Agenda

*Agenda subject to change

 

Monday, September 28, 2026* 

Preconference Workshops 

9A-10:15A               Rethinking Materiality

  • Materiality plays a central role in financial reporting, yet it is often treated as a narrow technical judgment rather than an ongoing management discipline. When applied thoughtfully, materiality helps focus effort on information that matters to those who use the information. It also helps avoid effort wasted on low-value detailed accounting. Rethinking materiality does not entail relaxing standards or reducing accountability. It reduces low value work so finance officers can focus on what matters to their communities. This session will show how to apply materiality as a process. By treating materiality as a process rather than a single technical test, governments can better align reporting effort with decision relevance.

9A-10:15A               Capital Planning and Funding Infrastructure in Rural and Small Cities 

  • In partnership, the Illinois Finance Authority (IFA) and the Public Finance Initiative (PFI) propose an educational pre-conference session focused on strengthening capital planning and funding infrastructure in Illinois. Capital planning–defined as a strategy to plan, fund, build, acquire, maintain, and transition all natural, capital, and infrastructure assets–provides a crucial framework for governments to assess needs, prioritize projects, and identify funding sources to invest in capital projects. Capital planning has a major impact on service provision, economic vitality, and overall quality of life in communities. Recognizing that rural and small communities often face systemic barriers to investments, the session aims to help local leaders take meaningful steps toward capital planning and consider how to situate capital programs in a long-term financial plan. Experts from the Government Finance Officers Association, Illinois Finance Authority, and the Public Finance Initiative will share strategies, best practices, and real-world examples on how to strengthen capital planning, conduct asset inventories, and examine the range of public finance strategies available to Illinois local governments to fund infrastructure.

10:30A-11:45A     From Insight to Action: Finance Forward Strategies for Utility Rate Setting 

  • Setting utility rates is a complex and increasingly challenging process. Utility leaders must balance affordability and equity for customers while ensuring rates are sufficient to recover the full cost of service—including funding critical capital investments and maintaining long term financial sustainability. At the same time, evolving customer usage patterns, conservation efforts, and economic pressures make forecasting future revenues more difficult than ever. This session will explore current and emerging trends in utility rate setting and highlight common challenges utilities face in aligning rates with costs. The City of St. Charles recently conducted a study for all 3 utilities (water, sewer, and electric) taking into account rising operating costs, unfunded capital project mandates, including lead service line replacements, declining consumption usage while balancing the existing and future debt obligations the City would need to consider. The session will also showcase GFOA resources that can support more transparent, defensible, and sustainable rate setting decisions.

10:30A-11:45A     Artificial Intelligence 101 

  •  This session provides a practical introduction to artificial intelligence (AI) for municipal and finance professionals, with a focus on real-world applications and near-term impact. The presentation will cover the fundamentals of AI, including key concepts, major technology providers, and the current strengths and limitations of modern AI systems. Participants will gain insight into how AI is being adopted across organizations today, with specific examples relevant to government and finance functions such as budgeting, reporting, data analysis, and citizen services. The session will also explore how municipalities can begin preparing their existing technology infrastructure and data environments to support AI adoption. By the end of the session, participants will be able to explain core AI concepts, identify relevant use cases within their organizations, evaluate their municipality's readiness for AI implementation, and apply best practices for responsible and effective AI adoption.

Monday, September 28, 2026* 

Conference 

1P-2:15P                  Keynote: Leadership in Today's Complex Work Environment

2:30P-3:20P           Navigating the Municipal Maze: Ratings, Rates & Regulatory Shifts 

  • This session equips finance personnel with critical insights into the current bond and investment market environment. We'll explore key arbitrage rebate considerations, rating agency strategies, and how recent federal policies may be affecting municipalities and their capital funding alternatives. Attendees will leave with actionable knowledge to strengthen financial planning and resilience in today's evolving fiscal landscape.

2:30P-3:20P           Engaging Teams for Success in Local Government Finance 

  • This session gives local government finance professionals practical ways to bring out the best in their teams—because great work happens when people feel connected, supported, and motivated. Participants will explore how to lead with intention, boost morale before it dips, and spark honest conversations that help employees grow. With a mix of simple tools and smart supervision strategies, the training focuses on turning everyday management moments into opportunities for development, clarity, and shared success.

4P - 5P                        President and Newcomers Receptions 

5P - 6:30P                Opening Reception in the Vendor Showcase 

  

Tuesday, September 29, 2026* 

7:45A - 8:30A        Breakfast 

8:30A - 9:45A        Keynote: IML Update 

10A – 5:45P            Vendor Showcase Open 

10A-11:15A            Center for Equity, Effectiveness and Efficiency 

10A-11:15A            The Evolution of Fraud: Why Yesterday's Warning Signs Aren't Enough 

  • Fraud isn't standing still — it's adapting to new systems, faster payments, remote work, and technology-enabled schemes. This session explores how “classic” red flags can be masked by today's fraud patterns and what updated warning signs, data-driven techniques, and monitoring approaches can help teams spot issues earlier and respond more effectively.

10A-11:15A            Finance Forward – Fundamentals of Investment Strategy 

  • This session provides a practical, forward-looking overview of how public sector finance professionals can build and manage resilient investment strategies in an increasingly complex financial environment. This session will revisit core investment principles while connecting them to today's market realities, governance expectations, and policy constraints. Attendees will gain a clearer framework for making informed investment decisions that align with organizational goals and objectives.

11:40A-12:30P     Understanding the Tax Levy Process from the County Clerk's Perspective 

  • Chris Lopez, Tax Administrator for Lake County, will provide an insightful overview of the tax levy process as it relates to municipalities across the county. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the levy process, including timelines, statutory requirements, and the coordination between the County Clerk's office and taxing bodies. This session would offer practical knowledge for finance professionals navigating the complexities of property taxation and municipal budgeting.

11:40A-12:30P      Going Beyond the Valuation: What Finance Professionals Should Be Asking Their Actuary     

  • Actuarial valuation reports provide critical information, but they rarely answer all the questions local governments need for budgeting, risk management, and long‑term planning. This session focuses on how local governments can move beyond headline results by asking better, more targeted questions of their actuary. Participants will explore key assumptions, common red flags, and indicators of pension fund structure and health. The session will also examine how actuarial outputs can be used for budgeting and “what‑if” planning, and draw parallels between pension and OPEB assumptions—particularly healthcare trend assumptions—using claims data to help validate what is happening in practice. 

11:40A-12:30P      ERP Excellence: Optimize for Success 

  • How can you get greater value from your existing ERP without overextending your already limited resources? ERP optimization is the key to a greater return on investment on your current system. In this comprehensive session, participants will delve into the intricacies of ERP software and explore effective strategies for optimizing their existing ERP solutions.

    By the end of this session, participants will be equipped with the knowledge and tools necessary to develop the next steps to enhance their ERP software(s), that can extend the life of your software and improve your return on initial investment. Join us to transform your ERP challenges into opportunities for organizational excellence.

12:30P - 1:45P        Lunch & Business Meeting 

2:00-3:15P               General Session - GASB 

3:45P - 4:35P          Generative AI for Government Finance: From Curiosity to Capability 

  • Generative AI tools have moved from novelty to necessity, but for government finance professionals navigating tight budgets, strict compliance requirements, and public accountability, the path from awareness to adoption isn't always clear. This session cuts through the hype and delivers a practitioner-focused look at how generative AI can be applied to the everyday work of government finance, from drafting budget narratives and analyzing financial data to streamlining ACFR preparation and responding to citizen inquiries. Through a series of live demonstrations using publicly available AI tools, attendees will see real-world use cases tailored specifically to local government finance workflows. The session will also address critical considerations around data privacy, acceptable use policies, and the importance of human oversight when using AI-generated outputs in a public-sector environment. Participants will leave with a practical understanding of how to evaluate, pilot, and responsibly integrate generative AI into their daily operations, along with measurable skills they can apply immediately upon returning to their offices.

3:45P - 4:35P          Shifting Gears: A Data-Driven Approach to Municipal Fleet Replacement 

  • This session examines how the Village of Algonquin partnered with Enterprise Fleet Management to overhaul a deteriorating municipal fleet replacement strategy. Attendees will learn how years of capital deferral following the Great Recession led to an aging, costly fleet — and how the Village responded by adopting a data-driven fleet assessment methodology, eliminating underutilized vehicles, and shifting to a lowest-total-cost-of-ownership model. The session will detail the American Public Works Association-based points scoring system used to prioritize replacements, the financial and operational mechanics of the Enterprise partnership, and the measurable outcomes achieved — including reducing average fleet age from 12 years to 2 years and cutting replacement-eligible vehicles from 30% of the fleet to just 6%. Participants will leave with a replicable framework for evaluating their own fleet strategy and building cross-departmental alignment to support fleet investment.

4:45P - 5:45P         Reception 

6:30P- 9:00P          Social/Cornhole Tournament 

 

              

Wednesday, September 30, 2026* 

8:00A - 8:30A         Breakfast           

8:30A-9:45A           Keynote 3 

10:00A-11:15A         Keynote