From Agenda to Action: Running Productive Municipal Meetings

Instructor:  Ben Estell

Benjamin Estell is a leader in cooperative government and regional collaboration, serving as Executive Director of a Council of Governments. He previously served for nearly a decade as Borough Manager of Dormont, Pennsylvania, and seven years as Service‑Safety Director for East Liverpool, Ohio. Benjamin is known for building consensus, leading through uncertainty, and developing solutions that serve diverse stakeholders with professionalism and trust.

This session is designed to be interactive. To encourage open discussion and active participation, this session will not be recorded. Come prepared to turn on your camera, share your thoughts, and participate in the conversation. Your experiences and insights will help make the learning meaningful for everyone.

Course Description

Lead in Service to Your Community—Create Meetings That Inform, Engage, and Deliver Results

This hands-on course equips council members, clerks, and municipal administrators with practical tools to lead meetings that are efficient, transparent, and legally sound. Through interactive modules, real‑world scenarios, and applied exercises, participants learn how to prepare strategically and navigate key legal requirements.

The course also builds skills in facilitating inclusive, productive discussions, managing conflict and ethical challenges, and documenting decisions to ensure accountability.  Participants will be prepared to lead municipal meetings that build public trust, encourage meaningful participation, and support effective governance.

Key Topics

• Planning and Preparation
• Roles and responsibilities
• Municipal Meeting Requirements
• Running the Meeting
• Decision Making
• Documentation and Follow-up

Who Should Attend

This course is designed for local government professionals who play a role in planning, conducting, or supporting municipal meetings. Ideal participants include:

• Elected officials
• Municipal clerks
• Administrative staff
• Chairs and board members
• Newly elected officials

By the end of this course, participants can expect to be able to:

1. Explain why effective municipal meetings matter and what undermines them
2. Prepare effective meetings with clear goals, participants, and materials
3. Comply with legal and procedural requirements for public meetings
4. Lead meetings confidently using facilitation, time management, and conflict skills
5. Document decisions clearly and ensure follow‑through
6. Demonstrate professional meeting leadership that builds public trust

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Registration

• Send a message to lla@pml.org for group rates for 10 or more registrants
• By registering for this course, you are authorizing the League Learning Academy to forward information to you at your email address related to educational offerings.
• Once your registration is completed, you should receive a confirmation email from The PA Municipal League. It contains the zoom link to the course. If you do not receive an email, check your spam folder.
• Participants must attend the entire 3-hour session to earn a course certificate.

Cancellation & No‑Show Policy

• Cancellations must be submitted in writing at least 72 hours before the class to receive a full refund.
• Cancellations after 72 hours may receive a partial refund, minus a processing fee.
• No‑shows or failure to cancel will forfeit the full registration fee