CapCon 2024 Program

Wednesday, March 13

Community Excellence Unveiled: Winning Strategies from Local Projects Building Community Wealth Meeting Room 202 Step into the success stories of two communities that have embraced innovation and were awarded the League’s Community Excellence Award (CEA). These award-winning projects showcase the power of creative placemaking, addressing economic prosperity, a sense of place, natural assets, and cultural substance. In this breakout session, your peers will share the secrets behind their CEA-winning projects by showing how they navigated challenges, ideated transformative initiatives, and ultimately secured their place as leaders in community development. This session will inspire and leave you with actionable strategies for initiating innovative projects in your own unique context. Speakers: Juan Ganum, City Manager, City of Bridgman Julie Strating, Co-Founder, Changemaker Studio Emilie LaGrow, Village Manager, Village of Cassopolis

Emily Kieliszewski, Assistant Director of Member Experience and Learning, Michigan Municipal League (moderator)

Moderator:

Steve Baker, Councilmember, Berkley

CC 2: Community Engagement CC 7: Strategic Planning CC 9: Community and Resident Service CC 10: Service Delivery

Lobbying 2.0 Meeting Rooms 204–205 The Michigan Legislature is constantly changing and taking on new issues. How can you keep up with it all? Join members of the League’s lobbying staff as they share the ins and outs of the Michigan Legislature. This session is for members who are just diving into the Lansing arena and veterans seeking a refresher. Earn an Elected Officials Academy (EOA) Advocacy Credit in this session. Speakers: Jennifer Rigterink, Assistant Director, State & Federal Affairs, Michigan Municipal League Dave Hodgkins, Legislative Associate, State & Federal Affairs, Michigan Municipal League Moderator: Ross Gavin, Mayor Pro Tem, Berkley CC 8: Policy Facilitation and Implementation

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