Events

Update on FCC Rules on Cell Tower Zoning Major topics will be (1) - - The September 2020 Ninth Circuit decision upholding major portions of the FCC’s 2018 Order about 5G and small cell towers in the rights of way, but restoring municipalities’ traditional discretion on aesthetic matters, and (2) - - Two FCC Orders that expand the types of changes to cell towers (notably expansions up to 30 feet outside the current cell site) which municipalities must approve.  In...

What Every Municipal Lawyer Should Know About Recovering Damages for Legacy Environmental Contamination of Municipal Resources Municipalities have long shouldered the burden of managing PCBs, PFAS, MBTE, TCP, Chromium and other contaminants in their drinking water, wastewater and stormwater systems, often spending millions of dollars per year.  This webinar provides an affirmative litigation  framework for local governments to recover damages from the manufacturers, distributors and dischargers of the contaminants, shifting the financial burden away from taxpayers and ratepayers and onto...

Overcoming Legal Hurdles to Changing the Use of Obsolete Municipal Real Estate Facilities:  A Case Study CLE available to Kitchen Sink Subscribers and in some cases to others but fees may apply. Over time, municipal facilities may become obsolete.  Municipalities often face legal obstacles to implementing new uses for those facilities.  A municipal lawyer must find legal routes to help clients enact innovative proposals that transform a facility’s use.  Where real estate assets are involved, the lawyer often must find...

Hot Issues in Technology Contracts A panel of in-house municipal attorneys  from NYC to LA who specialize in technology purchases will share tips for negotiating technology contracts on behalf of a municipality. The panel will discuss topics that are current and relevant now, sharing their experiences negotiating software and technology contracts, with an emphasis on data security and cloud services.  For any municipal attorney who seeks guidance on what to look out for in technology contracts, this presentation is for...

Transit Oriented Development This will be a comparative presentation on how Atlanta has handled transportation-oriented development in their communities. This presentation will explore legal issues associated with this type of development and highlight the benefits of thoughtful planning as it can support economic development. Additional topics may be included. Speaker: Jonathan Hunt

A Look Into the FCC’s Emergency Broadband Benefit Program A new emergency Federal program providing Internet service discounts of $50/$75 a month for low-income households will start before the end of April. It addresses the need these households have for distance learning, telecommuting and telemedicine during the pandemic.  The program was created by Congress in December and implemented by an FCC Order on February 26.  It should interest municipalities, schools, churches, social service agencies and others dealing with households affected...

Women in Law: Where Equality and Equity Exist in Local Government As Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg once said, "Women belong in all places where decisions are being made.  It shouldn’t be that women are the exception."  This three-women-panel of local government attorneys will discuss the transformation of what women in the male-dominated legal field looked like in the past to what women in the field look like now on a structural and policy level.  The presentation will discuss the shift...