Small Town Summit Series
The Small Town Summit is a new webinar series hosted by Central Texas Council of Governments (CTCOG) and DDCT. The Small Town Summit began as part of the DDCT’s newly approved 2022-26 CEDS, as a strategy for communicating emergency preparedness techniques to local municipalities in a one time summit, but quickly expanded to become a webinar series on the second and fourth Thursday of each month from June through October. Topics include
- Digital Literacy
- Here for Your Community: CTCOG Resources
Preparing for the Unexpected - Updating Infrastructure Without Breaking
the Bank - Intergovernmental Relations: How to work
with State and Federal Governments - Economic Development
Speakers come from Federal, State and local agencies, EDCs, and more!
The first session is Digital Literacy, which will be split into two parts:
Digital Literacy
Thursday, June 9, 2022, 2:00-3:30pm
- Key Tips for Using Teleconference Platforms
Hope Geiger, AmeriCorps VISTA - Cybersecurity: How to Spot Spam and Other Potential
Threats
Suzi Hilliard, Texas Department of Information Resources - How Your Digital Literacy Skills Can Help Your Community
Kami Griffiths, Community Tech Networks
The recording for Part One of Digital Literacy can be found here!
Thursday, June 23, 2022, 2:00-3:00pm
- Websites and Social Media 101
Jonathan Dwinell, Presley Design
The recording for Part Two of Digital Literacy can be found here!
Here for Your Community-CTCOG Resources
Thursday, July 14, 2022, 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM
- What is the Central Texas Council of Governments? Jim Reed, AICP, CTCOG Executive Director
Success Stories:
- City of Morgan’s Point Resort, City Manager Position Jim Reed, CTCOG Executive Director
- Public Safety: Grants & Peace Officer Training Jesse Hennage, Assistant Director for Planning/Public Safety
- Milam County EDA Grant Judge Steve Young, Milam County Judge Michelle Morgan, Milam County Economic Development Coordinator
Preparing for the Unexpected
Thursday, Aug.2, 2022, 2:00-3:30 PM
- Emergency Preparedness and the CTCOG Jesse Hennage, Emergency Services Program Manager, CTCOG
- Emergency Communications: How to Prepare as a Local Government David Shaw, District Coordinator II-Killeen, Texas Department of Emergency Management
- How to Communicate with Your Community: Panel Jennifer Henager, Emergency Management Coordinator, City of Temple Taran Vaszocz-Williams, Fire Chief, City of Morgan’s Point Resort Jeff Smith, Fire Chief & Emergency Management Coordinator, City of Lampasas
Thursday, Aug.11, 2022, 10:00-11:30 AM
- Community Households and Partnerships for Disaster Resiliency Bob Harrell, Emergency Management Coordinator, Coryell County
- How to Leverage the Defense Support of Civil Authorities During Disasters Keith Sledd, Executive Director, Heart of Texas Defense Alliance
- Success Stories: Hamilton County Emergency Communications Lacy Alexander, Hamilton County Emergency Management Coordinator
To recording for Part Two of Preparing for the Unexpected can be found here!
Updating Infrastructure Without Breaking the Bank
Wednesday, Aug.31, 10:00-11:30 AM
- Basic Infrastructure Planning and Prioritizing: How to Create a Capital Works Plan Kara Escajeda, City of Nolanville
- Non-Grant Routes of Funding: Certificates of Obligation, Bonds, and Other Sources Ben Morse, Orrick Law Firm
The recording for Part One of Updating Infrastructure Without Breaking the Bank can be found here!
Wednesday, Oct.26, 2:00-3:00 PM
- Getting Started: State Grants and Loans
Michelle Bobo, Texas Department of Agriculture
- What to Know About Federal Grants
Robert Peche, Economic Development Administration
- Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
David Bartels, Federal Transportation Administration
The recording for Part Two of Updating Infrastructure Without Breaking the Bank , can be found here!
Economic Development
Part One: Tourism and Small Business Development
Wedensday, Nov.9, 2:00-3:30 PM
- How to Increase Small Business Capacity in Your Community
Sanfrena Britt, UCare Director, Texas A&M Central Texas Tom Elmore, Career Center Supervisor, Workforce Solutions of Central Texas - Travel Texas: The current State of Tourism + Resources, Programs & State MOU
Affiliates
Spencer Zamora, Office of the Governor - How to Use CTCOG Tourism Site to Market Your Community
Dominic Elizondo, Regional Planner, CTCOG - Questions and Closing
Anna Barge, Special Projects Coordinator, CTCOG
The recording for Part One of Economic Development, can be found here!
Part Two: Economic Development
Wednesday, Dec.7th , 2:00-3:00 PM
- Driving Economic Development through Parks and Recreation
Brynn Myers, City Manager, City of Temple - Leveraging Your Downtown through the Texas Community
Development Block Grant Programs
Crystal Ortegon, Program Specialist, Texas CDBG - Downtown Development Success Story: City of Belton
Judy Garrett, Tourism/Retail Development Coordinator, City of
Belton
The recording for Part Two of Economic Development can be found here!