Municipal Fundamentals for Government Officials

Speakers: LOC Staff

The LOC is pleased to announce a new training opportunity: Municipal Fundamentals.​​​​​ These trainings will be offered in-person in five locations across the state, each taking place from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Municipal Fundamentals is a low-cost, half-day training taught by LOC staff. Cities are encouraged to sign up elected officials and city staff for an opportunity to learn, ask questions, and network with leaders from cities in the surrounding area.

- Oregon Public Meetings Law-OGEC Required Training: Recent changes in state law require that members of governing bodies of public bodies with expenditures for a fiscal year of $1 million or more attend an Oregon Government Ethics Commission certified training on Oregon’s Public Meetings Law.  This training will cover the necessary areas of public meeting laws and satisfy the training requirement.

- Home Rule 101: Learn the historical backdrop of Oregon’s Home Rule—the source of local governance powers—and the impact Home Rule has on city charters and overall city functions. Find out how state preemption affects the strength of Home Rule authority and how LOC works to protect Home Rule.

- Lobbying 201: 

As we pass the 2025 legislative session, the League’s lobbying team will again bring forward a great learning opportunity to prepare your city for the steps needed to find success with state funding. A key piece of this lobbying effort is understanding how to ask for funding and understanding what you must prepare to create success.

Every state Senator and Representative has cities in their districts that make up the bulk of their constituency. As many of you know, what happens in our cities has the greatest touchpoint on people's daily lives, including community projects that enhance the lives of your citizens.

In this session, we’ll build on Lobbying 101 and focus on the importance of building relationships with your legislators, how to develop a message for making a successful capitol construction request, and the process in how to navigate these steps.

- Land Use 101: Learn the basics of Oregon’s land use laws and the essentials of what city officials need to know.  Discover the history of Oregon’s land use planning system, procedures for land use hearings, and more. 

 The cost for this training is $35. 

Contact: Heather Larson, Training Coordinator -hlarson@orcities.org.