2026 League Civic Connection

Join us for a guided bus tour of one of Appleton's largest infill development projects underway in the state. See the sites firsthand and hear directly from the people involved in bringing the project to life.

No charge to attend. Registration is required; space is limited to 50 attendees.
Briefing room: Rosewood/Linden Room
Pick-up location: The side entrance of hotel on Superior Street (near front desk)

Build practical skills that make meetings work. Strengthen civility in governance, apply Robert's Rules of Order in real time, and participate in a guided mock meeting designed to turn concept into action.

Kick off the conference with colleagues over food and drinks before the full program begins.

Leadership is often defined by what we do when circumstances shift, expectations change, or an unexpected opportunity demands a response. In this keynote, Appleton Mayor Jake Woodford will reflect on the moments that shape leadership and the importance of recognizing when it is time to act, adapt, or lead differently.

Drawing from his experience in local government, Mayor Woodford will explore how leaders can stay grounded in their purpose while navigating change, uncertainty, and competing demands.

Speaker: Jake Woodford, Mayor, Appleton

Tax Incremental Financing can be a powerful tool for supporting development, infrastructure, and community revitalization, but municipal leaders need a clear understanding of how it works and when it is appropriate to use. This session will explain how a tax incremental district is created, how tax increment is generated, what costs may be supported, and how TIF decisions affect the municipality over time. Attendees will also examine the key roles, decision points, and risks involved so they can participate more confidently in TIF discussions and evaluate proposed projects with greater clarity.

Speaker: Melissa Hunt, WEDA

Housing development doesn't happen on its own.  Municipalities can play an important role in identifying housing needs and opportunities, preparing their communities for development, building relationships with developers and partners, and helping projects overcome barriers along the way.  Through real-world case studies from two Wisconsin communities, this session will explore the municipal role in moving housing from an identified need to actual development.  Presenters will share how their communities positioned themselves for housing growth, worked with developers and partners, navigated challenges, and used tools such as TIF, grants, infrastructure investment, zoning, and other local resources to help projects move forward.  Attendees will leave with practical ideas and lessons they can apply in their own communities to help turn housing opportunities into development. 

Speakers: Becky Beissel, Village of Ellsworth · Randy Meyer, City of Sheboygan Falls

The model for funding Wisconsin cities and villages is unsustainable. Wisconsin relies on property taxes to fund local governments more than most other states, and with levy growth significantly restricted for the past 21 years, the risk of relying too heavily on a single funding source is being felt every day by municipal leaders. This session will examine the municipal funding history that has led us here, how Wisconsin compares to other states in our municipal funding system, how Act 12 helped grow state aid but did not fully address municipal funding challenges, and what today’s municipal leaders can do to promote a better funding future. Whether your community is addressing aging infrastructure, planning for growth, or seeking long-term financial sustainability, this session will provide a roadmap to turn your municipality’s story into a call for a stronger, more balanced revenue portfolio.

Speakers: Evan Miller, Government Affairs Director with the League · Toni Herkert, Director of Strategic Projects with the League

Learn how municipal leaders can put AI to work in day-to-day operations. This session will explore where AI can save staff time, improve internal processes, and support better service to residents. Attendees will also learn how to choose the right uses, set clear expectations, and introduce AI in ways that protect accountability and public trust.

Speaker: Andy Pederson, Village of Bayside & Jerry Gabrielatos, City Manager

A facilitated peer discussion for administrators and elected officials from small communities.

A facilitated peer discussion for administrators and elected officials from medium-sized communities.

A facilitated peer discussion for administrators and elected officials from large communities.

With the midterm elections only weeks away, Wisconsin’s electorate is coming into sharper focus, but the forces shaping November extend well beyond any single race.

This general session will be packed with timely information. Charles Franklin, director of the renowned Marquette Law School Poll, will use the latest polling data and long-term trends to explain where Wisconsin voters and likely voters stand, how public opinion is shifting, and what remains unsettled heading into Election Day. Moving beyond who the frontrunners are, he will examine how Wisconsinites view the issues reaching municipal government directly, including property taxes, local government funding, data centers, and broader economic concerns.

Municipal officials and staff will leave with a clearer understanding of the voters they serve, the forces shaping the midterms, and the policy environment their communities may face after the ballots are counted.

Speaker: Charles Franklin, Professor of Law and Public Policy at Marquette Law School

Explore exhibitor booths featuring products and services for Wisconsin municipalities. Short Solution Sessions throughout the afternoon let exhibitors dive deeper into their offerings.

A relaxed close to Thursday's program held in the exhibit hall with networking drinks and appetizers.

A July 2026 Marquette Law School Poll found that 76% of Wisconsin registered voters believe the costs of data centers outweigh the benefits. At the same time, data centers continue to emerge as an important issue for municipalities across Wisconsin, requiring local leaders to navigate public sentiment while carefully evaluating the specific proposal before them. Adding to the complexity, the term “data center” can describe facilities with different footprints, infrastructure needs, resource demands, and potential community impacts.

Drawing on the experiences of different-size communities, along with the perspective of our panelists this session will explore how communities have navigated data center proposals in practice. Panelists will discuss how they defined and understood what was being proposed, educated elected officials and residents, evaluated potential local impacts and benefits, and responded when the process took unexpected or difficult turns. Attendees will leave with practical insights, questions to ask, and lessons learned that can help their communities approach the topic.

Moderator: Emily McFarland, Executive Director, The League

Panelists: Chris Smith, Attorney, von Briesen · Tara Tervort, Mayor of Park Falls · David Bogdala, Mayor of Kenosha

Communities face challenges that cross organizational and municipal boundaries. Using examples from Jefferson County, Deb Reinbold of Thrive Economic Development and Ben Wehmeier of the Greater Watertown Community Health Foundation will explore how public, private and philanthropic partners can combine their strengths to advance housing, economic development and community prosperity. The session will highlight the Live Local Development Fund, lessons learned from cross-sector collaboration and an emerging vision for building greater regional capacity.

Speakers: Deb Reinbold, Thrive Economic Development · Ben Wehmeier, Greater Watertown Community Health Foundation

The City of Racine has successfully created four TIDs in specific neighborhoods for owner occupants to receive $10,000 grants for home repairs. It has proven to be an effective tool in getting homes up to standards in the building code, reduced blight, increased home values, and reduced crime.

Speakers: Jeff Hintz, City of Racine · Todd Taves, Ehlers · Cory Mason, City of Racine

Every municipal budget is shaped by decisions made long before this budget season – how state aid gets distributed, how much room a levy limit leaves to work with, where the pressure in spending has been building. This session steps back from the current budget cycle to trace that longer arc: how local revenue and spending have shifted over time, and what's changed most in just the last two years. Attendees will leave with clearer context for the numbers behind their own budget, and a better read on the decisions still ahead.

Speaker: Valeah Foy, State and Local Finance Division Administrator, Wisconsin Department of Revenue

Learn practical ways to use AI to draft, revise, and strengthen your writing while preserving your voice. This session will also examine the word choices, sentence structures, and recurring patterns that often signal AI-generated content, along with strategies for making the final product clear, natural, and distinctly yours.

Speaker: Maria Davis, The League

With great power comes great responsibility! Join Ehlers’ advisors as they go beyond the basics to expand your knowledge of tax incremental financing (TIF) and show you how to harness its power while effectively balancing community needs against development incentives. This session will focus on the entire TIF process: from assessing the need for public assistance via pro forma analysis, to creation, management, and compliance.

Speakers: Harry Allen, Ehlers · Kevin Lahner, Ehlers

Successful development begins before a project is proposed. Municipalities that understand their strengths, communicate a clear vision, and establish predictable, efficient processes are better positioned to attract investment.

This session marries municipal and development perspectives together to examine what makes a community an attractive development partner. Presenters will share practical strategies for aligning development goals with community priorities, improving communication, and establishing an effective approval process. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of how municipalities can create the conditions for responsible growth while building partnerships that deliver lasting value for the community.

Speaker: Travis Coenen, Village of Wrightstown

Balancing the budget is only the beginning. This session explores practical tools and decision-making frameworks municipal leaders can use to navigate fiscal challenges, evaluate tradeoffs, and make informed financial decisions. Attendees will leave with strategies they can immediately apply to budgeting, capital planning, and communicating financial choices.

Speaker: Caz Muske, Platteville

Put your knowledge of local government to the test through an interactive series of fact-or-fiction questions covering common myths and misconceptions. Strengthen your grasp of the fundamentals that elected officials need before taking on innovative ideas and approaches.

Speakers: Nick Zavos, Assistant General Counsel, The League · Ryan Sendelbach, Assistant General Counsel, The League · Jarrod Schleusner, Education and Training Lead, The League

Public trust is an essential, yet sometimes overlooked, element of your community's economic development and housing strategies. Ignoring the public can sometimes even create a backlash that will cripple community development efforts for years. Panelists will discuss strategies for building and maintaining that all-important connection with your citizens.

Speaker: Tracy Johnson, RCE, CAE

Wisconsin's TIF extension authority offers municipalities a valuable opportunity to generate additional resources for housing initiatives. This session will explain how the extension process works, outline key statutory requirements, and highlight how communities are already using extension revenues to support local housing priorities. Whether you're considering an extension or simply want to understand the option, you'll leave with practical insights and real-world examples.

Speakers: Ryan Sorenson, Mayor, Sheboygan · Adam Sonntag, City Administrator, Ripon · David Kress, Deputy Director of Community Development, Appleton · Will Peters, Green Bay Neighborhood Development Specialist

This session provides an introduction to the fundamentals of municipal budgeting and financial reporting. Participants will gain an understanding of the budget development process, key legal and financial requirements, fund accounting concepts, and how budgets connect to financial statements. The presentation also covers best practices for monitoring financial performance throughout the year, communicating results to elected officials and stakeholders, and using financial reports as a tool for sound decision-making, transparency, and long-term fiscal sustainability.

Speakers: Joe Harrison, Bauman Associated Ltd. · Eric Davidson, Bauman Associated Ltd.

Your municipality may be doing good work. But do the people you serve know it and understand how it affects them?

Innovation in local government isn't limited to technology, programs or services. It also means rethinking how government communicates. How people get information and engage has changed and government needs to change with it. Modern communications practices aren't just for companies. They can help governments reach more people, increase engagement and navigate complex issues.

Through real-world examples — from communicating in the midst of crisis to connecting people with needed services and navigating the growing controversy surrounding data center development — this session will examine what happens when government moves from reactive communication to a more proactive, strategic approach.

Attendees will leave with practical strategies and a communications self-assessment they can use to evaluate their own approach against today's best practices, identify strengths and vulnerabilities, and build more innovation into how their municipality communicates.

Speakers: Kimberly Kane, President & CEO, Kane Communications Group · Matt Hamrin, Vice President of Client Services, Kane Communications Group

The League enters its next chapter with a strong record of service and a timely opportunity to set its future direction. Executive Director Emily McFarland will introduce herself to members through the work ahead, offering a candid state of the League and her early vision for its future. She will reflect on where the League has delivered the greatest value, identify strengths worth preserving and enhancing, and consider where new approaches may better serve Wisconsin municipalities. Members will have the opportunity to weigh in and share their insight as the League prepares to navigate strategic planning. Attendees will leave with a clear view of where the League stands today and how they can help shape an organization prepared to meet their changing needs.

Speaker: Emily McFarland, Executive Director, The League