Thank you for joining us in Bend. All handouts and presentations are available through the links below. 

The PDF program can be found here!

Tuesday, July 8 - Skill Building Day 

8:00 am - 9:00 am - Breakfast on Your Own

9:00 am - 5:00 pm - Registration 

10:00 am - 11:00 am - Funding Infrastructure Projects 

• Description: Kick off the conference and skill building day with a session about the different financial planning tools, funding options, and programs that are available to cities for large public infrastructure projects.

11:00 am - 11:10 am - Break

11:10 am - 12:10 pm - City/County Managers Contracts & Evaluations 

• Description: Setting ourselves up for success through a strong employment contract and productive and professional annual evaluations are key to our success as City and County Managers. We’re going to discuss some of our best do’s and don’ts that we have learned through experience. We’re also going to do some group work to see what we can learn from each other so that you can take away some best practices for your next contract and evaluation process!

12:10 pm - 1:10 pm - Networking Lunch 

1:10 pm - 2:10 pm - Council-Manager Relations via Tactical Strategies (Orientation, Workplans/Goal Setting, Meetings)

• Description: We all know that the relationship between Council/Board of County Commissioners and the City/County Manager is critical. We’re going to discuss practical, tactical strategies (like orientations, workplans, goal setting) that ensure a strong relationship and improve alignment from elected officials to staff.

2:10 pm - 2:20 pm - Break

2:20 pm - 3:20 pm - Panel Q&A with Experienced & New City Managers

• Description: There is not a comprehensive guide to being a City Manager or County Administrator. The work is dynamic and questions come up. This interactive session is your opportunity to ask other City Managers and County Administrators your burning questions. We’ll send out a survey ahead of time to gather your questions as well as have an interactive Q & A during the session.

3:20 pm - 3:30 pm - Break

3:30 pm - 4:30 pm - What You Need to Know about HR

• Description: HR responsibilities can feel overwhelming—especially for new or relatively new City Managers suddenly expected to master hiring, evaluations, documentation, Union interactions, and the complexities of managing a new team. In this fast-paced 15-minute session, we'll dive into the HR essentials that every City Manager needs to keep their head (or at least one nostril) above water. With practical tips, candid insights, and real-world context, this session aims to demystify the HR side of leadership so you can lead with confidence, not confusion.

4:30 pm - 6:00 pm - Welcome Reception & New Attendee Mingle 

• Description: Check-in, visit with your peers, and get to know new OCCMA members while enjoying appetizers and a no-host bar prior to dinner. Team trivia starts at 5pm – don’t miss this chance to win prizes!

6:00 pm - Dinner on Your Own 

Wednesday, July 9

7:30 am - 5:00 pm - Registration 

7:30 am - 5:00 pm - Sponsor Exhibits Open 

• Our sponsors/vendors will be available during session breaks and meals. Be sure to stop by for a visit.

8:00 am - 9:00 am - Breakfast and Welcoming Remarks

9:00 am - 10:30 am - Keynote: Joe Brown - Why are Most Teams Ordinary and a Select Few ELITE? What's Different and How to get it.... 

• Description: You hear the word team frequently, but why do some teams work well and others have no chance? Is that just random luck or is there intentionality there? We will walk through the connective tissue that makes some teams elite while others can't seem to find traction. What are the core competencies that create the vision, alignment and ability to execute? Excited to walk through this framework with you.

10:30 am - 10:40 am - Break 

10:40 am - 12:00 pm - Building Belonging: A Networking Session with Purpose

• Description: In a time of growing division, creating spaces of connection and inclusion is more important than ever. Join us for a fun, interactive networking session inspired by the OCCMA Statement of Belonging—our shared commitment to advancing equity and inclusion in our profession and communities. Come ready to meet new colleagues, spark meaningful conversations, and strengthen the relationships that help us serve better, together. You’ll leave energized, connected, and inspired to keep building community—inside and out.

12:00 pm - 1:30 pm - Networking Lunch & ICMA Updates

1:30 pm - 2:30 pm - Reimagining Elected Essentials: Innovating Training for Oregon's Leaders 

• Description: Every other year, newly elected officials across Oregon attend Elected Essentials—a foundational training on municipal governance. But as our communities evolve, so must the way we prepare those who lead them. Join this interactive session to explore ways to refresh and enhance Elected Essentials to better engage participants, reflect current governance challenges, and deliver lasting value. Share your insights, hear the history of the program, and help shape the future of this vital training.

2:30 pm - 3:00 pm - Snack Break 

3:00 pm - 5:00 pm - Tour option 1: OSU Cascade & Innovation District Tour 

                                   Tour option 2: Bend Core Area Redevelopment Tour

2:00 pm - 5:00 pm - OCCMA Board of Directors Meeting 

6:00 pm - 8:30 pm - President's Reception and Dinner, Worthy Brewing Company 

• Join OCCMA President Martha Bennett and your peers for dinner and the President’s Reception at Worthy Brewing Company!

Thursday, July 10 

7:30 am - 5:00 pm - Registration 

7:30 am - 5:00 pm - Sponsor Exhibits Open 

8:00 am - 9:00 am - Breakfast and Networking 

8:00 am - 9:00 am - Veterans Committee Meeting

9:00 am - 10:00 am - Communication Techniques Surrounding the Budget Process 

• Description: Drafting a budget is often the most challenging thing that a CEO does. This session you will hear from three Central Oregon CEO's that have successfully navigated the challenges of growing communities, with competing interests. As part of the session, there will be an opportunity for you to share successes and lessons learned through the budget process. Key takeaways will be, what each of us can do as we begin another fiscal year, and steps we can take throughout the year, that will assist with drafting a budget for the next fiscal year.

• Key topics Covered:

  • Fresh from adopting our budgets, what did we learn from the process? Areas that worked well and areas that could have been better. Table exercises with your peers will give you a chance to share what worked and what could have gone better.
  • Three Central Oregon CEO’s will share their experiences in working with growing communities. Two come from large organizations and one from a small city. Each brings a different perspective.

10:00 am - 10:10 am - Break

10:10 am - 11:10 am - Generative AI: A Practical Guide for Cities and Counties 

• Description: Join us for an insightful session designed specifically for local government, focusing on the transformative potential of generative AI in the public sector. Participants will gain practical tools, resources, and strategic insights to begin integrating generative AI into their operations and service delivery or to enhance its current use.

• Key Topics Covered:

  • Workforce Reskilling and Upskilling: Learn how to equip your workforce with the necessary skills to effectively utilize generative AI technologies.
  • Talent Pipeline Considerations: Discover what to look for in the talent pipeline to ensure your city or county is prepared for the future of AI-driven solutions.

  • Empowering Change on the Front Lines: Explore strategies to empower frontline workers and departments to embrace and drive AI-powered changes.

  • Setting Up for Success: Learn how other cities have approached the use of AI in their organizations and the practical steps they took to launch their programs, from initial planning to policy development, training and incorporating it into their ongoing operations.
    

  • Identifying Trends and Avoiding Hype: Gain insights into distinguishing between impactful AI innovations and mere hype, ensuring you’re investing in technologies that truly make a difference.
    

11:10 am - 11:20 am - Break 

11:20 am - 12:20 am - Alternative Services Delivery of Local Government Services 

• Description: How do we deliver services in different ways than using our own staff. This session will explore examples of four delivery methods outside of using your own staff. We will look at regional service delivery through a Council of Government (COG), sharing services between cities, privatization, and non-profit service delivery.

12:20 pm - 1:30 pm - Working Lunch, LOC Legislative Update

1:30 pm - 2:30 pm - Ethics Court 

Description: "Ethics Court". The set-up is this: Some of the audience members have been charged and sent to “The Ethics Court” because of “alleged” unethical behavior. Selected audience members will be asked to testify either for or against the defendant. But in the end, it will be up to the Judge to decide who goes to “Ethics Jail” ...and who goes free!

1:00 pm - 5:00 pm - Golf Tournament 

• Join fellow OCCMA members and guests from across the state to participate in the golf tournament. Pre-registration is required. Grab some lunch prior to leaving for the tournament. There will be bagged lunches available for those who did not get the chance to eat beforehand.

  Players are responsible for transporting themselves to and from the golf course. Carpooling with other players is encouraged. Tee time is 1:00 p.m.

2:30 pm - 3:00 pm - Snack Break 

3:00 pm - 5:00 pm - Tour option 1: Bend UGB & Affordable Housing Tour 

                                    Tour option 2: Downtown Sisters Tour

5:30 pm - 6:00 pm - Women in Leadership Reception 

• Join us for the Women in Leadership Networking Reception – Connect, inspire, and celebrate leadership in our community!
  

6:00 pm - 8:30 pm - Dinner on Your Own 

Friday, July 11 

8:00 am - 9:00 am - Breakfast and Networking 

8:00 am - 9:00 am - New-ish City Managers Meeting

9:00 am - 10:00 am - Moving the Needle on Housing 

• Description: According to the most recent analysis, Oregon needs to build roughly 30,000 homes per year over the next decade for a healthy housing market. Since taking office, the Governor has prioritized policies and funding that spur housing development and help cities and counties meet their housing goals. To accomplish this ambitious task, counties and cities must work with the private sector. In this session, we’ll have the opportunity to exchange successes and lessons learned with peers, focusing on how they’ve supported housing development and the types of housing they are actively incentivizing. The session will start with a couple success stories to get us ready to share.

10:00 am - 10:10 am - Break

10:10 am - 11:10 am - Stronger Together: Reflections from AOC and LOC on the 2025 Legislative Session and Local Government Advocacy in Salem 

• Description: AOC and LOC collaborate closely and frequently join forces to advocate for our member cities and counties, particularly in the State Capitol during legislative sessions. Legislation introduced in the 2025 session had potentially sweeping impacts on local governments, both beneficial and problematic -- from labor and governance issues to housing and transportation system funding. This session will highlight successful collaborations where AOC and LOC have aligned their strategies and messaging to drive meaningful outcomes. Participants will gain insights into how these partnerships have strengthened local influence at the state level. The session will also explore opportunities to grow this collaborative model—enhancing communication, coordination, and joint advocacy—to better represent local priorities in the Oregon State Legislature and shape policies that reflect the priorities of cities and counties statewide.