The Pennsylvania Municipal League

Foundations of Fiscal Management – Budget Preparation
2026-04-01 09:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York)
TRACK: FINANCIALLength: 3 hoursPrice: Member Registration: $89 per registrant | Non Member Registration: $149 per registrantSend a message to lla@pml.org for group rates of 10 or more registrantsDate: April 1Time: 9 a.m. to Noon

REGISTER NOW

Participants must attend the entire 3-hour session to earn a course certificate.

Build a Strong Financial Foundation for Your Municipality

This practical, engaging course provides a comprehensive guide to developing a municipal budget. Designed for newly elected officials, municipal staff, and anyone involved in local government finance, the session demystifies the budgeting process and equips participants with the knowledge needed to make responsible financial decisions.

Through interactive discussion, real-world examples, and hands-on activities, participants will explore the core principles of fiscal management and how they directly inform the creation of a sound municipal budget. The course also covers the legal and statutory framework that governs financial oversight, the roles and responsibilities of municipal officials, and the revenue sources and financial challenges unique to local government. Whether you are new to municipal budgeting or looking to sharpen your skills, this session provides the tools, terminology, and guidance needed to support long-term fiscal health in your community.

Key Topics Include:

What fiscal management means for local governments

Legal and statutory requirements for municipal financial oversight

The step-by-step budget development process

Primary revenue sources and common financial pitfalls

Strategies for cost savings and revenue enhancement

Who Should Attend:

Local government officials, finance staff, newly elected officials, municipal managers, and anyone involved in budget planning or fiscal oversight.

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

Define core fiscal management concepts and responsibilities

Identify the legal requirements for managing municipal finances

Describe the major components and phases of a municipal budget

Identify primary municipal revenue sources

Recognize opportunities for cost savings and revenue improvement

Apply fundamental municipal budgeting principles

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. Please review when received. If you do not receive an email, it may be in your spam folder.

CANCELLATION & NO-SHOW POLICY:Cancellation must be received in writing to lla@pml.org within 72 hours prior to a class to be considered for a full refund.

If cancellation is received after the 72-hour window, a processing fee will be applied for a portion of the refund.

Those who do not cancel or attend forfeit the full registration fee.

Municipal HR Best Practices
2026-04-07 00:00 - 2026-04-08 23:59
TRACK: MANAGEMENTLength: 6 hoursPrice: Member Registration: $139 per registrant | Non Member Registration: $199 per registrantSend a message to lla@pml.org for group rates of 10 or more registrantsDate: April 7 & 8, 2026Time: 9 a.m. to noon both days

REGISTER NOW

Participants must attend both 3-hour sessions to earn a course certificate.

PLEASE NOTE: This course is interactive to give you the best learning experience possible. It will be conducted via Zoom. You will need to be able to: Raise your hand, mute/unmute, use chat.

Description:

Our employees are our most valued asset and most important strength. Managing human capital is just as important as managing financial capital and therefore should be given the same priority (if not more).

Today local government professionals are being asked to do more with less, wearing many hats like the municipal manager, municipal secretary, Finance and HR, etc. Whether you are a new HR professional to municipal management or perform HR responsibilities in a non-typical HR role this is the ideal session for you.

This practical, interactive course equips you with essential HR skills and knowledge, covering best practices from transactional tasks to transformational strategies. You will learn to manage core HR responsibilities using ready-to-use tools such as checklists, templates, job descriptions, performance evaluations, employee handbooks, and policies. Beyond the basics, the course emphasizes the importance of employee engagement and a positive organizational culture. You will explore how to foster a safe, inclusive, and respectful workplace—one that encourages open, ongoing communication grounded in fairness, compassion, civility, accountability, and mutual trust.

These topics offer an overview of human resources management in local government, focusing on leadership and guidance to foster creativity and innovation. Through effective programs, policies, and practices, they promote performance excellence, diversity, equity, inclusion, quality outcomes, and legal compliance. The goal is to cultivate a workplace where employees are agile, resilient, and empowered to face challenges, feel a sense of belonging, and express their authentic selves.

Key Topics:

Employee relations

Recruitment and retention strategies

Performance management

Compliance with employment law

Disciplinary actions, documentation, and appeals

Proactive measures to prevent issues

Who should attend: Municipal supervisory and management staff, HR Professionals, as well as elected, newly elected, and appointed officials

At the end of this course, you can expect to be able to:

Build and maintain positive relationships between your municipality and its employees

Attract and hire qualified candidates, as well as list strategies to retain top talent

Describe the elements of a performance management system

Locate resources to ensure that all HR practices adhere to local, state, and federal employment laws

List the procedures for addressing employee misconduct or performance issues.

Recognize the importance of developing and implementing policies and practices to prevent HR-related problems before they arise

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. Please review when received. If you do not receive an email, it may be in your spam folder.

CANCELLATION & NO-SHOW POLICY:Cancellation must be received in writing to lla@pml.org within 72 hours prior to a class to be considered for a full refund.

If cancellation is received after the 72-hour window, a processing fee will be applied for a portion of the refund.

Those who do not cancel or attend forfeit the full registration fee.

Free Webinar - This is Not a Drill: A Leader’s Guide to Ransomware and Community Resilience
2026-04-16 11:00 - 12:30
Lunch & Learn Webinar Series

TRACK: MANAGEMENTLength: 1.5 hourPrice: Free to members and non-membersDate: April 16, 2026Time: 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

REGISTER NOW

Description:

When ransomware struck a local municipality, the experience became a lesson every local government leader needs to hear. In This Is Not a Drill, we break down how attacks like this unfold, why small municipalities have become prime targets, and what three areas of protection every official should be asking about today. The session ends with real questions you can bring straight to your IT team.

Key Points:

The Anatomy of a Crisis: A non-technical breakdown of a recent municipal attack including the ripple effect.

The Myth of “Too Small to Target”: Why small-to-medium municipalities are now the primary targets for cyber-extortion and what that could mean for you.

The 3 Pillars of Protection: A high-level look at the essential “Safety Nets” (like Multi-Factor Authentication and Immutable Backups) that every official should verify are in place today.

Leading Through the Noise: How to ask your IT team the right questions to ensure your community is prepared, not just “compliant.”

By registering for this webinar, you are authorizing the League Learning Academy to forward information to you at your email address related to educational offerings.

Public Procurement & Bidding Essentials for Municipal Officials
2026-04-21 00:00 - 2026-04-22 23:59
TRACK: ADMINISTRATIVELength: 6 hoursPrice: Member Registration: $139 per registrant | Non Member Registration: $199 per registrantSend a message to lla@pml.org for group rates of 10 or more registrantsDate: April 21 & 22, 2026Time: 9 a.m. to Noon both days

REGISTER NOW

Participants must attend both 3-hour sessions to earn a course certificate.

PLEASE NOTE: This course is interactive to give you the best learning experience possible. It will be conducted via Zoom. You will need to be able to: Raise your hand, mute/unmute, and use chat.

Course Description

This course provides a practical and comprehensive introduction to public procurement and bidding processes within local government operations. Designed for municipal staff and procurement professionals, it covers the principles, procedures, and legal foundations essential to conducting fair, efficient, and compliant procurement activities.

Participants will explore key topics such as drafting bid specifications, conducting competitive solicitations, evaluating bids, and awarding contracts. Emphasis is placed on transparency, ethics, and regulatory compliance, with insights into navigating common challenges and applying best practices in public purchasing.

Case studies and real-world examples will be used to illustrate common challenges and strategies for ensuring compliance and transparency.

Key Topics:

Key Statutes and Regulations

Procurement Cycle

Competitive bidding requirements

Bid specifications

Bid evaluation and contract awards

Ethical considerations in municipal purchasing

Who should attend:

Municipal Secretaries

Treasurers

Clerks

Administrators

Auditors

Elected officials and Newly elected officials

At the end of the course, you can expect to be able to:

List the key statues and regulations for municipal bidding and purchasing

Describe the steps in the procurement cycle

Draft clear and effective bid specifications

Evaluate vendor submissions using objective criteria

Execute contract awards in accordance with local laws and guidelines

Promote integrity and transparency throughout the procurement process

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. Please review when received. If you do not receive an email, it may be in your spam folder.

CANCELLATION & NO-SHOW POLICY:Cancellation must be received in writing to lla@pml.org within 72 hours prior to a class to be considered for a full refund.

If cancellation is received after the 72-hour window, a processing fee will be applied for a portion of the refund.

Those who do not cancel or attend forfeit the full registration fee.
