The Special District Association will hold its 34th Annual Conference September 22-24, 2010 at the Keystone Resort and Conference Center. Planning is already under way and we want member input!

SDA is looking for your ideas on session topics and speakers for the conference. A wide range of topics and speakers are needed, so we encourage members to submit a variety of proposals.

If your district has not already renewed your SDA membership for 2010 now is the time! On time payment of membership dues insures that your district will continue to benefit from SDA membership services including:

There is a great training opportunity being offered by the Emergency Services Public Information Officers of Colorado (ESPIOC) this May 13-14, focusing on crisis communication, media relations and communicating with new technology. The conference, titled “Riding the Waves of Change” will be held at the Vail Cascade Resort.

Special District Association Executive Director Ann Terry, SDA General Counsel Mary Zuchegno and Manager of Public Information Annie Skinner will be participating in the Colorado Municipal League’s Lunch and Learn program on Metropolitan Districts on March 19th, 2010 at 11:30am. This will be a great opportunity to educate attendees on the many contributions metropolitan districts make in the development and growth in Colorado.

At the first Annual 2010 Special District Association Board of Directors meeting, held February 26th, the Board selected its 2010 officers. The new SDA Board Officers are:

The development of social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, You Tube and Blogger have created a set of unique concerns for government entities and corporations alike. How do you protect your districts image and control the flow of information in an era where news is on the internet and around the world in a matter of seconds?

In an attempt to protect against inaccurate or inappropriate information being released into the social media world, many government entities are creating social media guidelines for employees.

Tuesday
• HB 10-1162 Concerns the payment of amounts due under construction contracts, particularly dealing with issues of retainage.
10AM-11AM- Action only on HB 10-1162 in the House Business Affairs and Labor Committee
• HB 10-1107 deals with limitations on the inclusion of agricultural lands within urban renewal areas.
10AM-10:30 AM- HB 10-1107 will be discussed in the Senate State, Veterans & Military Affairs Committee.

The Colorado State Department of Education(CDE) has released the new social studies standards that places a larger emphasis on local government and the need for informed citizenship.

The new standards have presented an opportunity for local government to serve as a resource in the K-12classroom; helping our states youngest citizens understand the importance of local government.

SDA Legislative Consultant, Evan Goulding, testified yesterday in front of the Business Affairs & Labor Committee in opposition of HB 1162 which involves retainage in construction contracts. The bill is sponsored by Rep. John Soper( D-Thornton) and Sen. Bob Bacon (D- Fort Collins).
 

There were many witnesses present to testify against the bill, including representatives from CCI and from the Colorado Contractors Association.

The protection and proper management of water resources has become an increasingly important issue for the State of Colorado. SDA has recently joined together with other concerned associations, including the Colorado Contractors Association, The Colorado Environmental Coalition, Colorado Municipal League, and many others to form Colorado’s Water Infrastructure Network (WIN-CO).