Event Schedule

8:00-9:00 Registration - Coffee, Juice, Pastries

9:00  Welcome-Judge Keith Umphress, Jack County–ARCIT Board President

Pledge of Allegiance – Conference Delegates

Invocation- Commissioner Danny Craig, Gregg County, Pct 4

9:15–9:45 – Welcome to East Texas-Jimmy Purcell, City Coordinator, City of White Oak-Discussion on Community and Regional Development.

9:45-10:30–Controlling the Controllable-Discussion will be focused on the use of best practices. In this discussion, several pragmatic examples will be given to maximize and improve the services for communities struggling to revitalize.  Lee Elliott, City Administrator, City of Linden.

10:30-10:45 Break

10:45–11:15-Municipal Finance Basics- What you always wanted to know but were afraid to ask. Understanding your city’s financial statements can be scary. This session will cover back to the basics on fund accounting, municipal budgeting, financial policies, and best practices. Martie Simpson, Assistant Director of City Financial Services, Texas Municipal League

11:30-12:15 Lunch Provided by GSLI-Choose Texas and CorePlus

12:15-1:00-Rural Media Matters-Michelle Habecker, Senior Industry Relations Specialist

Texas Film Commission / Office of the Governor.  The session will focus on the economic impact of media production in Texas as well as the Texas Film Commission programs including Film Friendly Texas, newly launched Digital Media Friendly Texas, Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Program and Media Production Development Zone.   

1:00-1:45-Water Conservation – Larry Jones, Business Dev. Manager, E3 Entegral Solutions.

1:45-2:00 Break

2:00-2:45-TWDB Financial Assistance Program-Discussing low interest loans, and grants for drinking water, wastewater, and flood control infrastructure projects. Scott Galaway, Texas Water Development Board.

3:00-3:45-–Encouraging Sustainable Land Use through Planned Development

 Natalie Thamm, Attorney, Denton, Navarro, Rodriguez, Bernal, Santee, and Zech

3:45-4:30-TPWD Grants-Utilizing Texas Parks and Wildlife Community Outdoor Grants for Park Development in Small Communities. Sean Spencer, Owner/General Manager.

4:30 Closing– Judge Keith Umphress, Jack County–ARCIT Board President