Capital Planning – What’s It all About?

This session will explore the why, who, how and what of capital planning for projects ranging from convention centers and new fire stations to infrastructure upgrades. Including discussion regarding best practices and who are the stakeholders, influencers, how the project will be funded, implemented, and tracked.
Deval Allum, Senior Account Executive, Ameresco, Inc and Collin Boothe, Assistant City Administrator/Director of Finance, City of Conroe

_{Zambezi River Room | Lobby Level}

GASB 2023 Update – New Statements, Implementation Guides, & Projects

This session will provide an overview on newly effective and recently issued GASB statements and implementation guides, as well as current projects.
Amanda E. Eaves, CPA,Partner, Regional Industry Leader, Nonprofit, Education & Public Sector and Mary Ellen Leonard, CPA, Director of Fiscal Services, City of College Station

_{Kalahari Salon A-B | Lobby Level}

Behind the Work Papers – Internal vs External Audits? 

Audit is a necessary function of government finance.  But should your audit function be handled by an Internal Auditor or an External Audit Firm?  Learn about the benefits and challenges of both approaches in this session.
Guadalupe Garcia, Partner, Whitley Penn, LLC and David Medrano, Internal Auditor, Fort Worth

_{Zambezi River Room | Lobby Level}

Financial Data Transparency Act- Everything you Need to Know

This session will discuss proposed legislation from the U.S. Treasury Department and U.S. Security Exchange Commission (SEC) regarding the implementation of the Financial Data Transparency Act (FDTA) which will affect the way governmental entities will prepare their own financial statements and submit information to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board.
Emily Brock, Director – Federal Liaison, Government Finance Officers Association

_{Kalahari A-B | Lobby Level}

ARPA Update and the State of Local Government

An overview of key provisions of the Act, details about how local governments are spending funds, and discussion around key learnings to date. 
Samantha Chandler, Solutions Engineer, OpenGov

_{Kalahari Salon A-B | Lobby Level}

Hidden Treasurer: Replenishing a Utility Fund Balance by Digging Internally!

Grady Reed, Financial Analyst, Shane Sangalli, Business Development Associate, Water Company of America and Todd Simoneaux, Chief Financial Officer, City of Beaumont

_{Zambezi River Room | Lobby Level}

How to Get your Elected Officials to Understand the Foreign Language of Finance

Sometimes it feels like elected officials never listen to finance presentations, and they probably aren’t.  Even when speaking the same language, finance presentations often come off as another language.  Two finance directors turned city managers explain how to be a Rosetta Stone so elected officials can understand the language of finance.  This session will teach how to change your communication style while still providing the important financial information to elected leaders.
Josh Selleck, CFP(R), CGFO, City Manager, City of Kilgore and Micah Grau, City Manager, City of Buda

_{Kalahari Salon A-B | Lobby Level}

Impact of the Secure Act 2.0 Description; Provisions at a Glance

Secure Act 2.0 builds upon changes implemented with the 2019 Secure Act.

This session discusses those key provisions highlighting the impact to employers.  
David Rodriguez, Director of Government Services, TCG Advisors, a HUB International Company

_{Zambezi River Room | Lobby Level}

FEMA Public Assistance Program, Cost Documentation Basics

The importance of maintaining a complete and accurate set of records for each project cannot be overemphasized. This will facilitate the validation, approval, and funding processes for your FEMA projects. This course will provide a basic understanding of FEMA’s cost documentation requirements and help you: 

•Recover all your eligible costs
•Have the information necessary to develop your disaster projects
•Be ready for any State or Federal audits, or other Federal program reviews 
Fallon Lovill. Deputy Project Manager, IEM 

_{Kalahari Salon A-B | Lobby Level}

Read the Headline Don’t Be the Headline, Small Cities and Ethics and Internal Controls

Turns out there is such thing as bad press, especially when it involves public tax dollars.  Hear stories about government employees and leaders making poor, unethical, and/or criminal choices.  These stories may be too crazy to believe but they’re true and could happen anywhere without the proper internal controls.  After hearing the headlines, learn ways to help prevent similar situations and put an emphasis on ethical decision making. 
Meg Jakubik, Strategic Services Manager, City of Bedford and Aaron Rector, Director of Administrative Services, City of Keller

 _{Zambezi River Room   | Lobby Level}