Annual Meeting Day One...Lots of Learning Going On!

Every year, the Municipal Association’s Annual Meeting brings together hundreds of local elected officials and city staff for three days of learning and networking. Day one of the 2015 Annual Meeting kicked off to a great start with more than 300 local officials participating in three in-depth training sessions.

Wharf Street affordable housing in Bluffton

A group of 100+ officials took a morning field trip to Bluffton where they learned how this coastal town has grown from a sleepy fishing village to a thriving town of 15,000 attracting high tech businesses along with tourists and downtown shoppers.

Leadership was the theme of a second intensive training session. Officials learned how great leadership comes from the courage to have the dialogues that move toward solutions that unify rather than divide.

A third session focused on fine-tuning speaking skills to help leaders find new ways to connect with their audience.

Packed meeting rooms were the scene of afternoon sessions focusing on the complexities of implementing the new body worn camera legislation and lessons learned in law enforcement. Leaders from Hartsville, Hilton Head and Rock Hill shared their economic development success stories, and officials got briefings on a variety technology options to increase efficiency in their cities.

Friday’s sessions focus on celebrating the past and embracing the future that includes a look back at the Association’s 85 years of service to the state’s cities and towns.