New technology, community engagement highlighted at annual TML conference

KILLEEN, Texas (Oct. 11, 2024) - New technology, community engagement and investing in employees were highlighted at the annual Texas Municipal League (TML) conference in Houston from Oct. 9-11.

Mayor Debbie Nash-King, Councilwoman Nina Cobb, Councilman Riakos Adams and City Manager Kent Cagle, along with various City staff attended the conference, which aims to share best practices promote networking and better equip civil servants across the state.

The event is attended by more than 3,800 city officials, community leaders and municipal professionals, who participate in dozens of plenaries and workshops, and view more than 400 exhibitor organizations from across the nation, showcasing the latest technology and resources available to municipalities.

"One of my favorite sessions was the opening keynote address by an amazing speaker, Johnny Taylor, Jr., who spoke on how community leaders can maximize their role in shaping the workforce and nurture talent, as well as how we can steer our city through the complexities of the business landscape," Mayor Debbie Nash-King said. "He focused on leveraging the many talents of the City employees to benefit from the full potential of the City's most valuable asset."

Plenary topics included investing in human capital in our workforce, cultivating a healthy work environment, the economic importance of arts and culture to communities of all sizes, strategies to fund downtown arts initiatives and development and best practices from across Texas for investing in the arts, laws affecting public sector employment, neighborhood programs that build community engagement and better serve residents, how AI is transforming economic development, tourism and community engagement, raising money to fund infrastructure and public projects, ethical leadership, securing water for the future, smart city tools, emergency response tactics for active attacks, solutions for challenges faced in modern public works, preparing for rapid Texas growth, road repair process savings, help for first responders, closing the affordability gap and cybersecurity.

Sessions also included a Texas Legislative update on what issues the 89th session are likely to prioritize, effective ways for city council and staff to communicate, policymaking procedures and how to make council meetings more efficient.

City Manager, Kent Cagle, sat on a panel that explored the benefits and issues of public comment and how to properly address them.

"These workshops create a platform for building relationships, exchanging ideas and learning from the successes and challenges of others," City Manager, Kent Cagle, said. "It's also the perfect opportunity to energize collaboration, get a refresh on perspectives, and reignite everyone's passion for public service with invigorating professional development. Lastly, I appreciate how the best practices offered can strengthen council and staff working relationships."

For more information on the Texas Municipal League Conference, citizens can visit TMLconference.org.