Overview

The Congress of Cities and Exposition held at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center from November 28th through December 1st will bring together local leaders from cities across the United States. Conference participants will find a range of learning and networking opportunities highlighting successful programs from the City of Boston and communities across the country.

The Congress of Cities program will focus on three overarching strategies for cities: Promoting Strong Local Economies, Building Sustainable Communities and Strengthening Neighborhoods and Families. Each of the strategies will be explored through keynote addresses, workshops, peer networking sessions, mobile workshops, leadership training seminars, the City Showcase, and the Exhibit Hall. Before and after the main conference programming NLC will offer the traditional governance activities, state municipal league activities and meetings of NLC committees, councils and constituency groups.  

• Promote Strong Local Economies by learning how to promote 21st century workforce skills and to spur, support, attract and retain businesses.  
• Build Sustainable Communities by learning how to develop the partnerships and strategies to go beyond standalone investments in a city's built environment and move toward integrated approaches that facilitate connected, intelligent and sustainable communities.  
• Strengthen Neighborhoods and Families by fostering supportive families, homes and neighborhoods, to provide critical opportunities for individuals to grow, learn and prosper.

Full Program and Exposition Guide

Dynamic Workshops

A wide ranging selection of workshops are designed to engage participants and share the most promising skills, strategies, and best practices to continue to keep the nation's cities and towns prosperous.

Mobile Workshops

Host city Boston is offering off-site workshops, free of charge to registered delegates, to showcase collaborative solutions to issues facing local government.

Governance Activities

Throughout the conference, NLC member-city officials will participate in the important work of governing the association.  Most of the governance meetings listed are open to the public and you are encouraged to stop in to observe and consider how you might become involved.

Leadership Training Seminars

Educational seminars are crafted so participants obtain current resources, develop strategies, build skills, and engage in small group discussions and exercises with their peers from other communities.

Spouse & Guest Tours

Special tours created each year by the host city offer spouses and guests the chance to explore the city for its educational value.

Exhibit Hall Opportunities

Exhibitors can increase their visibility among attendees by investing in an exhibit hall opportunity. These opportunities, exclusive to exhibitors, will give your company/organization expanded recognition during the two days of the exposition.

Schedule

Thursday, November 29, 2012

• 10:00 am
  Predictions of Overwhelming Waste Production Call for Next Generation PAYT Waste Reduction (Show details)

  Carolyn A. Kirk - City of Gloucester
  Mark Dancy - WasteZero
  

  The amount of world’s trash—and the costs to manage it all—are predicted to double in just more than a decade. Our current best-effort waste reduction programs, which reduce waste by 22% at best, will no longer be enough. Next generation PAYT programs (turnkey, proven and comprehensive) can deliver more than twice the results—clocking in an average 44% reduction in waste in just the first year of implementation. In this session, learn from Mayor Carolyn Kirk of Gloucester, Massachusetts , who saw her city’s municipal solid waste decrease 37%, savings increase to $163,000, and recycling rate skyrocket to the fifth highest in the region after implementing next generation PAYT.
   

  Presented by: WasteZero

• 10:00 am
  Clean Community Energy Systems: A Guide to Planning, Development & Implementation (Show details)

  Robert Thornton - International District Energy Association
  

  Local clean energy projects attract new businesses and residents, enhance economic resiliency and energy security, stabilize energy costs and reduce emissions. Efficient, reliable and sustainable district energy and combined heat and power systems can help communities utilize local resources, spend energy dollars locally and address the demands of growing downtown populations. Based on “Community Energy: Planning, Development and Delivery,” a new guidebook for city leaders and staff, this session will discuss energy mapping, densification and system optimization and how to integrate local district energy into sustainable planning. Attendees will receive a free copy of the publication.
   

  Presented by: International District Energy Association, an NLC Associate Member

• 11:00 am
  Creating Economic Synergies between Your Community and Your Military Base (Show details)

  Hans Uslar - City of Monterey
  Linda Balcom - Weston Solutions
  Tim Ford - Association of Defense Communities
  

  Public/private partnerships are just one of the economic engines explored in this session. In fact, if you’re like many communities, you may not even be aware of the myriad of opportunities available. A team of experts will share the tips and tools you need to partner and collaborate with your local base. Discover how to create win/win scenarios that will help drive true economic value for your community. From uncovering leasing and land use options to finding out how to share infrastructure resources drive efficiencies, and generate savings, this session will highlight the tools you need to preposition your community for success, no matter how the future unfolds.

• 11:00 am
  Innovative Service Delivery through Public-Private Collaboration (Show details)

  Marilu Goodyear - University of Kansas
  Rick Norment - The National Council for Public-Private Partnerships
  Susan Mays - CH2M HILL
  

  In today’s economy, a common challenge has emerged for cities: the need to deliver better services to citizens despite shrinking resources. Cutting services, hours and staff are last resorts, so communities are looking to new service delivery models. Regionalization, shared services and public-private partnership are all options, but many communities aren’t sure where to begin. Following brief presentations from the University of Kansas and the National Council for Public-Private Partnerships on the latest in academic research and local government practices, attendees will engage in a dialogue about creating the right environment for successful public-private collaboration for the delivery of municipal services.
   

  Presented by: CH2M HILL, an NLC Corporate Partner

• 12:00 pm
  Untying the Yellow Ribbon: Community-based Solutions to Support Today’s Military Coming Home (Show details)

  Gretchen Martens - Homeward Deployed
  

  Much of the burden of care for our three million post-9/11 military and their families will fall to America’s communities, seriously impacting already overstressed community systems.  Still reeling from ongoing fiscally constrained environments, cities and counties need free and low cost integrated solutions that respect a community’s sense of place while aligning with a national network to support these young transitioning military so that they become engaged stakeholders in building thriving communities.  This session will feature case studies that show how communities have mobilized to support transitioning military, provide access to practical tools and resources, and present an innovative national network emerging to support community leaders in helping today’s young Veterans.

• 12:00 pm
  Solutions for Municipalities: Where Recycling Fits (Show details)

  Todd Ellis - Call2Recycle
  

  Despite enormous and growing solid waste disposal needs, municipalities are increasingly recognizing that recycling can be cost-effective. Proper disposal of solid waste can represent a net savings or, in some cases, help offset the cost of program management at the local level.  Municipalities such as Austin, Texas, and Cedar Rapids, Iowa, are employing innovative techniques, smart partnerships and wide-reaching communications efforts to earn “best practice” status for successfully diverting solid waste to recycling.  This session offers solutions cities and counties are implementing to achieve increased recycling success, as well as which trends are expected to impact municipal recycling.
   

  Presented by: Call2Recycle

• 1:00 pm
  Faster, Cheaper, Better Government – Why Document Management Matters for Cities (Show details)

  Terri Jones - Hyland Software, Inc.
  

  As cities continue to respond to smaller staffs and budgets, some communities have embraced document management as a way to deliver better constituent services even as they save time and money. In this session, learn how document management is being used by cities and how it created cost and staff time savings while meeting transparency, mobile and other key constituent needs. The session will feature lessons from over 1,100 OnBase government end users.
  
  Presented by: Hyland Software, Inc., an NLC Corporate Partner

• 1:00 pm
  New Opportunities in Health and Wellness within the Restaurant Industry (Show details)

  Joy Dubost - National Restaurant Association
  

  The restaurant industry plays a critical role in a healthy lifestyle by serving as many as 130 million meals a day. This session will provide an overview on how the restaurant industry is addressing health and wellness, including the industry’s commitment to offer healthful options to kids. The National Restaurant Association’s Kids LiveWell program is a first of its kind, voluntary program, which has generated support from state and local leaders across the country.  Learn more about bringing this award-winning program to your city.
  
  Presented by: National Restaurant Association, an NLC Corporate Partner

• 2:00 pm
  Operational Efficiency - A Water Utility's Best Friend (Show details)

  Brandon Segrest - Neptune Technology Group, Inc.
  

  Utilities of all sizes face fundamental challenges in managing their water resources — from aging infrastructure to budgetary constraints to conservation initiatives. One thing that remains constant is the utility’s goal to operate efficiently. Neptune’s AMR/AMI systems complete with no lead water meters and solid state absolute encoders enable a utility to improve its operational efficiency while improving water conservation and providing proactive customer service. As a partner, Neptune meets utilities where their needs are and helps them to keep moving forward from there — operational efficiency is not a dream; it is a reality.
  
  Presented by: Neptune Technology Group, Inc., an NLC Associate Member

• 2:00 pm
  Sustaining Essential Public Services Without Busting the Budget (Show details)

  Michael Ragone - American Medical Response
  Stewart McGehee - American Medical Response
  

  Nationwide, city managers are facing difficult cuts to public safety services as they address growing budget deficits. New service delivery models need to evolve to enable cities to sustain appropriate levels of service in a more economically efficient manner while maintaining public safety. Join retired San Jose Fire Battalion Chief Stewart McGehee and American Medical Response Director of Emergency Management  System Design Mike Ragone as they offer alternative partnering models and options that cities and fire departments can evaluate, incorporate, and create new efficiencies, redirect revenue streams, and minimize reductions in public safety.
  
  Presented by: American Medical Response

Hotel/Travel

Boston Convention & Exposition Center
Boston, MA
(617)954-2800

Hotels

Book your room

Presenters

1. Balcom, Linda

   Weston Solutions
   Ms. Balcom is a Community Redevelopment Lead for WESTON and has extensive experience with former military base and Brownfield property redevelopment and infrastructure issues. As the Community Redevelopment program leader within WESTON, she is responsible for identifying and coordinating the environmental and engineering review in support of redevelopment programs as well as working with communities to identify grant programs to support economic redevelopment. Her community redevelopment/Brownfield experience includes: City of Riverbank, CA; Village of Rantoul, IL; Ingleside, TX; City of Vallejo, CA; Horsham Township, PA; Irvine, CA; Ceiba, Puerto Rico; Stapleton Airport, Denver, CO; City of San Diego, CA, and McClellan Development Authority, Anniston, AL.
2. Dancy, Mark

   WasteZero
   Mark Dancy is the president of WasteZero, the nation’s leading firm in delivering programs that reduce waste, improve recycling rates, and generate revenue. Prior to his role as WasteZero’s president, Mr. Dancy served the firm as Vice President of Sales and Marketing and as General Manager of Manufacturing. As an industry leader, Mr. Dancy frequently speaks at solid waste, recycling, and environmental programs and seminars nationwide and is considered to be one of the most knowledgeable hands-on trash metering executives in the country. Mr. Dancy earned a BA in economics from the George Washington University in Washington DC, and his MBA from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA.
3. Dubost, Joy

   National Restaurant Association
4. Ellis, Todd

   Call2Recycle
   Todd Ellis serves as an Account Manager for Call2Recycle®, managing relationships with hundreds of municipalities, public agencies, institutions and businesses to help them to achieve their sustainability and recycling goals. Mr. Ellis has worked in the recycling industry for nearly 15 years and his extensive background includes work as a Recycling Planner for the State of New Hampshire, Assistant Director for the Northeast Resource Recovery Association and General Manager of Operations for Sprint Recycling. Mr. Ellis graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a Bachelor of Science in Resource Economics.
5. Ford, Tim

   Association of Defense Communities
   Tim Ford has served since 2010 as CEO of the Association of Defense Communities (ADC), the nation’s leading organization connecting the military, communities and industry. A familiar face to ADC, Mr. Ford served as the organization’s Executive Director from 2004-2007 and Deputy Director from 1999-2003. Credited with guiding ADC’s hundreds of member communities and related organizations through BRAC 2005, he also nearly tripled the size of the organization during his seven years leading the association. Mr. Ford is a nationally recognized expert on military-community relations, the impacts of base closure/realignment and community-military partnerships.
6. Goodyear, Marilu

   University of Kansas
   Marilu Goodyear is the Director of the School of Public Affairs and Administration at the University of Kansas. Her teaching and research areas focus on collaboration, organizational change, information technology, and mentoring. Dr. Goodyear is a Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration and has served as a consultant to many universities and federal agencies. Formally, she held the position of Vice Provost for Information Services and Chief Information Officer at the University in which she led all campus-wide software, hardware and networking technology services, printing services and the KU libraries.
7. Jones, Terri

   Hyland Software, Inc.
   Terri Jones came to Hyland Software after more than a decade of work with state, county and city government on community, economic and housing development. In addition to her work with the Main Street, CDBG and HOME Programs, she provided technical assistance to communities for planning, defense realignment, economic diversification and compliance with federal funding programs. She also managed IT efforts at the state level and deployed document management as a way to support better compliance and program delivery. She now works for Hyland Software as a member of the Government Team.
8. Kirk, Carolyn

   City of Gloucester
   Carolyn A. Kirk is the first woman popularly elected as Mayor of the City of Gloucester. Mayor Kirk is currently serving her third two year term. Prior to being elected Mayor, Mayor Kirk served two terms on the Gloucester School Committee. During her initial mayoral campaign, she emphasized the need for reforms, regaining fiscal control, and her professional management experience in the corporate sector. Mayor Kirk also started her own successful consulting practice which afforded her the flexibility to spend more time with her family, and launch her political career. A graduate of the Boston College, Mayor Kirk was born and raised in Clinton, NY and moved to Massachusetts to attend college. She moved to Gloucester in 1988.
9. Martens, Gretchen

   Homeward Deployed
   Gretchen Martens is the founder and CEO of Homeward Deployed, a nonprofit that supports the successful transition of today’s military as they return home so that they thrive on Main Street, strengthening military families and Hometown America. Ms. Martens is a passionate advocate for local communities who are struggling to meet the myriad, competing needs of multiple constituencies while weaving the most reliable safety net to prevent America from losing another generation of young Veterans and their families.
10. Mays, Susan

    CH2M HILL
    Susan Mays has spent the past 23 years working on public-private partnerships in local government, primarily in marketing and business development. Through her career, Ms. Mays has been involved in the development and delivery of several of nation’s landmark municipal partnerships, ranging from water and wastewater to public works and complete city startup and operation. Five of the partnerships on which she has worked directly in the past 10 years have earned national recognition.
11. McGehee, Stewart

    American Medical Response
    Stewart McGehee is a retired battalion chief at the San Jose Fire Department with more than 30 years of fire and EMS experience. Mr. McGehee has managed numerous fire and EMS groups including the San Jose FD Hazardous Materials Response Program and the department’s Emergency Medical Services Division, where he was responsible for more than 200 firefighter/paramedics and 450 emergency medical personnel. While at the San Jose Fire Department, Mr. McGehee worked with American Medical Response (AMR) to develop a proposed public-private partnership that maximized the strengths of both the fire department and the nation’s leading EMS provider.
12. Norment, Rick

    The National Council for Public-Private Partnerships
    Rick Norment has served as the executive director of the National Council for Public-Private Partnerships (NCPPP) since 1999. Founded in 1985, the NCPPP is a non-profit organization of representatives from both the public and private sectors, working to promote the use of public-private partnerships for improved delivery of public services and infrastructure. Mr. Norment has over 30 years of experience in management and development of national associations. His areas of expertise include: organization and program development, public affairs and government relations, at both the national and international levels.
13. Ragone, Michael

    American Medical Response
    Mike Ragone has more than 30 years of experience in the emergency medical and fire services field serving as a leader in both private and public fire and EMS organizations. Mr. Ragone began as a firefighter in Oregon and later trained as a paramedic. He has held numerous leadership positions at American Medical Response (AMR), where he served as a Regional Vice President until 2005. He later served as a senior associate at Fitch & Associates before rejoining AMR earlier this year. Mr. Ragone has extensive experience in strategic analysis, change management, contingency planning, reimbursement, budgeting and fiscal procedures, compliance, logistics management and other areas. He has also served on the International Association of Fire Chief’s Environmental Sustainability Committee and continues to serve as a volunteer firefighter in a rural Missouri fire department.
14. Segrest, Brandon

    Neptune Technology Group, Inc.
    Brandon Segrest has served the utility industry for eight years with a focus in marketing and product development. As a marketing manager for Neptune, he is responsible for the development and release of industry-leading mobile as well as gateway data collectors that enable fixed network migration. Mr. Segrest earned a B. S. Degree in Operations Management from Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama. He is currently the Product Manager for Data Collection Hardware for Neptune Technology Group Inc. based in Tallassee, Alabama.
15. Thornton, Robert

    International District Energy Association
    Rob Thornton is President and Chief Executive Officer of the International District Energy Association (IDEA), a 103-year old industry association founded in 1909 with headquarters near Boston, Massachusetts. In this role since July 2000, Mr. Thornton represents the interests of nearly 2,000 IDEA members from 26 countries. As an advocate for the district energy/CHP industry, he has briefed the President of the United States and members of the Cabinet, members of Congress and senior leadership at the US Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency, the US Department of Commerce, as well as the German Bundestag, the Dubai Ministry of Environment, and many other non-governmental organizations. During 25 years in the district energy industry, Mr. Thornton has led the startup and growth of new downtown district energy systems in Hartford, CT; Cleveland, OH and Boston, MA.
16. Uslar, Hans

    City of Monterey
    Hans-Joachim Uslar currently holds the position of Interim Deputy City Manager, Plans and Public Works in the City of Monterey, Calif. Mr. Uslar has an in-depth experience in implementation of activity based cost systems, federal contracting, and public works administration. Since 1998, Mr. Uslar has been instrumental in setting up a state-of –the art work and asset management system for the City of Monterey.