First-Time Attendee

Session handouts will be available ONLY in digital format within the event app. We recommend that you download and/or print the course materials for the sessions you are interested in attending before the conference begins because no physical handouts will be available.

9:00 am - 4:00 pm

*Pre-Conference Workshop #1: NEW! Words That Work: Mastering the Craft of Staff Reports, Agenda Titles, and Meeting Minutes

Stephanie Smith, Best Best & Krieger, LLP

Whether you’re briefing a board, informing the public, or capturing the official record, the words you choose matter. This full-day, pre-conference workshop is designed for clerks, executive assistants, analysts, and other district professionals ready to elevate their writing game and communicate with clarity, credibility, and confidence.

We’ll explore how to write staff reports that tell a compelling story and meet legal, administrative, and policy requirements. You’ll learn how to craft agenda titles and recommended actions that are precise, purposeful, and easy to understand. And when it comes to minutes? This session goes beyond the basics to focus on narrative techniques that ensure your minutes are both accurate and accessible, with just the right tone of neutrality and professionalism.

With hands-on exercises, real-life examples, and peer discussion, you’ll leave with practical tools, sample language, and confidence to write with authority, no matter the audience.

*Optional course, additional fees apply, see registration

9:00 am - 4:00 pm

*Pre-Conference Workshop #2: The Essential IT Toolkit for Board Secretaries and Clerks

Shantaé Hansen, VC3

This workshop is designed specifically for board secretaries serving California's special districts, focusing on essential IT security principles and practical guidance for using common technology tools safely and effectively. Participants will learn how to recognize and prevent cybersecurity threats such as phishing, ransomware, and data breaches, with an emphasis on their role in maintaining secure communications, protecting sensitive records, and upholding public trust. Real world examples will illustrate how even simple mistakes can lead to serious consequences—and how to avoid them.

In addition to cybersecurity fundamentals, the session will cover best practices for using everyday tools like email, cloud storage, video conferencing, and document sharing platforms. The workshop will offer actionable tips to utilize tools more effectively while maintaining essential security to protect sensitive public data. Whether you're tech-savvy or still learning, this session will provide valuable insights and resources to help you confidently manage your digital responsibilities.

*Optional course, additional fees apply, see registration

4:15 - 5:15 pm

CSDA Benefits Bingo

We love maximizing the benefits we offer.  You love winning prizes!  Let’s all do what we love at the Board Secretary / Clerk Conference.  We start with an exploration of membership benefits to make sure your district is taking full advantage of all we provide.  Along the way, you’ll win prizes!

5:30 - 7:00 pm

Registration and Opening Reception

8:30 - 9:45 am

General Session with Brenda Viola: Settle Your Worth and Launch the Life of Your Dreams

Brenda Viola, Author, Speaker, Consultant

"You've been criticizing yourself for years. Why not try approving of yourself and see what happens?" - Louise Hay 

Every person faces moments of self-doubt, insecurity, or imposter syndrome. But when these fear-filled feelings are pervasive, they undermine our ability to be and do more in life.

Until we settle our worth, we’ll settle for LESS in our personal and professional lives. And when we settle our worth, we’ve created a launching pad for our best life."

10:15 am - 12:15 pm

Board Secretary / Clerk Foundations

David Aranda, CSDM, Kensington Police Protection & CSD

The board secretary in a special district plays a multifaceted role that is also one of the most highly visible in the district. Board members, the public, and staff turn to the board secretary as a resource for information and assistance. The board secretary must ensure the district’s compliance with extensive legal requirements, handle contentious situations, respond to the needs of board members and the public, document board activities and decisions, and meet multiple deadlines. Start your first-time attendee journey here, and together we'll explore the job description and role of the clerk, as well as policies and procedures needed for your district to effectively serve its community.

12:15 - 1:15 pm

Networking Luncheon

Sponsored by SDLF

1:30 - 2:45 pm

Staying in Compliance (part one)

Jeff Hoskinson, Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo

As times change, so does the need to re-interpret and review the laws governing special districts. This workshop covers crucial areas of the law as they relate to all types of special districts. Those areas include general compliance, answering specific questions about items such as communications through email, special meetings, economic conflicts of interest, and much more.

2:45 - 3:30 pm

Break and Networking with the Exhibitors

Sponsored by Umpqua Bank

3:30 - 5:00 pm

Advanced Training in the California Public Records Act

Darren Ziegler and Jennifer Ransom, Best Best & Krieger LLP

If you are involved with a special district, you need to understand the scope and application of the California Public Records Act (CPRA) to your agency’s records, including best practices for records retention as well as responding to public records requests. This training is primarily intended for public agency personnel who have some knowledge of and experience with the CPRA, and who are seeking to expand their understanding of the law.  We will cover advanced concepts in the CPRA, including when an applicable exemption may give an agency the right to withhold a particular record or a portion of a record. The presenters will use case studies to take you through the entire process from the initial records request to response options. There will also be updates on recent developments in the interpretation and application of the CPRA.

5:30 - 7:00 pm

Networking Reception

8:30 - 10:00 am

Staying in Compliance (part two)

Jeff Hoskinson, Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo

Keeping up with laws that pertain to special districts is not for the faint of heart, but take courage,today we continue our journey with the Ralph M. Brown Act. You'll learn all there is to know, ranging from the basics to recent developments in the law. This session will end with ample opportunity to ask questions from parts one and two.

10:00 - 10:30 am

Break and Networking with the Exhibitors

10:30 am - 12:00 pm

Best Practices for Taking & Processing Meeting Minutes

Stephanie Smith, Best Best & Krieger LLP

"I Want It On The Record!!!” Every clerk dreads hearing those words when taking meeting minutes and clerking a Board of Director’s Meeting. In this fast-paced and fun session, learn best practices for taking and processing minutes according to Robert’s Rules of Order, and how the clerk can intervene when essential content is missing from the motion. We’ll also cover what should and should not be included in minutes (Hint: Not everything is important) and lastly, how to handle those loquacious Board Members who want every word ever spoken to be recorded for posterity.  Note that this session does not cover the mental task of listening and scribing minutes, but rather, it describes problems that the presenter has encountered in her three decades of working as a Municipal Clerk and training other Clerks throughout California, Oregon, and Alaska.

12:00 - 1:00 pm

Luncheon

1:15 - 2:30 pm

Website Compliance: Everything Board Secretaries Need to Know

Mac Clemmens, Streamline; Derek Cole, Cole Huber, LLP

SB 929, AB 434, AB 2257, SB 272, oh my! The list goes on and on. With so many requirements for special districts, staying compliant can be a bear. Not to worry—in this session, Derek from ColeHuber LLP and Mac from Streamline will walk you through everything you need to know to stay compliant in California. You'll leave with a checklist and learn where to go if you have more information or questions.

2:30 - 2:45 pm

Break and Networking with the Exhibitors

2:45 - 4:00 pm

Understanding Board Member & District Liability Issues

Alison Bassett, Best Best & Krieger LLP

Having a complete understanding of the potential liability issues in your district can prevent problems in the future and even assist with efficiency and communication protocols. This webinar is a discussion of the legal role of the board in the management and operation of a public agency, and the role of individual board members acting within the course and scope of their official duties.

4:00 pm

Graduation: Certificates Awarded

Event Concludes