Join NACA for their popular Idea Exchange at the NACo Legislative Conference.

Location: Columbia 7/9/10, Terrace Level (Washington Hilton, 1919 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20009)

Why County Leaders Can't Miss This Event:

🔐 CYBERSECURITY – Opening Keynote
Carlos Kizzee (MS-ISAC) & John Matelski (NACo) on frontline strategies for protecting critical services and building county resilience

🚨 AI IN 911 OPERATIONS – Fairfax County Leadership
County Executive Bryan Hill, Commissioner Ben Ku (Gwinnett County), and the Fairfax 9-1-1 team share how AI is triaging non-emergency calls and transforming emergency response

🗳️ AI IN ELECTIONS – Expert Panel
Commissioner Shinica Thomas (Wake County) and election leaders share practical innovations for voter communication, training, and secure operations

📊 GIS & STORYMAPS – Live Demo with Esri
Bring county data to life with compelling visualizations and transparent storytelling

✅ AI EVALUATION FRAMEWORK – New York State Counties
Proven matrix for assessing AI solutions with confidence and fiscal responsibility

👉 REGISTER NOW: 2026 NACo Legislative Conference | National Association of Counties

Space is limited. Secure your spot today and join fellow county leaders shaping the future of local government technology.

Questions? Contact us at Kimberly Ransom, @kransom@naco.org

NACA Members and 2026 Friends of NACA are invited to join the February 5, 2026 virtual NACA Idea Exchange.

TOPIC: Service Delivery and Operational Efficiency with AI and Beyond

1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. EST
12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. CST
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. MST
10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. PST

NACA selects topics for Idea Exchanges based on member feedback. Here are some highlights of questions and ideas NACA has received on this topic:

• We are using AI to analyze our agenda before it is final and it is finding errors, conducting analysis for our consideration, and really having an impact! I wonder who else is using it for analysis and how.

• The topic on methods of prioritizing services in times of reduction, budget tightening could be something to hear about.

• Check out this article: Integrating Artificial Intelligence into Public Administration: Challenges and Vulnerabilities. “By leveraging AI technologies, governmental institutions can analyze vast amounts of data to inform decision-making actors, streamline processes, and improve citizen engagement.”

The virtual Idea Exchanges are organized so attendees will learn from their peers via breakout rooms through facilitated discussions. Come to connect with your county peers from across the nation!

Please note that this virtual Idea Exchange is for NACA members that are current practitioners in county government AND 2026 Friends of NACA sponsors.

Location: virtual/online via Zoom

This event is brought to you in partnership with Mission Square Retirement.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

After registering, your membership and sponsorship status will be verified. If verified, you will receive a confirmation email via Zoom AND a calendar invitation which will include Zoom credentials. Questions? Email NIU Secretariat, Paula Freeze.

NACA Members and Friends of NACA are invited to join the 5th and final virtual NACA Idea Exchange of 2025 on December 11th.

TOPIC: Budget Reduction and Personnel Allocation Processes

1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. EST
12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. CST
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. MST
10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. PST

The virtual Idea Exchanges are organized so attendees will learn from their peers via breakout rooms through facilitated discussions. Come to connect with your county peers from across the nation!

Please note that this virtual Idea Exchange is for NACA members that are current practitioners in county government AND current Friends of NACA sponsors.

Location: virtual/online via Zoom

This event is brought to you in partnership with Mission Square Retirement.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

After registering, your membership and sponsorship status will be verified. If verified, you will receive a confirmation email via Zoom AND a calendar invitation which will include Zoom credentials. Questions? Email NIU Secretariat, Paula Freeze.

County administrators know that modern public facilities and infrastructure are the foundation of their communities’ quality of life. But with funding uncertainties clouding every spending initiative, administrators need evidence that infrastructure modernization is not only essential, but also practical in the current environment.

Join us for an hour with infrastructure experts from Solano County, CA and OPTERRA Energy Services to learn:

• Which public systems and facilities are most in need of improvement throughout the United States.

• How comprehensive modernization programs create more efficient infrastructure, freeing up money to add or improve public services.

• The funding pathways that make ambitious projects pencil out, for both urban and rural counties.

• How initiatives can benefit a variety of county departments and accelerate the achievement of countywide objectives.

Be sure to stay for the case study portion! Leaders from Solano County will share how their comprehensive modernization program prevents power outages, reduces carbon emissions, lowers utility expenses, and engages community members.

Details

DATE: Tuesday, December 9, 2025

TIME: 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM EDT

VENUE: virtual (Zoom)

COST: free

RSVP through the button below (via Ticket Tailor).

Click here to register if no RSVP button appears above.

Speakers

Kelly Fergusson, Senior Program Development Manager, Public Sector, OPTERRA

At OPTERRA, Kelly is responsible for coordination, supervision, and overall financial management of a wide portfolio of local government projects. Prior to her clean energy work, she spent 15 years as an independent consulting civil engineer specializing in linear utilities capital asset management and mapping. In parallel with her professional career, Kelly served 16 years as a volunteer public servant including 8 years as an elected official of the Menlo Park City Council and one term as Mayor. Kelly holds three degrees from Stanford University, including two Civil Engineering degrees: an MS (Infrastructure Planning and Management) and a PhD (Industrial Facility Quality).

Anthony Tave, Director of General Services, Solano County, California

At Solano County, Anthony oversees the General Services Department providing essential support services to all county departments in the areas of capital projects management, fleet services, facilities operations, purchasing, energy utilities and real estate services. He also serves as an elected member on the City of Pinole City Council as Mayor Pro Tempore. His experience in infrastructure projects runs deep with previous leadership roles at Saint Mary’s College, San Francisco City College, and the City and County of San Francisco. Anthony holds a BS in Civil Engineering from California State Polytechnic University – Pomona.

About OPTERRA

Drawing on over 50 years of experience, OPTERRA designs and builds comprehensive performance-based infrastructure modernization programs for public agencies of all sizes. OPTERRA’s master-planning approach delivers fully funded and operationally efficient infrastructure that aligns with local objectives, promoting safe, sustainable, and resilient communities.

While government organizations want the benefits of priority-based budgeting in the face of deficits and uncertainty, they often lack the resources to undertake the process. We will explore how AI can significantly streamline the implementation of priority-based budgeting and produce recommended, proven, and actionable steps for surfacing revenue opportunities and savings. We will highlight real-world examples of how AI and machine learning unlock patterns and insights previously hidden in the granular details of raw line-item budget data. We will also examine how Al can identify patterns among similarly scored and categorized programs from other governments to suggest program-specific recommendations for resource reallocation and revenue generation. And we will share stories from local governments that are benefiting from priority-based budgeting.

Presenter:

• Chris Fabian, Senior Director of Product Strategy, ERP Budgeting, Tyler Technologies

Cost: Free

Click on the link below to register.

Free ICMA Coaching Webinar for ICMA members and non-members.

Are you prepared to lead through unprecedented transformation?

The workplace is undergoing a seismic shift. Are you prepared to lead through unprecedented transformation, shaped by shifts in technology, demographics, expectations, and values?

Click the link below to register: