Monday
5:30 – 7:00 pm
Registration and Networking Reception
Tuesday
8:30 – 10:00 am
Tune Up to Get and Stay in Peak Legal Shape
Whether you are new to public sector labor and employment relations, or an experienced practitioner, this legal tune-up ensures you are up-to-date on the most significant legal developments in this area and operating at peak efficiency to tackle the challenges ahead.
10:00 – 10:30 am
Break (all attendees)
10:30 am – 12:30 pm
SB 827 Fiscal & Financial Training for Special District Elected Officials
Cross this required training off your list! This is a comprehensive overview of the new mandates under Senate Bill 827, which require local agency officials to complete fiscal and financial training. Topics include municipal budgeting, financial reporting, capital financing, debt management, and ethical stewardship of public resources. For officials commencing service on or after January 1, 2026, this training must be completed no later than six months from the first day of service with the local agency. Every local agency official in a local agency’s service as of January 1, 2026, and commenced that service prior to January 1, 2026, must receive this training before January 1, 2028. Individuals will receive a separate certificate of completion for this training to show their compliance with SB 827.
12:30 – 1:30 pm
Networking Luncheon (all attendees)
Sponsored by the Special District Risk Management Authority (SDRMA) 
1:45 – 3:00 pm
Crafting Your District’s Roadmap to Success: A Practical Approach to Strategic Planning
Learn a practical approach to strategic planning that helps boards and managers set clear priorities, align roles, engage stakeholders, and translate direction into realistic, accountable plans that guide decisions.
3:00 – 3:30 pm
Break (all attendees)
3:30 – 4:30 pm
Getting It Right: Best Practices for Effective General Manager Evaluations
Conducting a thoughtful and effective General Manager evaluation is essential to board accountability and district performance. This session is tailored to experienced special district board members and focuses on essential best practices, including setting expectations, structuring the evaluation process, providing actionable feedback, and documenting results. Participants will leave with refined approaches to ensure evaluations are consistent, objective, and focused on results that matter to their districts.
4:30 - 6:00 pm
Sip and Savor Evening Reception with CSDA Benefits B-I-N-G-O (all attendees)
Sponsored by California Class
Wednesday
8:30 – 10:00 am
Smart Tech, Sound Governance: Social Media and Artificial Intelligence for California Special Districts
This presentation will discuss how special districts can leverage social media and artificial intelligence to engage with the community in a direct manner, while also being cautious of the legal implications of using these tools.
10:00 – 10:30 am
Break (all attendees)
10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Don't Confuse Kindness with Weakness: How to Handle Disruptive Public Meetings
Learn how to handle disruptive meetings online and offline without losing your cool! This presentation will cover how special districts can meet their legal obligations to allow open, honest discourse while navigating free speech concerns. The discussion will include important safety tips, with an emphasis on techniques to handle the most combative public speaker. Role-playing scenarios will allow you to put these tips and tricks into immediate practice!
12:00 – 1:00 pm
Networking Luncheon (all attendees)
1:15 – 2:45 pm
An Update on the Brown Act, Remote Participation, and Teleconferencing Under SB 707
In this session we will discuss the latest updates to the Brown Act under SB 707, which includes updated virtual meeting rules and mandatory virtual participation for certain districts.
2:45 – 3:00 pm
Break (all attendees)
3:00 – 4:00 pm
District Policies: From Ideas to Execution
Have an old district policy that needs updating, a draft policy that needs executing, or a new policy you want to put into practice? This session is optimal for officials and staff who are involved in any policy-making decision and will cover the process from start to finish with real-world examples, draft language, and pitfalls to avoid.
4:00 pm
Returning Track Sessions Conclude