Upcoming Events, Area Workshops & Webinars
PSATS' Webinar Wednesdays fit your busy schedule!
PSATS is offering a series of webinars on Wednesdays from noon to 1 p.m. Each month, the topics will rotate among the four tracks of the PSATS Municipal Government Academy (PMGA): public safety, planning, administration, and public works. PMGA enrollees can earn one secondary credit per webinar. UPCOMING TOPICS
April 1, 2020
Cyber Threats - Tips for Prevention and Response It seems that almost every day we hear reports of another cyber incident involving a data breach or ransomware attack impacting a city or county. Cyber incidents are often the result of an escalating series of technical and non-technical failures which include lack of preparation, lack of adequate employee training designed to increase awareness of risky behavior and incomplete or non-existent evaluations and protections involving vendors and other third parties who receive valuable data from the organization. Through this practical and interactive session participants will work through the twists and turns of a series of hypothetical security incidents involving data theft, ransomware and data exposure and will learn about the following: (1) cyber best practices; (2) the importance of a proactive approach to cyber security; and (3) state and federal law issues associated with responding and reacting to a security incident. April 8, 2020
Is Your Township Prepared for More De Facto Takings Claims This webinar will discuss the potential for increased litigation over takings claims against townships as a result of the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision in Knick v. Township of Scott. In that case, a Pennsylvania township adopted an ordinance that a resident claimed was a de facto taking of her property without just compensation. Additionally, the Pennsylvania appellate courts have issued a spate of recent decisions concerning de facto condemnation claims. In this webinar, Kandice Hull of McNees Wallace & Nurick will review what these decisions may mean for Pennsylvania municipalities and ways in which municipalities can better protect themselves from potential takings claims. April 15, 2020
Funding Your Capital Projects & Construction--A Primer In today's world there’s no lack of need for capital projects. In most cases there’s also no lack of capital planning. It’s how and when to fund those projects that expands the period from recognition of need to project in-service date. The world of municipal finance is not a space where most of us live or are comfortable. This webinar, presented by Tim Horstmann of McNees Wallace & Nurick, is designed to help you become more knowledgeable, and in the process, become more comfortable with producing the cash you need to pay for your projects. April 16, 2020
Media Training 101: Tips to Improve Your Township's Approach to Communications During this webinar session, Gavin's team of PR strategists will teach you ways to better leverage social channels to communicate with your residents. This session will also focus on crisis communications planning and media coaching, to help you more effectively communicate with the public and news media. April 22, 2020
Pavement Management Priorities - Making Data-Driven Decisions How do you save time and money when you have tens to hundreds of miles of roadway to inspect, assess, and proactively maintain? In this webinar, learn about one option, which is an objective data collection and condition ratings process --- including identification of individual distresses – offered by RoadBotics, which has worked with more than 40 municipalities in Pennsylvania. Plus, get a walk-through of its online pavement management platform that features an interactive map of your entire road network. Bring your questions! April 28, 2020
Creating an Affordable Retirement Plan (MEMBERS ONLY) The Trustees Insurance Fund, through PSATS, is offering a webinar to provide an introduction to our 457 Plan and help your township officials determine if this is a valuable benefit to offer to the employees. This benefit can be offered to both full-time and part-time employees for a nominal annual administrative fee. April 29, 2020
Don't Let Your Stormwater BMP Turn Into a Weed Trap This webinar is designed to provide participants with information on how to maintain native plants commonly used in bioretention basins, vegetated swales, and riparian buffers. Topics covered include common plant growth characteristics, required maintenance during the first three years after installation, common maintenance challenges, and proposed solutions. The webinar will also provide participants with the knowledge to better educate those residents who view these facilities as weed traps and mosquito habitats. May 6, 2020
The Right-To-Know Law for Law Enforcement This webinar will focus on those aspects of the Right-to-Know Law that are specific to police departments, such as investigatory records, the impacts of Act 22 (which includes video records), and CHRIA. This will be an invaluable session for any open records officers or police officers who manage department records. May 13, 2020
Three Parks, Same Grant Program, Different Styles Three central Pennsylvania municipalities submitted applications to the same grant program for significantly different municipal parks. This webinar analyzes the steps each community took to successfully secure funding despite the uniqueness of their projects. May 14, 2020
Managing Your Unemployment Compensation Claims (MEMBERS ONLY) The PSATS Unemployment Compensation Group Trust has been assisting townships with the management of their unemployment compensation obligations since 1981. To keep you updated on the claim process, the Trust is offering an hour-long webinar to help lower your costs. May 20, 2020
Public Private Partnerships & Township Identity A major problem facing municipalities is a lack of funding for infrastructure, services and facilities. Almost any community can benefit from improving blighted areas, activating unused spaces or creating more pedestrian trails. What if these needs could be met at no cost to the taxpayer? This webinar is designed to provide participants with information on how new types of Public Private Partnerships can help townships meet those needs, including case studies on how Pennsylvania townships are leveraging those partnerships. May 27, 2020
Municipal Responsibilities on State Roads PennDOT and municipalities share the responsibilities for maintaining and operating roadways for the traveling public. While some responsibilities are obvious, there are many intricacies to who is responsible for particular traffic control devices, permits, sight distances, drainage, and others. This webinar will review the state laws and regulations that define these responsibilities, and discuss example scenarios to clarify the responsibilities. Ultimately, this webinar will help you and PennDOT seamlessly maintain the roadway system for the public road user. June 10, 2020
Creating a Traffic Impact Fee - in Plain Speak! Sure, that developer will pay for and build the new road in his subdivision. But the increased traffic will impact roads throughout your township. Who will pay to improve this “off-site” infrastructure? Developers will… but only if your community has an Act 209 Traffic Impact Fee! Learn the basics about this important state law, without the technical-speak! June 24, 2020
Run, Hide, Fight! - Responding to Active Shooter/Intruder Situations Are your township employees and officials prepared to appropriately respond in the event of an active shooter or intruder in your township building or at one of your public meetings? In this webinar, Trooper Kelly Smith with the Pennsylvania State Police will focus on active shooter/intruder awareness, outline the key safety concepts of Run, Hide, Fight, and provide best practices for your townships to implement to enhance personal and public safety. July 29, 2020
Stormwater Management for Residential Developments In this webinar, representatives of McMillen Engineering will provide an overview of the significant impact that residential development can have on municipalities’ ability to manage stormwater runoff, explore effective ways to implement stormwater management for residential users, and review commonly used stormwater management best practices for residential development. |
PSATS Education Goes Virtual -
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