#ELGL18 Friday Morning

Posted on May 18, 2018


It’s Friday morning at #ELGL18! Let’s rock….


8:00 a.m. Welcome & Event Day Overview

Winner Alert!!!! Building a Smarter Sewer System to Reduce Overflows in Greater Cincinnati 
At a Glance: To keep sewage mixed with stormwater out of waterways during rain events, Metropolitan Sewer District built a smarter sewer system that costs less than any other solution. Using sensors and computers, we can now monitor and redirect stormwater flows from full interceptor sewers to areas with available capacity.
Award: #WaterYouWaitingFor Winner
ELGL is passionate about the free and open exchange of ideas where local governments can learn from one another to be most successful.
This is especially true on expensive and complex public works projects, and so we’re partnering with The Atlas Marketplace to collect and share details about the best water projects in the nation.
The Atlas is an online community where public officials learn from one another as they are upgrading infrastructure systems — including water! — to be stronger, smarter, and more sustainable.
This contest is free to enter and the winning projects will be selected by popular vote. Entering the contest will feature your project on the ELGL and Atlas websites, both for information and for voting. Voting must be done online and only one vote per person/IP address will be counted.

Podcast: Gathering a Tribe of Civic Innovators in San Jose, CA and The Atlas

Improving collaboration and innovation in local government. Ellory Monks from The Atlas and Kip Harkness, the Deputy City Manager of San Jose, CA, join GovLove to talk about their work. The Atlas is a marketplace for local governments to work together and learn from each other on infrastructure projects. Kip leads the Office of Civic Innovation in San Jose. They discuss everything from juggling fire and celebrity look-a-likes to improving procurement and email management.


9:00 a.m. Opening Keynote: David Sewell McCann, Sparkle Stories

David Sewell McCann is the chief tale spinner for Sparkle Stories. He fell in love with spinning stories in first grade – the day a storyteller came to his class and captured his mind and imagination. Out of his experience as an elementary school teacher and parent, he developed a method of intuitive, transformative storytelling, which he now shares with thousands of families through workshops, podcasts, and the Sparkle Stories website and app.
David’s keynote will focus on the concept of “master stories” and how they can inform the behavior and dynamics of groups of people. During the general session, David will lay out the tenets of telling master stories and then offer opportunities to delve deeper in breakouts sessions that will follow.


10:20 a.m. Concurrent Sessions

Sparkle Stories Break Out Session

Reefer Madness
More than half of the United States now has some form of marijuana legalized – with most of the legalization and decriminalization occurring in the past decade. This once taboo plant is driving new streams of revenue for municipalities and funding much needed public projects, but it’s also raising concerns that touch a vast scope of government services – from taxation to public safety. You will hear about the state of the industry from experts who have played integral roles in ensuring the marijuana industry remains well managed and regulation remains geared towards serving the public good.


The Shape of Water
It doesn’t matter where you live or work, every municipality is hiding the same thing: miles and miles of water and sewer pipes. This buried infrastructure is an incredible asset – one of the greatest contributions to public health in our cities – but also a significant challenge. In this session, a panel of water sector experts will discuss the current state of the water industry and emerging trends. You will also hear some great stories about cities tackling problems head on with innovative projects, and learn strategies to better communicate about water with customers.
Extra Credit: Podcast: Water Works with David LaFrance, CEO of AWWA
Podcast Topics

  • 10% of life is what happens to you; 90% of life is what you choose to do.
  • Advice for the new GFOA and ICMA Executive Directors.
  • How children impacted David’s career.
  • The importance of affordability, communications, and water chemistry in wake of the Flint water crisis.
  • Growing globally: AWWA’s presence in India
  • Attracting and retaining employees… how water agencies are preparing for a wave of retirements.
  • A day without water
  • Learning from our mistakes: David’s biggest mistake and what he learned from it.

Extra Extra Credit: David LaFrance appears as a running toilet. Make sure to watch until the end.


Transforming Your Digital Culture & Improving Government Through Customer Engagement

Career Lab with the Novak Consulting Group

Podcast: Barn-Raising & Battling Incivility with Julia Novak

As President of Novak Consulting, Julia Novak (LinkedIn & Twitter) helps cities across the country with everything from executive recruitment to strategic planning. She comes on the podcast to talk the rise of incivility in government and the need to think of public service as a “barn raising” effort.


Noon: Hosted lunch at restaurants around Golden, CO

  • Included in your ticket price
  • You’ll select a restaurant to attend with fellow #ELGL18 attendees
Close window