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.
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
B) All About Grant Preparedness, Jay Grasso – Not Available
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 Culverts for Wildlife and Resiliency, Corbin Gosier
F) Vital Records: Registrar and Clerk Responsibilities and Getting Married in NYS: The Marriage License, Gary Martinez (If you have questions or comments regarding these presentations, contact New York State Vital Records by email at [email protected].)
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-Slide Presentation, 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)
F) Your Role in a Disaster, Robert MacKenzie – Not Available
G) PILOTs for Renewable Energy Projects, Dan Spitzer – Not Available
Session 3:
A) The EMS Crisis and its Impact on Municipal Budgets, Ann Smith – Not Available
B) Small Wireless Facilities and 5G in New York State, Rebecca Ruscito CM|1.5
C) Translating Comprehensive Plans in the Face of Live Projects, Matt Horn – Not Available
D) Land Use and SEQR Case Law Update, Adam Walters – Not Available
E) Selecting Pavement Preservation Techniques, David Orr – Not Available
F) FOIL and Open Meetings Law, Lori Mithen-Demasi – Not Available
G) Climate Smart Communities, Dazzle Ekblad
Session 4:
A) Think Before you Tweet, Rebecca Ruscito – Not Available
B) River Restoration and Resiliency, Jo-Anne Humphreys – Not Available
C) Ethical Considerations for Planning Boards and ZBAs, Charles Malcomb – Not Available
D) Q and A for Planning Boards and Zoning Boards, Scott Chatfield – Not Available
E) Myths of Traffic Calming and Complete Streets, David Orr – Not Available
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 those that could not attend the conference or who couldn’t make it to all the sessions they were interested in, as many presentations as possible are linked below.
1C. Managing Land Use On Highway Corridors
1D. ZBA Basics
1E. Federally Mandated Reasonable Suspicion Training
1F. Records Management Essentials
1G. Rural Drug Epidemic: It’s Real & It’s Local
2Ab. Northern Border Regional Commission Funding Opportunities
2D. Record Keeping Tips For Planning Boards & ZBAs
2F. Managing Inactive Records
2G. Engaging the Amish In Your Community
3C. Regulating Short-term Rentals
3D. State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) Basics
4A. Making NY Count, How the 2020 Census Will Work
For those that could not attend the conference or who couldn’t make it to all the sessions they were interested in, as many presentations as possible are linked below.
1A. Red Flags for Fraud
1B. Solar PILOT Agreement And Decommissioning
1C. Scope and Content of Site Plan Reviews
1D. Article 78
1E. Municipal Ethics Highways
1F. NYSLRS Retirement Reporting Elected Appointed Officials Presentation
1H. Valuation of Land
2B. We’ve Got The Numbers – Census Bureau
2C. Planning For Complete Streets
2D. Tests for Use and Area Variances
2E. Beware the Invaders!
2Fa. Municipal Ethics Clerks
2G. What is Resiliency Planning
2H. Agricultural Assessments
3A. Meeting Rural Water and Wastewater Needs
3C. Successful Meetings
3E. Highway Operations
3G. Liabilities And Pitfalls Of Social Media
1A. Workers’ Compensation & Your Community
1C. Ethical Considerations for Planning and Zoning Boards
1D. Motions, Criteria & Decision Making
1E. Reasonable Suspicion Training for Highway & DPW
1F. & 2F. Storytelling Leadership Through Effective Communication
1F. & 2F. Leadership Through Effective Communication
2A. Handout Comp Plans & Your Bottom Line Tug Hill 2017
2A. Comp Plans & Your Bottom Line: What Town & Village Boards Need to Know
2C. Site Plan Review: Process & Paperwork
2D. Use & “Misuse” of Alternate Planning Board & ZBA Members
2E. All the Things a Highway Department Should Know About the Emerald Ash Borer
2G. Community Choice Aggregation
3A. True Cost of Services
3B. Which Way Do I Go? How to Prepare a “Blueprint for Funding” Your Next Project
3C. Planning and Zoning for Solar
3D. SEQR Basic
3E. Roadway and Roadside Drainage Handout
3F. Protecting Municipal Data & Computer Systems
3G. Fort Drum JLUS Overview
4A. Are Cost Effective Pressure Sewers In Your Future?
4B. Public Sector Wage and Hour Laws: The Top Ten Employer Myths and Misconceptions
4F. Workplace Violence Prevention Training
4G. North Country Health Compass and Your Community
2016 LGC, March 31 – 2016 LGC Program
For those that could not attend the conference or who couldn’t make it to all the sessions they were interested in, as many presentations as possible are linked below.
1A. Budgeting For Fire Protection
1B. Municipal Restructuring
1C. Conservation Subdivision Design
1D. ZBA Overview
1H. 2H. Maintaining Assessment EquityLGC16
2C. Reading Interpreting Plans
2G. NYS Ag Districts Law
3B. Justice Court Options
3C. Regulating Locally Unwanted Land Uses
3E. GIS and Changes to the Local Highway Inventory
2015 LGC, March 26 – 2015 LGC Program
For those that could not attend the conference or who couldn’t make it to all the sessions they were interested in, as many presentations as possible are linked below.
1A: Negotiating Fire Dept Contracts In A Tough Economy
1B. Interaction of T/V Boards with the Justice Courts
1C. Record Keeping Tips
1D. Dealing with Difficult Players
1G. The Property Tax Freeze and What it Means to Your Community
2A. A How to Guide to Shared Services
2C. Open Government
2D. Public Meetings and Hearings
2E. Roads By Use
2F. Minutes
2G. Importance Of A Community Tree Program
3A. Developing an Effective Fund Balance Policy
3C. Regulating Small Scale & Large Scale Solar Energy
3E. CHIPS
3F. Ethics
4A. Red Flags for Fraud
4C. Enforcement Of Zoning And Other Local Laws
4G. Improving Broadband
4G. NY Broadband Office