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Utility Boards Update

Class Date
Thursday, January 29, 2026
Time
01:30 pm
TimeZone
EST
Price
$0.00
Classroom
Online
Class Description
Start the new year with key updates on utility board regulation from the Comptroller’s Office. This session is for water/wastewater utility board members and anyone responsible for managing compliance. Utility Training: 1.0 hour

Elected Officials Academy: Municipal Foundations

Class Date
Tuesday, January 27, 2026
Time
05:00 pm
TimeZone
EST
Price
$0.00
Classroom
Online
Class Description
Cost: $185 (will be invoiced to the city) Register to attend Elected Officials Academy: Municipal Foundations. This program may be delivered virtually or in-person. This program familiarizes municipal elected officials with foundational aspects of municipal governance. Topics cover foundations and structure of municipal government, charters and codes, ethics, open meetings, public records, effective meetings, and municipal finance. Virtual program: The virtual program is divided into three sessions. Completion of all three sessions is required to receive a certificate of completion. Registration in this event automatically registers users into all three sessions. This event is delivered virtually on Zoom. The virtual program is offered annually each winter.  In-person program: The in-person program may be offered in one day and provides 7.5 training hours. Participants must attend the entirety of the program to receive a certificate of completion. The in-person program is offered annually in participation with the Tennessee Municipal League (TML) Annual Conference as a pre-conference session.   For dates and other information visit the website:  https://www.mtas.tennessee.edu/elected-officials-academy 

Discovering Creativity & Innovation in Government

Class Date
Thursday, January 22, 2026
Time
09:30 am
TimeZone
EST
Price
$60.00
Classroom
Online
Class Description
Government agencies must continually improve efficiency, enhance services, and respond to ever-evolving public needs. This seminar is designed to encourage government employees to utilize their creative potential and test innovative solutions in the public sector. • Discover barriers to innovation and learn strategies to overcome them. • Gain insights into the latest innovation frameworks. • Discuss and be inspired by actual examples of innovation in government.

Making the Shift to Leadership

Class Date
Thursday, January 15, 2026
Time
09:00 am
TimeZone
EST
Price
$0.00
Classroom
Knoxville Public Service Department
Address
3131 Morris Avenue
Class Description
Congratulations! You’ve been promoted into your first leadership position. One of the biggest challenges for new leaders is managing the transition from peer to leader and effectively supervising friends and former team members. This session will present some approaches to make the shift from peer to leader easier.

Effective Records Management

Class Date
Wednesday, December 10, 2025
Time
02:00 pm
TimeZone
EST
Price
$60.00
Classroom
Online
Class Description
Struggling to keep track of important records? Uncertain about retention schedules or how to manage requests efficiently and effectively? A chaotic records system can lead to compliance risks and wasted time. This session features expert-led guidance and practical strategies to help you evaluate and optimize your records management system. CMFO CPE: Two hours

IMPACT Series

Class Date
Thursday, December 4, 2025
Time
01:30 pm
TimeZone
EST
Price
$0.00
Classroom
Online
Class Description
MTAS introduced the IMPACT Series in 2022. Presented quarterly, the IMPACT Series draws from Stephen Covey’s time management principle of prioritizing activities that are “important but not urgent” to produce long-term impact. Over the last three years, we have featured a variety of topics and speakers. In 2025, the IMPACT Series will focus on one topic over four sessions. Inspired by the work to attract Blue Oval to West Tennessee and Volkswagen to East Tennessee, the series will provide a high-level overview of the process to take a development project from concept to completion. By the end of the series, municipalities should have a better understanding of what is required to organize the resources, align the key stakeholders and attract new business to support the project’s success. The series is valuable for all municipal officials and staff especially those engaged in economic and community development. Session 2: Assessing and Analyzing Your Project June 5 | Presenter: Jamie Stitt, TN Dept. of Economic and Community Development With a clearly identified potential development project, the real work begins. This session provides a comprehensive look at the due diligence required to evaluate the viability of your project. Session 3: Developing the Business Case September 4 | Presenter:  To Be Confirmed This stage involves developing the business case for your project through comprehensive economic data from workforce statistics to quality-of-life insights like schools, housing and more to craft and communicate your messaging to effectively market your project. Session 4: Ready! Set! Recruit! December 4 | Presenter: Mark Herbison, President, Tipton County Community Development Council If you build it, will they come? To this point, you have invested a lot of time and resources in developing your project. It is imperative to proactively recruit the right business that aligns your project and your community. Learn recruiting tips to bring your project to realization.All sessions are from 1:30-2:30 p.m. ET / 12:30-1:30 p.m. CT via Zoom.

Responsible AI use in Tennessee municipalities: a practical handbook (CityByte)

This MTAS CityByte is available here: https://www.mtas.tennessee.edu/citybyte/responsible-ai-use-tennessee-municipalities-practical-handbook

Have you wondered how artificial intelligence could impact your work in Tennessee local government? This CityByte will introduce you to the essentials of AI, from understanding what it is to applying it in real-world municipal tasks. Whether you're new to AI or looking to deepen your knowledge, this resource will help expose you to AI and how to use it responsibly in your community.

Oglesby, Abb
General
Computer systems--Artificial intelligence
Information technology
Tennessee
Public
12/2/2025

Agenda posting (CityByte)

This MTAS CityByte is available here: https://rise.articulate.com/share/cUJwRU0lCesIcDFsuPXRS-cn7RO1eOzB

Municipal boards are required to post meeting agendas by The Public Meetings Law. This resource gives examples of governing bodies and places to post meeting agendas.

MTAS
General
Meetings
City council--Procedure
Meetings--Planning and management
Tennessee
Public
11/6/2025

Newly elected official’s guide to taking office (CityByte)

You just won an election for your municipal office. Now what? We address some common questions of when and how you take office, who may administer your oath, and what information should be included the oath of office in this document. Sample oath templates for boards, judges and other offices are included for Tennessee municipal use.

In addition to these resources, an MTAS CityByte on the topic is available here: https://rise.articulate.com/share/DcT1KC6L7NuUrEMeHEmSrFCim_drEr7E#/

It covers questions such as when do you take office, who can swear you in, what should be in the oath and what's next.

O'Hara, Stephanie Allen
General
City council--Procedure
City council--Forms
Boards--Laws and regulations
Boards--Municipal
Public
10/20/2021
11/14/2019
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