The Municipal Association of South Carolina’s Small Cities Summit will return Wednesday, August 13, at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center, examining many of the key issues and challenges faced by small municipalities in South Carolina.
The one-day meeting includes conference sessions and a lunch. Because of the meeting’s focus, the Association gives registration preference to those cities and towns with populations of fewer than 3,000 residents.
Here’s some of what’s in store for the day:
- Procurement and ethics – Handling procurement efficiently and ethically is a critical enough issue that SC Code Section 11-35-5320 requires all cities and towns to “adopt ordinances or procedures embodying sound principles of appropriately competitive procurement.” This session will explore ethics pitfalls, such as what to do when a vendor is owned by a municipal official, staff member, or a family member of elected officials or staff.
- Money mistakes – Avoiding fraud can involve security steps like callback procedures for invoices as well as dual-authorization requirements for payments. This session will cover how to avoid common risks and problems.
- Budgeting and audits – This session will consider financial reporting processes required by the state, as well as important practices such as providing monthly financial statements to the city or town council. It will also address forensic audits, and how to weigh their practicality and cost effectiveness against those of a traditional audit.
- Agency resource hall – Learn about resources that can benefit smaller municipalities, such as those from the SC Department of Administration’s Office of Digital Government Services, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development or the U.S. Small Business Administration.
The registration deadline for the Small Cities Summit is Friday, July 31. Find all details online.