Conference Agenda

Breakfast

Legislative Update & Government Primer (1 hr AOS approved)

Join us as we kick-off our Spring Conference with this session presented by Dan Talarek & Alex Zumbar, Legislative Committee Co-Chairs, and a Capitol Square Update from CTAO Executive Director Kevin Futryk and State Lobbyist Erin Glossop.

Handout - Legislative Update Spring 2024

Slides - Government 101 Primer

Gain a working knowledge of the bills that are currently pending before the Ohio General Assembly that may impact county treasurer’s offices and operations. Participants will hear detailed descriptions of these bills and hear from county treasurers, who are members of the CTAO Legislative Committee, how these bills will impact office operations if passed, and what changes may be needed to address a problem.  Specific discussions will be held about bills the CTAO has been actively advocating on, including our #1 priority bill, SB 186 (Property Tax), SB 192 (Real Estate Brokers), HB 93 (Utilities), HB 134 (Tax Certificate Sales), HB 153 (Abandoned Lands), HB 187 (Property Tax Reform), HB 215 (County Engineer Qualifications), SB 25 (Foreclosures), among others the CTAO is tracking.

The second part of this session will include an overview of the Ohio General Assembly, the legislative process, the difference between the Ohio Revised Code and the Ohio Administrative Code, and the importance of grassroots advocacy by county treasurers on bills of importance to the CTAO. The advocacy work that we do in Columbus is important, but equally important is House & Senate members hearing from their elected county treasurers on how public policy impacts their office operations.

Vexatious Public Records Request & Proposed Solutions (1 hr AOS approved)

Presented by Forrest Thompson, Medina Co Prosecutor and Lou Tobin, Executive Director of Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association

This session will educate treasurers on the status of public records access law and their duties under the law. It will also address current efforts to address issues in the law that create difficulties for all public officials who are responsible for responding to public record access.  Presenters will also discuss some proposed changes to the Public Records Law the OPAA is seeking based on current events. Participants will be able to better identify their duties under public records law. Participants will be able to identify issues of clarity and legal limits of the law and be able to better coordinate with their legal counsel on their duties and obligations under public access law. Participants should be able to better communicate with legal counsel when dealing with routine as well problematic public record demands. Presenters will also discuss some proposed changes to the Public Records Law the OPAA is seeking based on current events.

Break/Visit Exhibitors

Minimizing the Risk of Liability and Going Viral:  Responding to First Amendment Auditors (1hr AOS approved)

Presenter: Benjamin Albrecht, Attorney, Fishel Downey Albrecht & Riepenhoff

First Amendment Auditors Slides
First Amendment Auditors Handout

Visits to public employers by First Amendment Auditors is becoming more and more frequent. This session will review the rights and responsibilities of all parties when a First Amendment Auditor comes to your workplace. In addition to discussing cases outlining the rights of all parties, examples of First Amendment audits will be shown. Following a review of the video examples, the parties will discuss the effectiveness of the responses.

Break

Take a bit of time for yourself to catch your breath before our evening's activities.

Sunset Serenade: An Outdoor Jazz Reception

Join us for an unforgettable evening! Enjoy the Hilton Polaris patio, delicious food, and drinks while mingling with friends & colleagues. Let the Just Jazz Live trio serenade you into the sunset. Don't miss this music-filled night!

After-Hours Hospitality & Networking

The hotel restaurant and bar will be open to our attendees if you're not quite ready to head to your room.

Community Cybersecurity Preparedness Simulation - Part 1 (1 hr AOS approved)

Presenter: Natalie Sjelin, Director of Training, CIAS, University of Texas San Antonio

Slides: Cyber Preparedness

This presentation will explore a new National Cybersecurity Preparedness
Consortium (NCPC) training opportunity designed to simulate a community-wide cyber security event. Using a gamification approach, participants will strategize with a diverse group of stakeholders to plan for and respond from a cybersecurity incident that could have cascading effects across a community.  Presenter will discuss Organizational and Community Cybersecurity Preparedness; Budgeting & planning considerations with limited resources; Cascading effects a cyber-attack may have on a community; and Strategies to prevent, detect, mitigate, respond to and recover from a cyber incident.

Community Cybersecurity Preparedness Simulation - Part 2 (1 hr AOS approved)

Joining Ms. Sjelin for the second half of the session will be Lucas Co. Treasurer Lindsay Webb, Williams Co. Treasurer Kellie Gray, and Montgomery Co. Treasurer John McManus

Handout - Continuity of Operations Plan

The second half of this presentation will be an interactive session on what some counties have already done after a natural (Tornado in Montgomery Co) or man-made disaster (Major Power Outage after Main Cut in Lucas Co), as well as what many counties are starting to do (Williams Co) to prepare for Cyber Attacks, or update their current plans. As more and more county functions move to electronic means, it becomes imperative that every county treasurer’s office have a Disaster
Preparedness Plan in place.

Lunch

Tech Treasures: Boosting Collections with Paperless Payments (1 hr CPIM pending approval)

Presenter: Jason Powell, Director of Implementations, PayIt

The task of growing collections while maintaining fiscal responsibility for County Treasurers is increasingly challenging due to growing population demands, tightening budgets, and heightened scrutiny on expenditure. However, recent technological advancements offer a solution, enabling County Treasurers to enhance their financial operations and collect revenue more efficiently.  This speaking engagement explores key technologies, including data analytics, digital payment platforms, and cloud-based tools, that are proven to save time and budget, making it easier to collect county revenues.  Case studies from Jackson County, Beaufort County, and Shelby County’s successful collaboration with PayIt exemplifies these benefits. While challenges such as resistance to change and budget constraints exist, this abstract suggests concrete steps to embrace technology for streamlined collection processes, emphasizing the importance of collaboration with technology experts. 

With the ever-increasing use of electronic technologies in our everyday lives, especially with how we communicate (e-mail) and how we interact with our financial institutions (ACH, e-check, EFT's), and issues of theft from the U.S. Mail Service, the potential for fraud or compromise of technologies is increasing.  This presentation will focus on the current fraud trends: Business e-mail compromise; Mail fraud/stolen; Check fraud; and Digital fraud aspects, i.e., account takeover.  Participants will learn how to ensure dual control, what technology enhancements they can adopt, fraud prevention tools, understand the latest fraud trends and how to spot them, and a working knowledge of current scam typologies.

Break

Affordable Housing Trust - What Are They & How Do You Create One? (1 hr CPIM pending approval)

Presenters: Lark Mallory, President and CEO for the Affordable Housing Trust for Columbus and Franklin County; and Cheryl Brooks Sullivan, Franklin Co. Treasurer

Affordable housing has been at the forefront of discussions by state & local government in Ohio recently, so much so that the Ohio Senate created a Select Committee on Housing to study to problem and make recommendations.  Counties continually work to put delinquent and abandoned properties back on the active property tax roles for the benefit of the county’s budget.  

A long-standing mechanism for providing affordable housing that has been receiving increased attention of late are Affordable Housing Trust Funds.  Housing trust funds are distinct funds established by city, county, or state governments that receive ongoing dedicated public funding sources to support the preservation and production of affordable housing and increase opportunities for families and individuals to access decent, affordable homes.  There are now 47 states with housing trust funds, and more than 765 city and county housing trust funds in operation. 

Participants will learn more about what Housing Trusts are, how they work, the benefits they provide to a county, how to establish a Housing Trust Fund, provide funding for it, and sustain it for the long-term benefits of a community.

Break

Take a bit of time for yourself to catch your breath before our evening's activities at Franklin Park Conservatory & Botanical Gardens.

Franklin Park Conservatory & Botanical Gardens

Step into a world of natural wonder at the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens for an exclusive private dinner event. Join us for an evening of networking amidst the captivating beauty of the iconic John F. Wolfe Palm House, a historic gem from 1895. With after-hours access to the Conservatory, you'll have the chance to explore the stunning grounds and indulge in a truly memorable experience. Don't miss this unique opportunity to enjoy a delicious meal while immersing yourself in the enchantment of this renowned botanical garden.

9:00 pm - 11:00 pm

After-Hours Hospitality & Networking

Not ready to call it a night? The hotel restaurant and bar, 17 Arrows, will be open to our attendees for drinks and light snacks after our evening activities. Each attendee will receive three drink tokens. Additional drinks are on your own tab.

Treasurer Roundtable Discussions (1 hr AOS approved)

Treasurers will gather based on county population to discuss issues facing their offices and share advice and best practices with their peers & colleagues. We will once again be offering the opportunity for similar sized counties to gather and discuss issues & topics of concern. We'll provide some questions for all groups to discuss.

Group 1 - Populations of 1 to 35,000, led by Jeff McIntosh
Group 2 - Populations of 35,001 to 55,000, led by Dave Wolters
Group 3 - Populations of 55,001 to 95,000, led by Bill Ogg
Group 4 - Populations of 95,001 - 200,000, led by John Burke
Group 5 - Populations of 200,000+, led by Dan Talarek

Roundtable Recap

Regroup from your roundtable discussions to share what your group discussed and exchange ideas with your colleagues.

Grab & Go (or stay!) Lunches

The Deli buffet will allow guests to build their own to-go box or eat your lunch with colleagues before you travel home.

Arriving on  Monday night? Nothing official is planned, but venture down to 17 Arrows, the hotel bar/restaurant to meet up with friends and colleagues or plan a dinner together at one of the many restaurants nearby!