Kansas City/County Manager Conference

Driving Growth: The State of Economic Development in Kansas 

• Join Matthew Godinez, Assistant Secretary, for a look at the current state of economic development across Kansas. This session will explore key trends shaping local and regional economies, highlight successful initiatives driving growth, and address challenges communities face in attracting and retaining businesses and talent.

Breakouts Round One:

• Designing an Environmental Prototype to Improve the Health of Rural Communities
  • Join Professor Kent Spreckelmeyer from the University of Kansas School of Architecture & Design as he explores innovative strategies to rejuvenate small-town main streets by integrating state-of-the-art health care facilities. Drawing from his collaborative work with KU alumnus and HDR design director Tom Trenolone, Professor Spreckelmeyer will discuss how consolidating dispersed resources into centralized downtown locations can serve as economic catalysts and community hubs. Their award-winning design for Haxtun, Colorado, exemplifies this approach by repurposing existing Main Street buildings and introducing new structures to create a vibrant, health-focused community center. This session will delve into redefining rural health beyond traditional medical services, emphasizing community well-being and revitalization.
• Enhancing Public Dialogue
  • Navigating difficult conversations in public service requires more than just patience—it demands a structured approach to engagement. This session explores how our brains react to conflict, why individuals hold strong emotional responses to community issues, and how to apply a conversation model that fosters productive dialogue. In this brief but practical session we’ll explore techniques for regulating emotions, acknowledging different perspectives without agreeing, and shifting conversations away from confrontation. This session equips public servants, community leaders, and policymakers tools to engage across differences while maintaining dignity and connection.

Breakouts Round Two:

• Regional Solutions: Addressing Short-Term Rentals
  • This session delves into the growing prevalence of short-term rentals (STRs) and their implications for housing markets and community dynamics. Participants will explore regional trends, including findings from a recent MARC survey where 17 out of 43 communities have implemented STR regulations, with an additional nine considering future policies. Key topics include common regulatory components such as ownership requirements, licensing, land-use considerations, occupancy limits, and enforcement mechanisms.
• Fostering Connections: A Community Engagement Model to Enhance Collaboration and Impact
  • a.    While the current political landscape presents significant challenges when it comes to engaging the public, it’s crucial for our communities and our democracy that we find avenues for meaningful engagement where those who participate can see that their involvement matters. This session will highlight the pillars of community engagement, the musts for trust-building in a public process, and the clarity of purpose needed to design meaningful, collaborative public participation. This session aims to provide a foundational roadmap for participation that strengthens community relationships and drives positive change and will include practical examples of methods to foster connections and deepen the potential of community engagement.

• KACM/KCCM Planning and Committee Work
• CPM Alumni Happy Hour 

Perspectives on the Kansas Legislature

• Join League of Kansas Municipalities Executive Director Nathan Eberline and Government Affairs Director Spencer Duncan for a look back at the 2025 Legislative session and the key issues for local government. In addition to the issues, we will discuss how to effectively communicate and collaborate with your legislators.  

Closing Plenary: Building a House with Good Bones: Challenges Faced and Lessons Learned from Local Equity Offices - Nicole Humphrey

• Many local equity offices, as well as positions related to equity in local government, were established over the last five years. This means that individuals in these offices were given the task of developing and stabilizing a new area within their local government. During this presentation we’ll explore the challenges faced and lesson learned from equity offices and equity managers as they worked to navigate this new space, and build a house with good bones.