CSAC Webinar Library

Click on any of the titles below for more information and materials, usually including a recording of the webinar.

PAST WEBINARS

Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) Funding

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

CSAC staff, along with Cal OES representatives, discuss and answer questions regarding the state-issued emergency funding for counties impacted by recent Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) events.

A recording of this webinar is available here.

Materials:
- Presentation slides

Counting on Funding: How to Get Census Dollars

Wednesday, November 14, 2018

The state is allocating over $90 million dollars to ensure California can achieve a full and complete count in the upcoming US Census. Counties will receive nearly one-third of those dollars to make sure the Census reaches every community, limiting the risk of losing federal program funds for health care, transportation, and criminal justice programs.

• How can counties secure their share of the funding?
• What resources will be available to ensure a complete count?
• What is the role of counties in preparing for the Census?

A recording of this webinar is available here.

Materials:
- Presentation slides
- Census 2020 contracting requirements
- Census 2020 funding, FAQs, and other resources

Fostering Cooperation for Out-of-County Kids – Implementing AB 1299

Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Counties are working to implement landmark legislation to ensure timely services for foster children who are placed in a county other than the one in which they originally lived. While the overall caseload of out-of-county placements is small, AB 1299 (2016) requires close cooperation between counties and county departments such as child welfare services, behavioral health, and probation, as well as families and service providers.

Implementing the “presumptive transfer” concept has raised questions among counties, including:

• How do counties ensure communication and notification of all parties? 
• How do counties develop fiscal arrangements for services? 
• How do counties find providers for services? 
• What timelines are required?

Join CSAC, CWDA, CBHDA, and CPOC to learn how counties can ensure that all foster children who are placed in different counties continue to receive critical behavioral health services.

A recording of this webinar is available here.
Follow up questions and answers are available here.

Handouts:
- Slide presentation (.pdf)
- Behavioral Health Growth Explanation (.docx)
- Flow Chart – CalMHSA 1299 Pathways (.pdf)
- Other Resources (.docx)

An Insider View of November’s Ballot Measures

Wednesday, October 10, 2018

The California Constitution states that “all political power is inherent in the people” and people eager to exercise that power will have plenty of opportunity this fall. From tax breaks in Proposition 5 and Proposition 6 that would cost counties billions of dollars to four major bond measures to rules about private-sector ambulance worker rest breaks, the eleven measures on November’s statewide ballot have the potential to remake California governance, again.

• How would Prop. 5, Prop. 6, and the other measures affect county budgets?
• How likely are they to pass?
• Who is behind the most significant measures, and how much are they spending?
• Will daylight savings time survive?

Our experts—ballot measure campaign insider Brandon Castillo and CSAC’s own Darby Kernan —answer these questions and more.

Handouts:
- Ballot measure spending
- CSAC positions on ballot measures

A recording of this webinar is available here.

 

SB1 FY 2017-18 Expenditure Report – All You Need To Know

Monday, September 17, 2018

SB 1, the landmark transportation funding and reform package approved in 2017 includes two new annual reporting requirements for cities and counties: a project list and an expenditure report. 

This webinar will inform city and county officials on the steps they need to take to ensure that their local government can receive SB 1 funds by completing the SB 1 annual expenditure report. Reports are due to the California Transportation Commission by October 1, 2018. 

Speaker: 
Alicia Sequeria Smith, Assistant Deputy Director, California Transportation Commission 

This webinar is co-presented by the California State Association of Counties and the League of California Cities.

Download the slide presentation as a powerpoint or download the presentation as a pdf.

A recording of this webinar is available here.

 

The Next Big One: Improving Business Disaster Resilience

Wednesday, September 5, 2018

It’s an unfortunate fact that most businesses, even those with insurance, never recover from natural disasters, whether earthquake, fire, or flood. And when local businesses don’t recover, the owners, employees, and customers in the community can’t fully recover either. But there are steps businesses can take to improve their resilience, and counties can help. 

What can local businesses do to prepare for disaster? And how can counties support those efforts? 

Join our next webinar to find out the answers to these questions and more from experts at the Seismic Safety Commission, the Business Consumer Services and Housing Agency, and CSAC. You can begin preparing by reviewing the information available online at https://outsmartdisaster.com.

Handouts: Outsmart Disaster (ppt).

A recording of this webinar is available here.

 

New Homelessness Funding: Thinking it Through

Wednesday, July 25, 2018

The recently enacted state budget provides more than $700 million dollars to help local governments and entities combat homelessness. Local governments must navigate the requirements for existing and new programs all within a matter of months. Decision makers will need to determine how to fold these new funding opportunities into local efforts that are already underway.

How can local governments access these critical resources? What can you do with the funding? How can local governments leverage this funding for both short-term efforts to tackle the crisis as well as long-term planning for housing and services?

Presenters:
- Farrah McDaid Ting, CSAC Legislative Representative, Health & Behavior Health Policy
- Catherine Kungu, Housing Policy Development Analyst, California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD)
- Lynn von Koch-Liebert, Deputy Secretary of Housing and Consumer Relations, Business Consumer Services and Housing Agency (BCSH)

A recording of this webinar is available here.

Handouts: Detailed Summary of Funding (.docx); Homelessness Emergency Aid Budget Deal CoC Allocations (.pdf); HEAP County Groupings (.docx); Declaration of Shelter Crisis Code Section (.docx).

 

Proposition 6 and Campaign Rules: What You Can Say, What You Can’t Say

Monday, July 16, 2018

The measure to repeal the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017 has now officially qualified for the November ballot. CSAC is urging counties to publicize the projects in your area that are made possible by funding from the Act. This is clearly permissible under California campaign law, however, we want to provide county Public Information Officers and other interested County staff with the best possible information about what is permissible and what is not.

Presenters:
- Kiana Valentine, CSAC
- Jennifer Henning, County Counsels Association
- Gregg Fishman, CSAC

Slide Presentation

A recording of this webinar is available here.

Handout: Institute for Local Government’s Ballot Measure Activities & Public Resources PDF

 

IHSS Changes: The Next Step

Friday, April 6, 2018

Counties have been hard at work implementing the substantial changes to the IHSS fiscal structure that were included in the 2017-18 budget. The recent IHSS clean-up language in AB 110 and the updated revenue projections in the Governor’s January budget proposal have allowed some additional implementation pieces for 2017-18 to move forward. This webinar is part of our ongoing IHSS training series and will focus on updates that have occurred since our November in-person training.

Presenters:
- Justin Garrett, CSAC
- Eileen Cubanski, CWDA

Slide Presentation

Wages and Bargaining Brief

A recording of this webinar is available here.

 

Hope for Homelessness

Wednesday, March 7, 2018

The latest numbers show that more Californians than ever are homeless, with the biggest increases among the unsheltered. Counties and cities in California have been responding to the crisis in different ways to provide shelter beds, behavioral health services, and help keep people off the streets and out of riverbeds to begin with. A joint city-county task force has spent the last year examining responses from around the state and discuss their findings. 

Presenters: Martin Gonzalez, Executive Director, Institute for Local Government

Supervisor Oscar Villegas, Yolo County

Council Member Jan Arbuckle, Grass Valley

A recording of this webinar is available here.

The homelessness report is available here.

 

Obligation: New Local Planning Requirements

Thursday, December 14, 2017

Governor Brown conditioned his support for new funding for affordable homes to changes in local government planning and permitting aimed at expediting housing development. Learn about new opportunities local governments must provide to streamline qualifying housing developments, as well as new local obligations under the Housing Element law, and new standards of review under the Housing Accountability Act, among other statutory changes designed to promote adequate affordable homes.

Presenter: Eric S. Phillips, Attorney at Law, Golfarb & Lipman LLP

Slide Presentation

A recording of this webinar is available here.

 

Opportunity: New Funding for Affordable Homes

Thursday, December 7, 2017

The Legislature and Governor approved SB 2, a new document recording fee that will generate approximately $200 million annually for the construction of affordable homes, with funding in 2018 for homeless services and local planning to expedite housing development. SB 2 is accompanied by SB 3, a $4 billion housing bond the will appear on the November 2018 ballot. Get the details on these important bills and learn how counties can prepare to access funding.

Presenter: Zack Olmstead, Deputy Director, Housing Policy Development, California Department of Housing and Community Development

Presentation Slides

A recording of this webinar is available here.

 

IHSS: All About the MOE

Wednesday, September 27, 2017

In early January, counties were hit with the news that they would be responsible for funding a much higher portion of the IHSS program than they had for the previous five years. Between that announcement and the end of August, counties scrambled first to negotiate a new deal with Governor Brown’s administration and then to decide how to share the remaining costs and revenues among counties. 

How is the new IHSS MOE calculated? What will be the impact on county budgets and services in this fiscal year? What about next year and the years to come? What considerations went into the new methodology? How likely is all of this to change in a couple years? 

Presenters:

Graham Knaus, CSAC Deputy Executive Director of Operations & Member Services

Justin Garrett, Human Services, CSAC Legislative Representative

Handout: CSAC IHSS Webinar PowerPoint

A recording of this webinar is available here.

 

Explained: California’s New Employee Orientation Mandate

Thursday, July 6, 2017
11 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.

As part of this year’s budget deal, the Legislature passed a requirement for local agencies to allow their unions time to present information to new employees at their orientation (AB 119). The took effect immediately upon the Governor’s signature.

However, the details of these requirements are flexible and now their time, place, and manner must be bargained. If a local agency and a union are unable to reach agreement, the issue will go to binding interest arbitration.

The requirement becomes effective immediately, leaving local agencies to wonder:

• What exactly are we required to do?
• What exactly are we required to bargain?
• How will the binding interest arbitration work and is there any way to avoid it?

Presenters:
Gage Dungy, Partner, Liebert Cassidy Whitmore

Handout: A Summary of Public Sector Employee Orientation Law (AB 119)

A recording of this webinar is available here.

 

Transportation Deal Explained

Friday, April 28, 2017
11 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.

After years of advocating for new transportation revenues, counties finally saw the Legislature pass a deal this month. Over the next few years, as the revenues begin to phase in, counties, cities, and the state will all be able to dedicate more funding to fix roads and expand alternative transportation options. 

With the money come questions: 
- What taxes were part of the final plan? 
- When will the revenue start flowing? 
- What kinds of projects can the new revenue be used for? 
- Is there a deadline for using the funding? 
- How are counties required to report their plans and spending? 

Materials:

• Slide presentation
• SB 1 summary
• 2017-18 revenue estimates

A recording of this webinar is available here.

 

Repealing the ACA: Effects on Counties

Wednesday, January 25, 2017
1 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.

In California, counties are responsible for providing medical care to low-income residents. So as Congress begins to repeal the fiscal underpinnings of the Affordable Care Act, counties face a great deal of uncertainty. To plan, counties need to know:

• What does repeal look like?
• What will replace it, and when?
• How will the state respond?
• How will county responsibilities change?
• Who is paying for what?

The fate of the ACA is unclear at best, as is any replacement plan, but we are convening a panel of experts to explore these topics. The discussion will help policymakers and staff prepare their agencies for one of the biggest changes promised by the incoming presidential administration.

Presentation materials:

• Speaker Bios
• Slides
• Joint Letter to Congress

A recording of this webinar is available here.

 

The Future of First 5 Funding

Wednesday, November 16, 2016
1 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.

When Proposition 10 raised tobacco taxes for early childhood systems in 1998, counties understood that these funds would decline over time. Two decades in, First 5s and their county partners have built new programs and improved existing systems and the demand for these systems and services is growing, not declining. With the tobacco tax generating less than $150 per child across California, early childhood systems require an alignment of all our state systems to ensure that we meet the needs of young children and their families.

How can counties plan together with their First 5 partners to reduce duplication, focus on the highest risk families, and expand access to essential supports? What are the prospects for other funding to sustain and expand our early childhood systems?

Presenter:

Moira Kenney, PhD, Executive Director, First 5 Association of California

Presentation materials

A recording of this webinar is available here.

 

When Broadband Won’t Build: Leveraging Funds and Building Networks

We’ve all heard the debates about how rural areas need more access to reliable broadband networks, as well as how urban residents need more affordable access to the internet. If only the problems of access and adoption were solved, our communities could realize the benefits of global markets, precision agriculture, telemedicine, and new education initiatives. 

But what can counties do to gain access to broadband networks if the traditional providers won’t build? 

Join us as our expert presenters provide case studies and strategies to address exactly that question. From leveraging E-Rate to raising capital, this webinar will introduce county officials to the strategies and concepts they need to begin the process of expanding broadband in their communities. 

Part 1: A Case Study in Building to Rural Communities 
KentuckyWired – What is it and how is it funded? This section will answer those questions as well as discuss how the public private partnership works as a case study for deploying broadband in rural and un-served areas. 
Brian Mefford, Founder and CEO, Connected Nation Exchange
Presentation materials

Part 2. Funding – The Changing Investment Profile of the Municipal Broadband Project 
Municipal networks have a role to play in ensuring that basic infrastructure is provided in communities that may be unserved by private providers. This session discusses current thinking behind the finance and funding of broadband and addresses how this infrastructure is unique to traditional civic infrastructure, including electricity, sewerage and waste water disposal, roads and railways 
Steve Peloso, Vice President, Landmark Dividend
Presentation materials

Moderator: Tim Downs, SmartGig Media

A recording of this webinar is available here.

 

Mining Law Modernization: AB 1142 and SB 209 – What They Did

On January 1, a host of changes to the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act (SMARA) kick in. Counties and the mining industry have only a few months to make sure they are ready to implement and abide by the new requirements.   

Join CSAC, CalCIMA, and RCRC on a free webinar that will review:

• the need for SMARA improvements.
• changes to financial assurance and reclamation plan approvals.
• inspection and enforcement changes.
• regulatory implementation.

The presenters on these subjects have been chosen for their knowledge and for their roles in implementing the new laws.

September 23, 2016, 10 a.m. – Noon

Panel of experts:

• Bradley Johnson, Partner, Harrison, Temblador, Hungerford & Johnson
• Jeffrey Schmidt, Executive Officer, State Mining and Geology Board
• Kerry Shapiro, Partner, Jeffer Mangels Butler and Mitchell, LLP
• Pat Perez, Supervisor of Mine Reclamation, California Department of Conservation

Download the webinar materials:

Brad Johnson’s PowerPoint: CSAC-RCRC SMARA Presentation

Jeffrey Schmidt’s PowerPoint: Mining Law Webinar

Kerry Shapiro’s PowerPoint: JMBM Presentation

Pat Perez’s PowerPoint: OMR Mining Law webinar presentation

A recording of this webinar is available here.

 

SB 272: The New Public Record

June 8, 2016, 1 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.

Panel of experts:

• Premdeep Dhanoa, Senior Information Technology Project Manager, County of Santa Clara
• Sloane Dell’Orto, Chief Strategist, Digital Deployment
• Faith Conley, CSAC Legislative Representative

Counties face a July 1 deadline to comply with California’s newest Public Records Act requirement: a catalog of the agency’s record-keeping systems. Put in place by SB 272 (Hertzberg, 2015), the development of this catalog will require counties and other public agencies to take an inventory of the “enterprise systems” maintained by every department, along with information such as what data is kept there, how often the data is updated, and who the system’s vendor is.

What is an “enterprise system”? What systems are exempt from disclosure? How can counties coordinate their response? What happens if we make a mistake?

Join our expert presenters as they answer these questions and give an update on other public record bills pending in the Legislature.

Download the webinar materials:

• SB 272 - What Just Happened? (ppt)
• What the Law Requires and Compliance Examples (ppt)
• Case Study: Santa Clara County (ppt)

A recording of this webinar is available here.

 

Safety Up, Costs Down: Putting Results First

May 11, 2016 2 PM

Recent public safety reforms, such as 2011 realignment and Proposition 47, have placed California in a unique place. Counties are now responsible for a wide array of offenders, some of which are staying longer in jail. Serving this variety of criminogenic needs, counties have new incentives to find methods that maximize their resources. 

In response, CSAC has partnered with The Pew-MacArthur Results First Initiative, a joint project of The Pew Charitable Trusts and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. The program helps jurisdictions identify which programs will be most effective and produce the highest rate of return on investment. The program is already active in four California counties as well as 22 other states. 

It works because it doesn’t rely on a one-size-fits-all approach. The program builds staff capacity in the county and provides continuous technical assistance, making sure a county has the tools it needs to figure out which evidence-based programs best fit the community’s needs. 

Join us as we explore the case study of Kern County and the lessons they have taken from their experience implementing Results First. What obstacles did they face? What kind of results do they expect? What can other counties learn from their experience? 


Speakers: 
Cassandra Friedberg, Supervising Departmental Analyst, Kern County 
Ian Silva, Detention Lieutenant, Kern County 
Benjamin Fulton, Associate, The Pew Charitable Trusts 
Amalia Mejia, Realignment Program Coordinator, CSAC

A recording of this webinar is available here.

Download the webinar PowerPoint presentations here and here.

Download Results First case study PDF here. 

 

Property Taxes and Economic Development: What Now?

Presentation notes available here.

The end of redevelopment agencies earlier this decade signaled both the end of an era and the beginning of efforts to replace them. Both of the alternatives that now exist—EIFDs and CRIAs—grant local agencies some power to access tax increment financing, but are also more limited in their powers than redevelopment agencies were.

Some cities are now approaching counties to propose projects under the new laws, leading to questions about how the laws work and what policy and financial considerations counties should keep in mind as they evaluate the the proposals.

• How might they help local economic development?
• What types of projects fit the new programs best?
• How could they contribute to affordable housing?
• And how might they affect the county’s long-term budget outlook?

Presenters:
 - Jamie Gomes, Managing Principal, Economic & Planning Systems
 - Dorothy Holzem, Legislative Representative, CSAC

Date:
March 31, 2016
1 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.

Presentation notes available here.

 

Finding Funding: Public Safety Programs

Wednesday, February 24

Counties across California are facing a wide range of public safety and justice challenges, ranging from providing services to the mentally ill and homeless populations, prison and jail reentry services, police community relations, and providing comprehensive services to victims of crime. 
 
The state budget in the past and as currently proposed provides many opportunities for counties to fund programs and services that address all of the public safety challenges they are facing. 
 
Please join CSAC as we present a webinar that will provide information about grant programs by the Board of Community Corrections (BSCC) and the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (OES) that can help fund these programs.

Presenters:

• Mary Jolls, Deputy Director of Corrections Planning and Programs, Board of State and Community Corrections
• Wendy Tully, Chief, Criminal Justice Unit, Cal OES
• Darby Kernan, CSAC Legislative Representative, Administration of Justice

Recording

Supplemental Materials:

Victims of Crime Act Funding Issue Brief [Word Doc]

Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Victim Assistance Formula Grant Program [PPT]

Webinar Presentation [PPT]

 

Emergency! What to Do When Disaster Strikes

December 16, 2015  2:00 pm

Presenters: 
Eric Lamoureux, Regional Administrator, Cal OES
Mike Cockrell, Director of Emergency Operations, San Joaquin County 

Natural disasters: the only thing predictable about them is that they’re certain to occur. California is home to fires, floods, earthquakes, and more. How should we prepare? What can county officials do to help? What isn’t helpful? How can we recover? 

This webinar will help county officials understand how to prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies, as well as how to make it more likely that the county and its residents receive state and federal assistance. County officials are a critical part of the response, but also need to understand their role and when they might be in the way. 

Recording

Presentation [PDF]

 

Regulating Medical Marijuana: An Overview of the 2015 Legislation

November 18, 2015  2:00 pm

Presenters: 
Karen Keene, CSAC Senior Legislative Representative 
Paul Smith, RCRC, Senior Legislative Advocate 
Jolena Voorhis, UCC, Executive Director 
Arthur Wylene, Tehama County Counsel 

In the final hours of the session, the Legislature sent to the Governor a package of three bills that make up the medical marijuana regulatory framework. Together, they would create the first statewide licensing and operating rules for medical marijuana cultivators, dispensaries, and others since the enactment of Proposition 215 in 1996. 
This webinar will provide CSAC, RCRC and UCC members with an overview of the three-bill package. We will focus on provisions pertinent to county government, including the local control protections, taxation authority, the role of local governments in licensing, and addressing environmental issues. 
Speakers will also provide the latest news on state regulatory efforts, 2016 legislative proposals and the 2016 ballot measures. 

Recording

Presentation [PDF]

                     

Will Broadband Suffer? The Charter Merger and Your County

September 16, 2015 1:00 pm

As yet another telecom merger looms, some counties are worried about the effects it might have on broadband access, net neutrality, PEG channels, and competition. 

Will the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) protect broadband access by putting conditions on the now pending Charter/Time Warner/Bright House merger? Will the merger help expand broadband to new areas or will it limit growth? Why do changes to broadband today mean so much for future efforts to bridge the digital divide? 

Our team of expert presenters will help answer these questions and share what counties can do to affect these decisions about broadband access. The information will be useful for county supervisors, CAOs, community development directors, and IT directors, as well as others involved in broadband, economic development, and intergovernmental affairs.        

Our presenters:
• Gail Karish, Best Best & Krieger 
• Joe Van Eaton, Best Best & Krieger 
• Martyn Roetter, D. Phil, MFRConsulting

Recording 
Presentation [pdf]

 

Fuel to the Fire: An update on Fire Season & Forest Management

August 12, 2015

One of the drought’s most serious side effects is a fire season with destructive potential, adding more urgency to the continuing discussions about forest and fuels management. 

How bad has fire season been this year? What are the prospects for the next few months? What’s going on with landscape level projects with the forest service? And how is the SRA fund being used? 

Chief Ken Pimlott, Director of CAL FIRE and California’s State Forester, will provide an update on all of these issues. The information will be useful for county supervisors, management, and planning directors, as well as others involved in wildfires protection, forest management, and intergovernmental affairs. 

Our presenter: 
• Chief Ken Pimlott, Director of CAL FIRE

Recording

 

County Open Data Policies: How, Not Why

June 25, 2015

Much of the conversation to date about government and open data has focused on the potential benefits it would bring to citizens, businesses, and the agencies themselves. But currently pending legislation would require local agencies to take some first steps. The discussion now must turn to how. How should a county go about creating its open data policy? How can it implement that policy? What practical considerations should it take into account? Who can help?

This webinar explores these questions. Our experts provide a solid introduction appropriate for both policy makers and practitioners. They review and explain the pending legislation and provide the information needed to begin developing and implementing an open data policy.

Our presenters:
John Ridener, Open Data Community Liaison, San Mateo County
Faith Conley, Legislative Representative, CSAC

Recording
Presentation [pdf]

 

Prop 218: Emerging Issues in Managing California’s Water

May 21, 2015

Proposition 218 has long been a factor in considering how to meet the public’s needs for adequate flood control and stormwater management. More recently, an appellate court invalidated a tiered rate structure aimed at water conservation in the City of San Juan Capistrano. These issues raise significant questions about how to effectively manage water in the midst of California’s historic drought.

This webinar explores these questions. Our experts provide a solid introduction to these issues, giving you with the information you need to manage your county’s operations and questions from your residents.

Our Presenters:
Jennifer Henning, Executive Director, County Counsels’ Association of California
Mitch Avalon, Consultant, Contra Costa County Public Works Department

Recording
Presentation [pdf]