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Fall Educational Conference 2016 – Leading the Pack
November 2, 2016 @ 6:30 pm - November 4, 2016 @ 11:00 am
Register Online Now Conference Brochure Download Registration Form
This year’s conference is divided into two educational tracks: one for public works and one for clerks, though attendance is not limited to these categories. All are welcome to attend!
Registration information must be received by October 20, 2016.
Please contact Kristen if you have any questions.
THURSDAY KEYNOTE SPEAKER
MICHAEL MELNIK – The Energized Approach for Achieving a Safe, Healthy, & Productive Workplace
Michael Melnik is an occupational therapist that has delivered his unique, high-energy message to half-amillion
people in over 20 years. Michael believes that those in a position of responsibility for safety are often faced with the monumental task of “implementing change,” “getting people on board,” and “energizing the workplace.” All of these tasks can be daunting, time-consuming and energy-draining unless they are done in a way that actually generates energy from everyone involved.
The Energized Approach was created to generate and capture the energy needed for program or initiative success. Imagine a work environment where employees purposefully try to get caught doing something safely rather than hiding an unsafe behavior. Or when an employee has a positive response when invited to a safety meeting, instead of “Is it mandatory?”
In this session, Michael will introduce the 10 essential energy sources and demonstrate how energy can be harnessed
through the use of The Energized Approach.
Accommodation Information
Please contact the Sheraton Syracuse at 315-475-3000 or 800-395-2105 and make your reservations under the PERMA room block by October 2. After this date, rooms are subject to availability. You must reserve under the PERMA block to obtain the group rate of $100 per night.
Attendance to the conference is FREE. All room charges are payable to the Sheraton Syracuse. If you are taxexempt,
be prepared to provide documentation. Contact the Sheraton Syracuse at 315-475-3000 to make reservations.
Agenda
WEDNESDAY, 11/2
6:30-7:30 pm – Early Arrival/Commuter Registration and Cocktail Reception
THURSDAY, 11/3
9:00 am – Conference Registration
9:00-10:00 am – Breakfast Buffet
10:00 am-12:00 pm – Session I
12:00-1:00 pm – Lunch Buffet
1:00-2:15 pm – Keynote Speaker
2:15-2:45 pm – Break
2:45-4:45 pm – Session II
FRIDAY, 11/4
8:00-9:00 am – Breakfast Buffet
9:00-11:00am – Session III
DPW TRACK
SESSIONS I & II
4-Hour Flagging Certification Training
Presented by William McKenzie, TSC Training
Academy
OSHA and PESH require that all employees with flagging
responsibilities be trained before they begin flagging
operations. And NYS Department of Transportation
regulations require certification for all employees involved
in flagging operations. So this course, designed for anyone
involved in road construction or maintenance in New York,
will train all attendees in safe flagging techniques. Special
attention will be paid to:
- Federal and NYS polices, procedures and standards
- work zone safety principles
- an overview of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD)
- recognition and prevention of hazardous conditions
- proper signals
Requirements for attendance:
- Preregistration (see registration form) as training is limited to 35 attendees
- On-time attendance – Session I begins at 10am. Anyone who arrives later than 10:30am will not be permitted to complete the training. Any attendee who fails to attend part or all of a session will not be eligible for certification.
- Photo ID
All attendees who complete the training will receive a certificate good for four years.
SESSION III
The New Face of Crisis De-Escalation Presented by Ray Hassett, Retired Lieutenant, New Haven Police Department The reputation of any organization begins with a single contact with the public. For DPW, that sometimes might be irritated, or even irate, pedestrians or drivers. Yet few employees receive training on how the public thinks or how to respond when the public becomes demanding and difficult to manage. And while a call to police or security will help in dicey situations, what can employees do in those three to seven minutes before the authorities arrive?
Designed for public-sector front line employees, this session will teach public works employees to de-escalate everyday situations through reflective listening and physical protocols. Attendees will learn to:
- quickly read and evaluate an emotionally volatile situation with the public and colleagues and react appropriately
- de-escalate any situation with actual step-by-step protocols
- practice these skills and teach the brain to react like in training
- use innate improvisational skills to manage any situation
Lt. Hassett will teach attendees how to restore order in tough situations so that meaningful conversation can begin.
CLERKS TRACK
Continuing Education Units (CEU): The Clerks track is IIMC-approved for one CMC Experience or one MMC Advanced Education credit. Attendance at all sessions and timely completion of a learning assessment are required for credit. Indicate your interest in receiving your CEU on the registration form.
SESSION I
Social Media for Clerks
Presented by Matthew Maguire, Senior Counselor, Eric Mower & Associates
Communicating via social media has its opportunities and its pitfalls. This session will focus on practical advice on when to use social media – and sometimes the answer is “never” – and how to best take advantage of its specific opportunities. Attendees will receive information on:
- key considerations in developing social media content
specific insights on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram - how the strengths and pitfalls of social media differ between business and personal usage
- the importance of creating, and how to create, clear policies, procedures and protocols for using social media
As many clerks are often thrust into the position of managing their municipality’s social media with little or no training, attendees will walk away confident in their ability to know how and when to use social media for business.
SESSION II
Written Communication for Clerks – Tips & Tricks
Presented by Matthew Maguire, Senior Counselor, Eric Mower & Associates
Despite email and text messages, effective written communication is often time-consuming and labor intensive. This session will focus on common-sense tips attendees can use to write clear, effective letters, memos and emails – and do so faster and with less pains. Covered topics include:
- overcoming writers’ block and procrastination
- writing faster
- organizing larger writing projects
- revising documents quickly and strategically with a focus on specific measurable improvement metrics
- computer tricks and keyboard shortcuts to make writing tasks go easier and faster
- shortening and simplifying frequently encountered
- writing tasks by using templates and boilerplate
Attendees will collaborate as a group, with Mr. Maguire, to draft a common correspondence, and they should leave the session with tips and tricks to help them streamline processes and save time while writing.
SESSION III
The New Face of Crisis De-escalation
Presented by Ray Hassett, Retired Lieutenant, New Haven Police Department
Every city and state government agency needs to equip their staff with the skills to work through the inherent stress and conflict in public service. With the variety of responsibilities assigned to municipal clerks, they interact with many different groups of constituents, which can lead to highpressure situations. This session presents a curriculum of conflict resolution, providing clerks with the front-line tools to best serve their constituents and organization.
The session will provide guidance on:
- practicing respect for all members of the community
- mental health issues encountered in public service
- maintaining rational thought in emotional situations
- using verbal communication as the primary tool in conflict resolution and crisis de-escalation
Lt. Hassett will teach attendees techniques for de-escalating situations by properly recognizing and responding to emotion, and provide communication guidelines to reduce emotional stress in interactions with the public, preventing a crisis situation before it can occur.