Countdown: One week until the Annual Meeting

We’re a week out from the 2018 Annual Meeting, and the Association’s office is buzzing with last minute details.

More than 1,100 will attend the Annual Meeting next week. The agenda is jam packed with an inspiring keynote address, more than two dozen individual sessions and tech demos, lots of emphasis on ways to increase engagement, and many opportunities for local officials to learn from their peers.
 
Registration is up 13 percent over last year’s meeting which was up 6 percent from the previous year. Get all the details about the meeting here in addition to finding information about how to download the meeting app before the meeting, so you can get your schedule set in advance. 

This year, the app will feature links to meeting presentations and handouts in addition to articles and resources related to the session topics – all right in the palm of your hand.

The week leading up to the Annual Meeting is always a busy one at the Association to make sure all the details are in place.
 

Just about everyone on our staff has some role in the preparations – from proofing and stuffing name badges to polishing the silver award trophies to packing up the truck that carries the 1000+ registration packets, computers, publications, exhibitor packets and candy for the registration desk.

This year’s keynote speaker is Jennifer Pinckney, who lost her husband Rev. Dr. Clementia Pinckney in the Emmanuel Nine shootings. Read about her message of inspiration and engagement. 

Sen. Kevin Johnson will join us during the opening general session to receive this year’s Distinguished Service Award for his support of cities and towns in the General Assembly. Sen. Johnson is the former mayor of Manning and past president of the Municipal Association.

Meeting attendees will hear a lot about engagement at the Annual Meeting – engaging with each other, their residents, legislators and the Association. 

There will be many opportunities to learn about new ways to engage – including an emphasis on social media best practices. The opening session will feature a new way to use social media to help local officials share their good news stories about what’s happening in their cities and towns.

Participants will be able to get advice about using social media from the Association staff at the Social Media Bar as well as learn from “guest gurus” – mayors and councilmembers who are successfully using their social media accounts to engage their residents. Look for the guest guru schedule through the app at the meeting.

Meeting attendees can also pick up their own social media toolkit at the Social Media Bar that will give tips on how to get started with social media, policies and best practices, and transparency.