3,300+ Key Local Government Decision Makers Expected for 2016 ICMA Annual Conference in Kansas City, Missouri

WASHINGTON, Sept. 15, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- More than 3,300 key local government decision makers, exhibitors, and guests from cities, towns, counties, related entities, and private-sector firms throughout the world will convene in Kansas City, Missouri, September 25-28, to attend the 102nd Annual Conference of ICMA, the International City/County Management Association.

"The Greater Kansas City Region has a long and celebrated heritage of professional local government management dating back to the 'reform era' of the early 1940s," said 2015-16 ICMA President Pat Martel, city manager, Daly City, California. "Kansas City offers myriad opportunities for personal and professional growth in a setting that has been touted as one of 'America's Favorite Cities.' This year's outstanding program of speakers, sessions, field demonstrations, workshops, tours, and other events—combined with the onsite networking and sharing—promises to make this one of our most successful events ever!"

"We believe the ICMA Annual Conference is an excellent way for local government managers to come together to discuss current trends and take advantage of a wide variety of professional development opportunities," said Bob Schultze, president and CEO of ICMA-RC. "As principal sponsor for the ICMA Annual Conference, we value the role the conference plays in the well-being of the communities that local governments serve."

With the theme, "At the Crossroads: Celebrating Legacy, Defining the Future," the 2016 ICMA Annual Conference offers solutions to the growing challenges—e.g., dealing with disruptive change, building civic trust in an uncivil society, and creating a culture of innovation to improve core services—that professional city, town, and county managers face now and in the years ahead.

Three field demonstrations that highlight Kansas City's success will include:

• Sunday, September 25, 12:45 to 2:15 p.m.—Repurposing Municipal Farm: Partnerships Supporting Urban Agriculture.  Owned by Kansas City since 1911, Municipal Farm has been home to the city's tuberculosis hospital, women's reformatory, and municipal correctional institution. After the jail was demolished in 2009, city staff embarked on a planning initiative to outline the community's vision for the farm's future as the Municipal Farm Sustainable Reuse Plan, an integrated development strategy that embraced agricultural as a viable option. Through partnerships with Kansas City Community Gardens, BoysGrow, Hy-Vee, Heartland Conservation Alliance, EPA, and others, the city is working toward fully implementing the community's vision.
• Monday, September 26, 9:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m.—Leadership in Storm-Water Management: Green Infrastructure in KCMO.  Recognized for its innovative focus on green infrastructure to address the city's combined sewer overflow issues, Kansas City's Overflow Control Program transformed an 80-year-old neighborhood by installing more than 130 green infrastructure solutions to capture storm water. The construction of rain gardens, bio-retention, cascades, and pervious pavement not only addressed storm-water issues but also improved the safety, aesthetics, and walkability of the neighborhood. The project was designated Kansas City's first "Green Neighborhood."
• Tuesday, September 27, 12:45-3:15 p.m.—Urban Redevelopment: Leveraging Public-Private Partnerships in Kansas City. Learn how Kansas City engaged outside partners and leveraged more than $100 million in private and institutional investment to turn a "bad neighborhood" into one of the city's hottest areas and repurposed a 100-year-old school building into 44 apartments that reenergized the surrounding neighborhood.

For detailed information, visit the ICMA Annual Conference website at http://icma.org/en/icma/events/conference/welcome and click on "Sessions."

Conference keynote speakers will address topics from a range of backgrounds and perspectives:

• Sunday, September 25, 3:00-5:00 p.m.—One of the most recognized names in broadcasting, Soledad O'Brien—whose highly regarded documentaries examine the challenging and often divisive issues of race, class, wealth, poverty, and opportunity—will address the conference Opening General Session. 
• Monday, September 26, 8:30-9:30 a.m.—In a presentation based on his new book, The Road to Character, columnist and commentator David Brooks tells the story of 10 great lives that illustrate how character is developed and how we can all strive to build rich inner lives marked by humility and moral depth.
• Tuesday, September 27, 8:30-9:30 a.m.— Barry-Wehmiller Chairman and CEO Bob Chapman shares the story of his company's transformation into a thriving, people-first organization and provides insight into how others can transform their workplaces into someplace extraordinary.
• Wednesday, September 28, 8:30-10:30 a.m.—In addition to the induction of ICMA's incoming Executive Board and recognition of the organization's 2016 award recipients, Vernice "FlyGirl" Armour, will offer an inspiring presentation that will help local government leaders harness the power of a "breakthrough" mentality to propel their organizations to success. 

Members of the media should also mark their calendars for a special telephonic press event, "How Local Communities Can Confront the Opioid Epidemic," featuring key local government leaders and experts on Tuesday, September 27, from 2:00-3:00 p.m. ET/1:00 to 2:00 p.m. CT/12:00 to 1:00 p.m. MT/11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. PT. Details, including instructions on how to access the call, will be available after September 22. Contact Michele Frisby at [email protected] if you would like to receive a copy of the event media advisory.

Media representatives receive complimentary registration to attend any ICMA conference educational, special, keynote, or featured speaker session or field demonstration (must provide own transportation). To cover the ICMA Annual Conference or schedule interviews with ICMA member experts on a variety of topics, contact Michele Frisby at [email protected] or at 202-962-3658. Or bring your press credentials and register onsite at the ICMA conference registration area located in Lobby 2300, Level 2, of the Kansas City Convention Center.

About ICMA
ICMA, the International City/County Management Association, advances professional local government management worldwide. The organization's mission is to create excellence in local governance by developing and fostering professional management to build sustainable communities that improve people's lives. ICMA provides member support; publications; data and information; peer and results-oriented assistance; and training and professional development to more than 11,500 appointed city, town, and county leaders and other individuals and organizations throughout the world. The management decisions made by ICMA's members affect millions of individuals living in thousands of communities throughout the world, from small villages and towns to large metropolitan areas.

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