The Americans with Disabilities Act Update: The Impact of COVID-19 In this webinar, Jonathan Mook will present an overview of significant ADA developments that occurred in 2021, particularly as they concern the COVID-19 pandemic.  Issues such as whether COVID-19 (and, in particular, long COVID) is a “disability,” the applicability of the ADA’s direct threat defense to COVID-19, incentives an employer may offer employees to get a COVID-19 shot, and whether vaccination status and COVID-19 test results are protected medical information...

Preemption of Local Election Administration CLE available to Kitchen Sink Subscribers and in some cases to others but fees may apply. This session examines state preemption of local authority to administer elections on the impact that is having in key battleground states. Following the thoroughly discredited claims of election fraud in the 2020 election, several states have implemented policies to take authority away from local election boards, restrict ballot access, redraw district maps to favor candidates of a certain party,...

Material Price Escalation: What This Means to Owners In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the cost of construction labor and material prices have been soaring at record-breaking levels. Construction markets remain competitive as contractors struggle to overcome the challenges of the current market conditions and owners attempt to deal with the added risks from the economic threats. This session will provide an overview of the current market trends, changes to expect in project delivery and contracting methods, and how...

Cell Tower Leasing and Sales This program provides municipalities (and all property owners) with the basics of leasing land for a cell tower or space on a building (or other structure) for cell antennas.  It describes 5G service, why it is being rolled out slowly and why it has little impact on cell lease rental rates or the sales price for cell leases.  It is presented by two attorneys with decades of experience representing municipalities and other property owners on...

This is not an IMLA Webinar and will not offer CLE credits. Since this summer, the Supreme Court has agreed to decide, and has decided, numerous cases involving states and local governments ranging from blockbusters to (more) bread and butter. Topics of cases discussed in this webinar include abortion, First Amendment, state intervention, qualified immunity, the Clean Power Plan, and liability for not reciting Miranda. Join Michael Dreeben, O’Melveny, who is writing the State and Local Legal Center (SLLC) amicus...

Negotiations 101 CLE available to Kitchen Sink Subscribers and in some cases to others but fees may apply. This presentation will outline the steps in preparing for a negotiation, discuss factors to consider in picking a strategy, and demonstrate both how to use and how to counter some of the most common negotiation tactics. Speaker: DeWitt “Mac” McCarley

Secrets and Strategies to Successful Public Construction Projects CLE available to Kitchen Sink Subscribers and in some cases to others but fees may apply. Successful projects – meeting quality, time, budget requirements – can happen if the public owner and the municipal attorney take the proper steps to prepare for design and construction. Without the necessary planning and strategy, public works construction may experience unwanted delays, claims and cost overruns. This session will discuss the underlying causes that threaten successful...

Robocall Me Maybe? Examining Automated Calls by Cities in Light of the FCC’s Broadnet Order on Reconsideration As local governments seek to streamline processes and efficiently utilize funds in continually decreasing budgets, some are turning to automated phone calls and text messages (“robocalls” and “robotexts”) as a cost‐effective option to communicate with citizens. This session discusses the applicable federal laws and regulations that govern automated calls, including the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 as well as the associated FCC...

Creating a System of Police Oversight The City of Austin has had some form of civilian police oversight for 20 years. This presentation will explore the legal issues the city has faced during that time, the changes in civilian oversight that have occurred, and different forms of oversight in other cities that have influenced the City of Austin’s approach. It will explore issues related to the confidentiality of police disciplinary records, anonymous civilian complaints, and labor relations with the Austin...

Regulating Signs & Billboards after Austin v. Reagan CLE available to Kitchen Sink Subscribers and in some cases to others but fees may apply. Reed v. Town of Gilbert (2015) has led to another U.S. Supreme Court case, Austin v. Reagan, a First Amendment decision which may affect the ability of your community to regulate on-premises and off-premises signs (billboards).  Depending on the outcome of the case, thousands of local jurisdictions could have their sign ordinances completely upended, and have...