
Conference Program
(1A) Policies and Procedures to Manage Local Government (Ingrid Otto)
(1B) Fire Department-based Ambulance Service: Where Are We Now and Where Are We Going? (Timothy Hannigan)
(1D) ZBA Review of Variance Applications and Interpretation Appeals (Mark Schachner)
(1E) Assest Management for Highways (Tim Hunt)
(1F) Fiscal Responsibilities of Municipal Clerks (Laird Petrie)
(2B) Cannabis Update (Philip Rumsey)
(2B) Cannabis Update – Links provided during presentation
(2C) SEQR Basics (Patricia Burke and Monica Ryan)
(2D) Preventing and Prevailing in Article 78 Proceedings (Mark Schachner)
(2E) NYSDEC Permitting for Highways (Todd Phillips)
(2F) Knowledge Transfer: How To Make Sure You Know What You Don’t Know (Khris Dodson)
(2F) Knowledge Transfer: Position Knowledge Inventory Tool (Khris Dodson – inventory tool)
(3A) State and Federal Funding (Lindsay Kirk)
(3A) Water and Sewer Funding (Khris Dodson)
(3D) Zoning and Siting Large Solar Facilities (Nan Stolzenburg)
(3D) Zoning and Siting Large Solar Facilities Handout
(3F) Municipal Websites Do’s and Don’ts (Sarah Brancatella)
(4C) Hot Button Land Use Issues (Patricia Burke and Brent Irving)
(4F) NYSDEC DECALS (Kevin Maloney)
Drone Presentations:
New York UAS & AAM Ecosystem: The Future of Air Mobility (NUAIR)
How Municipalities Can Benefit from Leveraging Drone Technology (Keith Perry)
2022 LGC – Turning Stone
Conference Program
1A – Employee Handbook Basics (Ronni Travers)
1C – The Process of Site Plan & Subdivision Review (Phil Street)
1E – Long Range Planning (Tim Hunt) Equipment Generic Excel Sheet Tracey Town Excel Sheet
1F – Your Role in a Disaster (Robert MacKenzie)
2A – Reserve Funds & Long Term Planning (Laird Petrie)
2B – Open Meetings Law Information Session (Kristin O’Neill)
2C – Rural Planning (DOS)
2D – Handout for Motions, Criteria and Decision (Mark Schachner)
2E – Ice & Snow Best Practices (Tim Hunt)
2F – 2022 Clerk and Registrar Presentation (Gary Martinez)
3A – Rural EMS (Ann Smith & Robert MacKenzie)
3B – Historic Preservation (DOS)
3E – Selecting Pavement Preservation Game Show (David Orr)
3F – FOIL Information Session (Kristin O’Neill)
3G – ORES Hearing Procedures (ORES)
4A – How to prepare for and conduct audit (Laird Petrie)
4B – Skills That Make Great Board Members (DOS)
4C – Ethical Considerations for Planning and Zoning Boards (Charles Malcomb)
4E – Myths of Traffic Calming & Complete Streets (David Orr), Handout
4F – Email Essentials Webinar (David Lowry)
4G – An Overview of the NYS Marijuana Regulations
2020 LGC Information – Virtual
Session 1:
A) Employee Handbook Basics, Ronni Travers
C) The Process of Site Plan and Subdivision Review, Phil Street – Video, Presentation, Handouts
D) Spot Zone or Grant the Illegal Use Variance? Paula Gilbert and Ebony Mapp
E) Right-sizing Stream Crossings for Fish, Wildlife, and Resiliency, Corbin Gosier
F) Local Registrar Procedures and Getting Married in New York State: The Marriage License, Gary Martinez (If you have questions or comments regarding these presentations, contact New York State Vital Records by email at vr@health.ny.gov.)
G) Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, Noah Shaw and Marilyn Dare. NYStretch Energy Code Webinar, Central New York Regional Planing & Development Board. Slides that go with the NYStretch Webinar. NYSERDA’s NYStretch website with tools and resources can be found at http://www.nyserda.ny.gov/stretchenergy2020.
Session 2:
A) Reserve Funds and Long Term Planning, Webinar Recording, Laird Petrie
B) Slow the Spread of Cyber Criminals and the NYS SHIELD ACT, Lisa Atkinson – Link to Shield Act Compliance Requirements
C) Historic Preservation, Paula Gilbert and Ebony Mapp
D) How to Enhance Transparency in Planning Proceedings, Matt Horn CM|1.5
E) Municipal Rights of Way, Lori Mithen-Demasi – Presentation not available, but see Roads by Use (Mark Gebo)
Session 3:
B) Small Wireless Facilities and 5G in New York State, Rebecca Ruscito CM|1.5
Session 4:
F) Email Essentials, Michael Martin
G) Siting Utility Scale Solar Projects, Stephen LeFevre and John Langey – Recorded Webinar, Slides, Q&A, Certificate of Attendance, B&L’s Solar Compliance Checklist (as discussed in the presentation.) CM|1.5
For presentations prior to 2020, please contact the office at 315-785-2380.