National
Conference
of Regions

February 9-12, 2020
Washington Court Hotel
Washington, DC

Click to View the National Conference of Regions Program

The National Conference of Regions is NARC’s forum to determine key policy issues and a legislative agenda for the year ahead, targeting topics central to our members’ missions and their local elected officials’ focus.

NARC’s 2020 National Conference of Regions took place Sunday, February 9 – Wednesday, February 12, 2020 at the Washington Court Hotel, 525 New Jersey Ave NW Washington, DC.

Conference Sessions and Presentations

Sunday, February 9

12:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. MAJOR METROS ROUNDTABLE

1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. MOBILE TOUR – TRANSURBAN OPERATIONS CENTER

Tour visiting the U.S. headquarters of Transurban, the world’s largest toll-road operators, and some of the roads they operate in the DC metropolitan area. The tour included a discussion of their work designing and building new roads and their research on road safety technology.

5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. OPENING RECEPTION

Monday, February 10

9:00 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. GENERAL SESSION WELCOME

Speakers:

  • The Honorable Marge Vogt, Councilmember, Olathe, Kansas; Mid-America Regional Council; NARC President
  • The Honorable Penny Gross, Supervisor, Fairfax County, Virginia; Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments; NARC Past President

OPENING SESSION: LOCAL PERSPECTIVES ON THE 2020 ELECTION

With the 2020 presidential election season well underway, all eyes have turned to the campaign trail. Regardless of who wins in November, the election will impact local communities in significant ways. Hear a variety of perspectives on what legislative issues will rise to the top during this election cycle and what we can expect from the various candidates should they find success in November.

Speakers:

  • Matt Chase, CEO/Executive Director, National Association of Counties
  • Michael Wallace, Legislative Director, Community & Economic Development, National League of Cities
  • Jason Dick, Capitol Hill Editor, CQ/ Roll Call

KEYNOTE SPEAKER – FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION

Nicole R. Nason’s tenure as Administrator of the Federal Highway Administration began on April 22, 2019. She leads a Modal Administration within the U.S. Department of Transportation that is responsible for the nation’s $49 billion FederalAid Highway program.

  • Speaker: Nicole R. Nason, Administrator, Federal Highway Administration @USDOTFHWA @nicolernason

11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. BREAKOUT SESSIONS

EXPLORING THE LINK BETWEEN TRANSPORTATION AND HOUSING POLICY

A community’s livability, access to opportunity, and quality of life depends on its ability to provide citizens with adequate transportation options and affordable and accessible housing. Transportation and housing are deeply intertwined and interest is growing in exploring policy approaches that would strengthen this link. Hear how national organizations are thinking about and approaching this important issue and what may lie ahead in Congress.

Moderator:

  • The Honorable Julie Pierce, Council Member, City of Clayton, California; Association of Bay Area Governments; NARC Board Member

Speakers:

ECONOMIC & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

Join us for an overview of the upcoming Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) reauthorization process, including prospects for action in the coming months. We will also discuss proposed updates to the Economic & Community Development Committee’s federal policies and priorities.

Chairs:

  • Jennifer Robinson, Council Member, Town of Cary, North Carolina; Triangle J Council of Governments; NARC Board Member
  • Betty Voights, Executive Director, Capital Area Council of Governments

NARC Staff:

  • Maci Morin, Program Coordinator, NARC

Speaker:

  • Katie Brown, Senior Federal Policy Analyst, National Skills Coalition

12:15 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. LUNCH PLENARY SESSION UPDATES ON SUPREME COURT CASES IMPACTING LOCAL GOVERNMENTS

Follow the important Supreme Court cases impacting state and local governments with this update from the State and Local Legal Center. The Legal Center provides assistance to states and local governments in connection with Supreme Court litigation.

Moderator:

Speaker:

1:45 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. GLOBAL COVENANT OF MAYORS – BUILDING CLIMATE RESILIENCE WITHIN CITIES AND REGIONS

This session explores the critical role that metropolitan and regional organizations can have in fostering resilience through case studies from the U.S. and European Union (EU). Global Covenant of Mayors (GCoM) and the EU are currently working with four ‘Metro-scale Climate Leader’ regions in the U.S. (the metropolitan areas of Chicago, Denver, Kansas City and Washington DC) to foster ambitious climate action. By connecting regions all over the world, GCoM aims to accelerate action on this issue and bring environmental, social, and economic benefits to US regions and cities.

Speakers:

Moderator:

  • Mercedes Garcia Perez, Head of Global Innovation Section, EU Delegation to USA

Panelists:

  • Erin Aleman, Executive Director, Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning
  • Stephen Walz, Director, Environmental Programs, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments @MWCOG
  • The Honorable Mike Kelly, Mayor, Roeland Park, Kansas
  • Gregg Thomas, Division Director, Environmental Quality Division, Denver Department of Public Health & Environment

Speakers:

2:15 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. PUBLIC SAFETY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

Learn about pending legislation, what bills are likely to be adopted, and what we can expect from the federal government as it focuses on public safety and emergency management. We will also discuss proposed changes to the Public Safety and Emergency Management Policies and Priorities.

Chairs:

  • The Honorable Byron Ryder, Judge, Leon County, Texas; Brazos Valley Council of Governments; NARC Past President
  • Diane Rath, Executive Director, Alamo Area Council of Governments @AlamoAreaCOG @AACOGCEO

NARC Staff:

  • Neil Bomberg, Senior Policy Advisor, NARC @NARCregions @neilbomberg

Speakers:

  • Yucel Ors, Legislative Director, Public Safety and Crime Prevention, National League of Cities
  • Matt Cowles, Deputy Director, National Emergency Management Association

3:45 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. SHAPING TECHNOLOGY TO MEET REGIONAL GOALS

Local governments are continuously facing the challenge of developing long-term plans while not knowing which technologies will remain relevant in the future. Providing leadership to communities as they navigate these rapid changes should be a key function of the 21st century regional council. Learn how regional organizations are proactively deploying technology for problem solving that stands the test of time.

Moderator:

  • The Honorable Christian Dorsey, Arlington County, Virginia Board Member; Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments; NARC Board Member

Speakers:

  • Jack McDougle, President & CEO, Greater Washington Board of Trade
  • Gerry Bogacz, Planning Director, New York Metropolitan Transportation Council
  • Victoria Stackwick, Director of Government Relations, San Diego Association of Governments
  • Mark Policinski, Executive Director, Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments

3:45 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. COMMUNICATIONS & GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS WORKING GROUP SESSION

This peer exchange will offer an opportunity for like-minded communications and government affairs pros to swap tips and tricks around engagement and outreach techniques and how to measure results. We will share innovations from our own agencies, popcorn-style, with ample time for Q&A and discussion of any topics or methods that spark particular interest among the group. Participants are encouraged to bring challenges they are facing or success stories that others may benefit from.

Chairs:

  • Amanda Linehan, Communications Director, Metropolitan Area Planning Council
  • Anna Devers, Public Information Officer & Transportation Planner, San Luis Obispo Council of Governments

Tuesday, February 11

9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. GENERAL SESSION VIEW FROM CONGRESS AND THE ADMINISTRATION

Regional councils require strong federal partners to provide the funding and authority to find local solutions on transportation, housing, economic development and more. Hear representatives from the Administration and Congress share their ideas for strengthening partnerships between local and federal government.

Moderator:

  • The Honorable Marge Vogt, Councilmember, Olathe, Kansas; Mid-America Regional Council; NARC President

Speakers:

  • The Honorable Scott Peters, U.S. House of Representatives, 52nd Congressional District of California
  • Mike Belarmino, Senior Policy Advisor, Government Finance Officers Association

10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. BREAKOUT SESSIONS

TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE

This meeting will include discussion of transportation reauthorization, administration activities and priorities, and an update of NARC’s transportation policies.

Speakers:

  • Dwayne Weeks, Director, Office of Planning, Federal Transit Administration
  • Ken Petty, Director, Office of Planning, Federal Highway Administration
  • Harlan Miller, Team Leader, Office of Planning, Environment, & Realty, Federal Highway Administration

ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE

This meeting of the Environment Committee will include an overview of the environmental policy developments affecting regions in the upcoming year, including National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) and “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) regulatory changes and increased efforts to address climate and resilience concerns. We will also discuss proposed updates to the Environment Committee’s federal policies and priorities.

Chairs:

  • Rosa De León Park, Executive Director, Stanislaus Council of Governments
  • The Honorable Lee Constantine, Commissioner, Seminole County, Florida; East Central Florida Regional Planning Council; NARC Board Member

NARC Staff:

  • Eli Spang, Associate, NARC

Speaker:

12:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. LUNCH PLENARY SESSION PARTNERSHIP FOR DISASTER PLANNING AND RECOVERY

Successfully preparing for, responding to, and recovering from a major disaster requires collaboration. Businesses, nonprofits, and governmental partners are pooling their unique skill sets and resources together to contribute to community resilience. This session brings together community partners to share real-life examples of how collaborative relationships have supported communities before and after disasters.

Moderator:

  • Chuck Wemple, Executive Director, Houston-Galveston Area Council, @HouGalvAreaCog

Speakers:

  • Jeff Partin, Director, Corporate Security, Emergency Preparedness & Business Continuity, The Home Depot, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Gregory A. Forrester, President and CEO, National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster

1:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. BREAKOUT SESSIONS

TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE – CONTINUED

A continuation of the transportation policy conversation which began in the morning session.

Chairs:

  • The Honorable Fred Strong, Councilmember, Paso Robles, California; San Luis Obispo Council of Governments
  • Greg Stuart, Executive Director, Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization
  • Miriam Gillow-Wiles, Executive Director, Southwest Colorado Council of Governments

NARC Staff:

ADDRESSING CHALLENGES IN RECYCLING

Since China’s 2018 decision to ban most imports of recyclable materials, recycling costs have increased dramatically for communities across the U.S. This has led to some communities ending their recycling programs entirely. To combat this challenge, work is being done to reduce contamination, develop new secondary materials markets, and improve recycling system infrastructure. Join this session to hear about efforts being made from the federal to local level and learn about the ways that regional councils can support recycling in their member communities.

Moderator:

The Honorable Geof Benson, Council Member, Town of Beverly Shores, Indiana; Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission; NARC Immediate Past President

Speakers:

3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS COUNCIL JOINT MEETING

Presentation:

  • Becoming a Day After Tomorrow Leader

Wednesday, February 12

8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. CONGRESSIONAL BREAKFAST

Join NARC for breakfast on Capitol Hill and hear remarks from members of Congress before you meet with your delegation and agency contacts. You will go through strict security to enter the U.S. Capitol, so plan to arrive early. Be prepared to empty your pockets and be aware that no outside food or beverages of any kind are allowed in the Capitol Building.

Speakers:

  • The Honorable Ben McAdams, U.S. House of Representatives, 4th Congressional District of Utah
  • The Honorable Rodney Davis, U.S. House of Representatives, 13th Congressional District of Illinois
  • The Honorable Chris Pappas, U.S. House of Representatives, 1st Congressional Di