The League Webinar Series features information and guidance on a wide range of issues important to city officials. New this year, the webinars are free to access and watch from the League Web site.
Please visit continue to visit www.iowaleague.org for additional information about the webinars and to view them as they become available throughout the year.
Understanding Iowa’s Property Tax System
Speakers: Mickey Shields and Erin Mullenix, Iowa League of Cities
Iowa’s property tax system is vital to city budgets as one of the major sources of revenue, giving city governments the ability to provide needed services. Understanding the system is important for city officials so they are able to make informed decisions when setting the city budget and throughout the year when contemplating future needs.
This webinar will give a breakdown of the property tax system and walk attendees through how property valuations are used, the assessment limitation (or rollback), and the impact of the new multi-residential property class. It will also provide guidance on how the property tax system shapes city budgets and ways to prepare for the future.
Assessing and Replacing Outdated Utility Infrastructure
Speakers: Steven Soupir and Rob Baker | FOX Engineering
It is no secret that many cities around the state operate old utility infrastructure and will likely need to make major upgrades in the coming years. This webinar will walk attendees through the process of assessing your utility systems to determine current capacities, issues to address immediately, methods to improve maintenance and planning for future improvements. Getting a sense of where your utility system is today and where it needs to go enables the city to make important decisions with the best data available.
Get a preview of this webinar by reading “Planning for the Future”, an article from our February Cityscape magazine.
Placemaking: Building Your Community Identity
Speakers: Jennifer Drinkwater, ISU Extension
A sense of place is important for all communities as it helps give a positive identity for residents and an image that can attract businesses and visitors. So how do you build that sense of place? Placemaking is method to identify ways to build a positive image for a community, which can include public art, cultural attractions, recreational opportunities and much more.
Open Meetings and Open Records Laws and Best Practices
Speaker: Mickey Shields, Iowa League of Cities
Simply put, all cities must have a clear understanding of Iowa’s open meetings and open records laws in order to properly conduct the city’s business. This webinar will detail the state code requirements for both open meetings and open records and the areas of most concern to cities. Attendees will also hear best practices, including policies and procedures that help ensure the city is always in compliance with the state code.
Human Resources Management for Cities
Speaker: Lisa Mart, Human Resources Consultant, SPHR, SHRM-SCP
Human resources management is a necessary component of running a city government, but at times can be a challenge for city officials. Whether in a big city or a small one, employees are needed to operate the city and with that comes a duty to properly manage those employees. Attendees will be provided a rundown of the important labor and employment laws they must follow, policies to consider for employee manuals, and methods to successfully manage and evaluate employees.
