by Latricia Good

The job of serving as a local leader is not an easy one. And just as with parenting, the job doesn?t come with a standard manual or handbook on how to navigate it successfully.

Many local officials have the same question: ?How do I begin to solve my city?s problems?? It is indeed a difficult question that requires a multifaceted answer. But this year, at its Congress of Cities and Exposition, NLC is aiming to provide just that.

Bringing together nationally recognized speakers, seasoned subject matter experts and other experienced city officials, NLC will address the growing number of challenges facing city leaders during its Dec. 5-9 conference in Reno, Nev.

Critical challenges include threats of terrorism and natural disasters, infrastructure developments, shifts toward global economies and failing schools. Local elected officials today must be well versed in and knowledgeable on an array of local, regional and national issues.

With a new format under way, conference workshops will be organized around six main themed tracks, addressing major issues of critical importance to America?s cities and towns. Each track will be assigned a facilitator who will moderate all workshops falling under a particular theme, and will sum up outcomes from each with an hour-long wrap-up session.

Through this comprehensive workshop lineup, NLC plans to give delegates an all-inclusive guide to navigating the various obstacles to improve their cities and towns. Focusing on the how-tos of solving city problems and making a city a great place to live, NLC?s more than 40 concurrent workshops will highlight innovative programs and new approaches to local governance.

The specifically themed tracks are listed below with brief descriptions. In the coming weeks leading up to the conference, Nation?s Cities Weekly will take a more detailed look at the individual themes and specific workshops that will be available.

? How to Create a Strong Local Infrastructure
State and local governments own and operate the vast majority of the nation?s infrastructure. While local governments continue to perform traditional roles like collecting trash, building and maintaining roads, bridges, libraries and other community amenities, they are also tackling a range of new and emerging infrastructure needs.

To successfully build on these efforts, local leaders need to be equipped with the right tools to make smart decisions surrounding infrastructure investments. Learning to plan carefully and work cooperatively with all levels of government are key areas of focus. This workshop series will address the required resources and approaches needed to build a strong infrastructure at the local level.

? How to Prepare for the Unexpected
Because all emergencies occur at the local level, preparation for unexpected events begins with local governments. From planning to communication, emergency preparedness plans at the local level need to be tactical and comprehensive with safety serving as the top priority.

Local leaders should also be aware of the need to continuously refine and update their emergency preparedness plans. This workshop series will address resources and approaches to supporting response efforts of local agencies and ways to strengthen the local capacity to respond to emergencies in a timely and effective manner.

? How to Pay for Essential Services
Providing essential services to citizens requires a comprehensive approach to addressing cost and access. With the shift in funding streams and fewer dollars coming from the federal level, local governments are looking for ways to raise money to pay for the costs of providing public transportation, trash collection, electricity and gas, and emergency services.

This requires partnerships among all levels of government and across the communities so that assets are managed effectively in order to allow local governments to deliver on their dual mission of providing citizen services and utilizing public resources efficiently. This series of workshops offers approaches to thinking tactfully about cost, design and delivery of services in order to ensure that local agencies are able to provide cost-effective, quality services to citizens.

? How to Keep Your Economy Strong
Economic vitality and competitiveness are essential to the quality of life in cities and towns, and local leaders play a special role in advancing economic development goals in their communities. Local governments that thrive in today?s global economy focus on a variety of investments. This workshop series will examine trends affecting local economies and discuss innovative strategies to achieve economic well-being at the local level.

? How to Make Your City a Great Place to Live
Local governments are responsible for maintaining communities where their people can live, work, enjoy recreational activities and have access to services. As members of their own communities, local leaders want to ensure productive and healthy futures for their citizens and neighbors. Workshops in this series will focus on the critical components needed to ensure that a community is a great place to live.

? How to Engage and Communicate With Your Citizens and Community At-Large
A growing disconnection between citizens and government has highlighted the need for local leaders to revisit issues of democracy and governance. Through this process it is important that local leaders understand successful strategies for involving residents in government and public life while learning how to focus on developing an inclusive, collaborative and effective relationship with the entire community.

Workshops in this series will highlight successful tactics for promoting inclusion and using communication to strengthen democracy and governance at the local level.

Details: To learn more about the Congress of Cities and Exposition or to download a copy of the conference brochure, visit www.nlc.org.