Meetings & Events

7:30 a.m.-5 p.m.—Check-in and Exhibition Hall Open

7:30 a.m.-8:45 a.m.—Breakfast, Exhibition Hall

8:15 a.m.-8:45 a.m.—Voluntary Prayer Session

8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.—Arkansas City Attorneys Association CLE, Drew Room

9 a.m.-10:15 a.m. General Session 2 The Future of Economic Development for Arkansas Municipalities, Governor’s Hall IV
Economic development is where cities and towns rise or fall based on preparation. With Issue 3 on the November ballot, this session gives leaders a forward-looking framework for growth. League General Counsel and Legislative DirectorJohn Wilkerson, attorney Blake Gary and Walnut Ridge Mayor Charles Snapp will guide attendees through the process from vision to bond counsel, offering practical steps for strengthening local economies. This session will walk through real-world insights to help municipalities stay rooted in good planning, resilient amid shifting economic winds and rising toward long-term prosperity.

10:30 a.m.-11:50 a.m.—General Session 3 MTT Modules 1, 2 and 5: Introduction, Core Concepts, Budgeting Basics and Internal Controls, Governor’s Hall IV
Mark Hayes will join Sandy Button, Clerk/Treasurer, Pea Ridge and Cindy Frizzell, League Chief Financial Officer, to give a strong foundation in this session covering municipal finance core concepts, budgeting and internal controls. Learn about key laws, responsibilities and the basic accounting principles that guide public sector decision making.

10:30 a.m.-11:45 a.m.—Groundwork CHATS Housing Challenges Across Arkansas, Exhibition Hall
New to Convention, this exercise will be a simple, guided model from Groundwork that helps municipal leaders talk openly about housing challenges and work toward realistic, community-driven solutions. This session offers practical tools to start clearer and more productive housing conversations in your municipality, with a focus on how housing issues show up differently across cities and towns and what local tools can help address them. You’ll leave with easy-to-use language, fresh ideas and connections with other leaders.

12 p.m.-1:30 p.m. Lunch, Exhibition Hall

1 p.m.-5:05 p.m.—Mandatory Treasurer Training, Caraway Room

1 p.m.-2:20 p.m.—Mandatory Treasurer Training Module 4: Revenue
Explore how municipalities collect, manage and safeguard their revenue. Barbara Blackard will cover major revenuesources and learn the proper procedures for securely handling, recording and reconciling cash, card transactions and bank activity.

2:30 p.m.-3:45 p.m.—Mandatory Treasurer Training Modules 6 & 7: Fixed Assets & Payroll
Get a clear overview of fixed asset requirements and municipal payroll in this combined session. Sandy Button and Barbara Blackard will cover key terms, statutory obligations and recommended policies maintaining complete, accurate asset listings, including those tied to grant funds.

3:55 p.m.-5:05 p.m.—Mandatory Treasurer Training Modules 8 & 9: Audits & Ethics
Explore the essentials of audits and the ethical standards that guide municipal finance in this combined session. Arkansas Legislative Audit Candice Gasaway, Audit Manager, Arkansas Legislative Audit and Caleb Alexander-McKenzie, League Legal & Inquiry Counsel will walk through the audit process, key roles and timelines, how to interpret findings, and best practices that help prevent common issues.

1:30 p.m.—Breakout Sessions (Certification Credit Options Available)

Continuing the Conversation with Jason Curry (50 minutes)
In this breakout, Jason Curry expands on the principles of Finish Empty, helping leaders turn inspiration into daily habits that improve team performance and strengthen municipal culture.This session is designed for anyone ready to bring clarity, focus and renewed purpose back to their departments. It’s the next step in rising to the challenges—and opportunities—that define modern public service.

The Caran Curry Variety Hour: A Rapid-Fire Update on Municipal Must Know Topics (50 minutes)
Join League Interim Education Director and Senior Grants Counsel Caran Curry and her star-studded lineup of special guests for a rapid-fire rundown of municipal must-knows. They’ll blast through new training opportunities,water/wastewater grants, cybersecurity, AI, ADA website compliance, cool special projects and much, much more! All this great content might not fit neatly into just one hour, but we do promise to let you out in time to celebrate (with popcorn waiting in the Exhibition Hall).

Follow the Money: Tracking Where Your Municipality’s Revenue Really Goes (90 minutes)
Financial resilience requires understanding of where every dollar goes, particularly sales tax dollars. The Department of Finance and Administration retains a 3% administrative fee from city sales tax—over $32 million annually and growing. John Wilkerson and Bentonville Mayor Stephanie Orman will be joined by Rep. Jon Milligan and Rep. Lee Johnson to discuss how that money is used by the state and what options municipalities have to keep more of their revenue local.They will also address the millions spent on sales tax rebates intended to spur economic development, the limited information municipalities receive about those rebates and why understanding where every penny goes is essential to effective leadership. Participants will gain a clear, grounded understanding of how these financial pressures impact municipal budgets and what reforms could help Arkansas cities and towns rise to a stronger fiscal future.

Protecting Employees and Your Municipal Budget: Practical Ways to Reduce Your Workers Comp Claims (50 minutes)
This session cuts straight to the bottom line: a smart safety program and a solid grasp of workers comp costs can save your city real money. Workers Comp Director Eli Singer, along with her team Allen Green and Mike Eaton will spotlight the most effective safety training tools available today, show how online training can speed employees back to work, and reveal how fewer claims drive safer workplaces and lower premiums. Packed with practical steps your team can use immediately, this breakout helps cities strengthen safety, control rising costs and protect both their people and their budgets.

2:30 p.m.—Garver Popcorn Break, Exhibition Hall

3 p.m.-3:50 p.m.—Resolutions Committee, Fulton Room
Each municipality has a designated representative who votes on legislative matters to be included in the League’s Policies and Goals for the coming year.

4 p.m.-5 p.m.—General Session 4: Trash Talk, Legal Edition: Supreme Court Impacts on Municipal Waste, Governor’s Hall IV
Reliable and affordable solid waste service is one of the most important duties municipalities offer to their citizens, and aproperly managed system protects public health, safety and welfare at an affordable rate. Late last year, the Arkansas Supreme Court changed the solid waste landscape for municipalities. Whether your municipality operates its own solidwaste utility or whether it contracts with another entity, the recent decision is important to know and understand. League attorney Brie Gibson, Wynne Mayor Jennifer Hobbs, Hot Springs City Manager Bill Burrough,  Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment attorney Basil Hicks and Sarah Tacker of the Carroll County Solid Waste Management District will explore the legal and practical implications of the court’s decision and discuss what options now exist for cities and towns.