The County Connections Webinar Series is an engaging and informative online platform that brings together county officials, community leaders, and stakeholders from across the state of Florida. This dynamic series serves as a hub for sharing knowledge, fostering collaboration, and addressing critical issues relevant to Florida's counties.
The ICG Webinar Archive includes more than 60 webinars covering a broad range of county topics, including, transportation planning; resiliency; cybersecurity; economic development; water resources; rural broadband access; emergency management, among others. All webinars are free and are provided as a service to the counites and general public.
Contracts & COIs: What Public Entities Get Wrong, and How to Fix It
October 14, 2025
This session reveals the most common and costly mistakes public entities make when relying on contracts and certificates of insurance (COIs) for liability protection - missteps that often result in denied claims and unexpected financial exposure. Many agencies assume they’re protected, only to discover gaps caused by vague contract language, outdated insurance requirements, or deceptive policy exclusions. Drawing on decades of hands-on experience in risk management and expert witness testimony, David Clovis delivers practical, legally-grounded strategies to close those gaps. Attendees will learn how to strengthen risk transfer through better contract language, identify red flags in insurance documents, and verify compliance beyond surface-level COIs. The session ultimately equips professionals to reduce risk, avoid litigation, and ensure insurance policies respond when it matters most.
Land Application of Biosolids and Their Environmental Impacts: A Report from 1000 Friends of Florida
September 8, 2025
Biosolids are the nutrient-rich, organic materials resulting from the treatment of domestic sewage. The land application of biosolids in Florida is a subject of significant debate due to environmental, health and regulatory concerns. Recently, 1000 Friends of Florida undertook a study to increase public understanding of the potential health, environmental and socioeconomic implications of the transfer and land application of biosolids within Florida. To learn more about this topic and the study’s findings, please join us for this informative webinar and hear from experts who participated in the research.
Exploring NOAA'S Digital Coast - Tools for coastal management
May 20, 2025
Florida’s coastal communities are on the front lines of climate change, sea level rise, increased storm intensity, and environmental degradation. Finding the right resources to address these challenges can be difficult. This webinar introduces participants to NOAA's Digital Coast, a web-based platform for sharing data, tools, and training that support coastal communities in mitigating hazard impacts and building resilience. Join us as staff from NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management provide a tour of the Digital Coast, then dive deeper into several resources that can be used to plan for and recover from coastal hazards impacts.
Beyond Maintenance: Transforming Infrastructure with Enterprise Asset Management (EAM)
May 11, 2025
In this video, FAC corporate partner Jones Edmonds addresses an issue that touches every county resident whether they realize it or not – namely local infrastructure. Whether we are talking about roads, parks, stormwater drainage, or water distribution lines, these county-owned assets are critical to a community’s well-being. This is where Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) can help counties by creating certainty in service, affordability in operations, and confidence in planning. At its core, EAM is a comprehensive approach to managing an organization's physical assets throughout their lifecycle -- from planning and acquisition to disposal.
Amazon Business Prime
May 7, 2025
The Florida Association of Counties announces a new partnership with Amazon Business. Exclusive to member Counties and their departments, receive free Business Prime and special Government pricing on thousands of essential products. Existing Prime members will receive a pro-rated refund when upgrading your account with FAC’s benefit code. With Amazon Business Prime’s fast and free shipping, you now have one less thing to worry about! Don't miss out on this opportunity.
County Roles and Responsibilities in Environmental Law
December 15, 2024
Extending Pavement Life: Best Practices for Road Preservation
October 2, 2024
Maintaining road infrastructure is crucial to ensuring a safe and efficient transportation system. For most counties, funding for road improvements, such as capacity expansion, is generally limited. In fact, in a previous study by FAC, it reported that more than 75% of county transportation budgets are dedicated to maintenance rather than new construction. This means counties have a vested interest in maintaining the facilities they already have. In this module, Chris Evers with the Florida Pavement Preservation Councils discusses how a well-structured road maintenance and preservation program can extend the life of county roads, while saving money in the long run.
Understanding Substantial Damage/Substantial Improvement under the National Flood Insurance Program
October 1, 2024
One of the objectives of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is to prevent repetitive flood losses to structures. In order to mitigate the risk to repetitive loss structures, the NFIP established substantial improvement and substantial damage (SI/SD) requirements. Substantial damage refers to damage of any origin sustained by a structure whereby the cost of restoring the structure to its before damaged condition would equal or exceed 50 percent of the market value of the structure before the damage occurred. This webinar was developed by the Florida Division of Emergency Management and is designed to help local officials, building professionals, and property owners understand the key requirements of the rule and how it applies to properties located in flood-prone areas.
The ADA Compliance Playbook: What County Leaders Need to Know
September 8, 2024
On April 8, 2024 the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the release of a final rule which seeks implementation of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on web-based government services provided by state and local governments. While the new rule does not go into effect until 2026 or 2027, depending on the size of your county, there are many changes that most counties will need to make in order to comply with the new requirements. Rather than continuing to build new processes and communications in the old model, this webinar discusses what counties can do today to make the transition easier, legally compliant, and provide meaningful access to those who need it. Polimorphic, a FAC corporate partner, builds upon their A.I. work in this presentation to show how counties can meet the new requirements under the established timelines.
It’s Hurricane Season: Is Your County Prepared?
August 23, 2024
As hurricanes become more frequent and intense, Florida’s counties are on the frontline of these devastating storms, creating unique challenges for local officials. Fortunately, Florida has one of the best emergency management systems in the nation. Presented to ICG’s ACC Alumni during FAC’s Annual Conference, this workshop offers a primer on Florida’s emergency management system. By walking through a disaster scenario, the presenter explores and discusses the actions local officials can take to ensure they provide an adequate response for their communities.
Target Zero: A Conversation with Melissa Wandell
June 10, 2024
As a follow-up to our guest webinar on Target Zero, we speak with Melissa Wandall, where she expands on several of the issues highlighted in her video. Among these, she discusses the underlying precursoros of distracted driving and how they can be ameliorated; how targeting a specific cohort of distracted drivers can help all drivers; and, how, counties can play a pivotal role in furthering the goals of Target Zero.
A Powerful Partnership: Target Zero, Vision Zero and YOU!
June 10, 2024
Target Zero and Vision Zero both aim to eradicate ALL traffic-related fatalities and injuries. This webinar offers valuable insights into how Target Zero advances safety programs and campaigns beyond the scope of Florida's laws. It clarifies how the initiative seeks to proactively address identified dangerous-driver behaviors to prevent crashes resulting in serious injuries and fatalities within our state. Presented by Melissa Wandall, a national speaker and advocate for traffic safety, the webinar provides insights of her personal narrative, which profoundly influences both her life and her advocacy journey.
Budgeting Made Easy: ClearGov – 2024
June 06, 2024
Budgeting season is here and we want this year's budgeting process to be your best yet! Join ClearGov as we reveal the top tips for creating a seamless budgeting process.
We'll dive into the best practices for departmental collaboration, forecasting, scenario modeling, capital planning, budget communication, and more. You will learn how to streamline your budgeting approach, eliminate spreadsheet errors and version control issues, and improve budget transparency.
AI in County Government: Polimorphic – 2024
April 30, 2024
A.I. is all the talk now; but how can you actually leverage it in your county in a controlled manner? In this webinar, we hear from Parth Shah, CEO & Co-Founder at Polimorphic, whose company has helped over 40 local governments use generative A.I. to provide constituents with better customer service by replacing physical-based workflows with digital ones. The result is higher customer satisfaction, decreased workload for employees, and a positive financial ROI for the local government.
NACo Federal Updates – 2024
March 21, 2024
As congress edges toward a partial government shutdown, we are joined by Eryn Hurley, Legislative Director for the National Association of Counties, to discuss the final funding proposals in the last "mini bus" for 2024.
ACC Alumni Program – 2023
September 20, 2023
For the 2023 Advanced County Commissioner (ACC) Alumni program, Craig Fugate was invited to address key leadership issues for county officials in the emergency management arena. Mr. Fugate was the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency from 2009 – 2017, overseeing the Federal Government’s response to multiple major disasters, including Super Storm Sandy, Hurricane Mathew, and the Joplin tornadoes. Prior to FEMA, Mr. Fugate served as Director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM), serving as the Florida State Coordinating Officer for 11 Presidentially-declared disasters. In 2004, he managed the largest federal disaster response in Florida history as four major hurricanes impacted the state in quick succession: Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne.
Getting to Know UF/IFAS
August 10, 2023
The University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is a federal, state, and county partnership dedicated to developing knowledge in agriculture, human and natural resources, and the life sciences and to making that knowledge accessible to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. UF/IFAS Extension brings the power of UF's research and education to every county in Florida. This short video is hosted by Dr. Nathan Palardy, Assistant Professor at UF/IFAS, and provides a brief history and overview of UF/IFAS Extension and its role in Florida’s 67 Counties.
Weathering the Storm: Planning for Resiliency
June 5, 2023
JonesEdmunds teamed up with the Florida Association of Counties for a comprehensive webinar on preparing for unpredictable weather. Join Justin Gregory (Vice President), and Mark Nelson (Senior Consultant) at JonesEdmunds, to learn how your county can take the proper steps to protect the lives of citizens.
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Maximizing the Impact of Opioid Settlement Funding
April 13, 2023
Indelible Solutions teamed up with the Florida Association of Counties for a comprehensive webinar on effective utilization of opioid settlement funding. Join Shamarial Roberson, DrPH, MPH, President of Health and Human Services at Indelible Solutions, to learn how your county can maximize the impact of funding received from the legislature and explore Indelible’s service offerings designed to help you make the most of this critical opportunity.
Public Notice Compliance
Apri 5, 2023
Due to a recent change in statute, there are new options for placing and publishing public notices throughout Florida. Column can help you navigate the complexities of each option through software and expertise. Save time and money while providing transparency to the public through Column’s software.
Introducing the State of Florida Cybersecurity Grant Program for Local Governments
January 31, 2023
Whole of State Cybersecurity is a collaborative effort between State government, Local government, and education to protect the citizens, individual municipalities, and the state, as a whole, from cybersecurity threat s. In 2020 the Florida Legislature created the Florida Digital Service (FLDS) to help strengthen cybersecurity defenses across the state. After starting with a comprehensive program for the State Agencies, FLDS is now shifting resources to Florida's local governments through the $30M Local Cybersecurity Grant Program funded in House Appropriation 2944A. View and share this Florida Association of Counties webinar to learn more about the State's digital defenses, this grant program, and how your county can leverage them. The discussion will be led by former County Chief Information Officer, Chris Cruz, and the State of Florida Chief Information Officer, James Grant. Mr. Cruz will share his experiences from the frontlines of securing a county, including interesting insights into the social, technical and political impact of his work. He will also be joined by State CIO, James Grant, who leads the Florida Digital Service and is making great strides in the effort to create a comprehensive cyber security program across the State. In addition to hearing about the State's cybersecurity strategy and specifics of the Local Government Grant program, Mr. Grant will also share how FLDS will partner with the counties.
County Roles in Economic Development
June 1, 2022
To create communities that are safe, healthy, and vibrant, county governments often invest significant time and resources in local economic development. While local needs and circumstances dictate how individual counties approach this issue, most collaborate with community partners and strive to assist small businesses, including minority-owned businesses. One entity that has been successful in this effort is the Tallahassee-Leon County Office of Economy Vitality (OEV). A new model in collective economic development, the Tallahassee-Leon County OEV was created in 2016 within the consolidated Department of Planning, Land Management, and Community Enhancement (PLACE). This department operates as an Intergovernmental Agency, whose Board is composed of the Tallahassee City Commission and the Leon County Commission. The OEV is the front door to business solutions through a collaborative network that fosters entrepreneurship, advances local businesses, grows targeted industry sectors, provides access to world-class resources in applied sciences, and attracts innovative companies to the community.
Public Notice Compliance
Apri 5, 2023
Due to a recent change in statute, there are new options for placing and publishing public notices throughout Florida. Column can help you navigate the complexities of each option through software and expertise. Save time and money while providing transparency to the public through Column’s software.
Navigating the Waters of HB53: Stormwater and Wastewater 20-year Needs Analyses
February 2, 2022
See FAC’s Rural Caucus and JonesEdmunds webinar focused on the implementation of HB53 which requires the Office of Economic & Demographic Research (EDR) to include an analysis of the expenditures necessary to repair, replace, and expand water-related infrastructure in its annual assessment of Florida's water resources and conservation lands. This is the first webinar for the 2022 FAC Rural Caucus Webinar Series focused on Infrastructure.
Conversation with Representative Chip Lamarca
December 5, 2021
Join Representative Chip Lamarca, in a conversation on what's happening in the Florida Legislature with Eric Poole. Rep. Lamarca represents the state's 100th House District which includes parts of Broward County.
The Future of Water Resource Funding in Florida: Options and Opportunities
November 10, 2021
During the 2021 FAC Innovation & Policy Conference, the WES Policy Committee moved to adopt WES-PP-07 to support state policies allowing for local governments to establish local water commissions. The goal of this framework is to improve the coordination of local water projects that can support and supplement regional and state water resource initiatives.
Join ICG and members of FAC’s Water and Environmental Sustainability (WES) Policy Committee to discuss: The Future of Water Resource Funding in Florida: Options and Opportunities. Frank Bernardino (Anfield Consulting) and John Kaliski (Cambridge Systematics) will highlight water and transportation spending and the accompanied planning processes at the local and state level. The webinar will discuss Florida’s water infrastructure goals and offer options to address Florida’s growing water needs.
FEMA and the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP): Risk Rating 2.0
November 2, 2021
The NFIP is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and allows property owners in participating communities to buy insurance to protect against flood losses. Under federal law, the purchase of flood insurance is mandatory for all federal or federally related financial assistance, including home mortgage loans, for the acquisition and/or construction of buildings in high-risk flood areas (Special Flood Hazard Areas or SFHAs). Florida is an important state within the NFIP, as it holds one-third of all policies nationwide (1.77 million out of 5.5 million). According to the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM), Florida policy holders pay more than $940 million annually into the NFIP and, since 1978, have received over $4.1 billion in flood claims.
Over the past several years, numerous changes have been made to the NFIP, particularly as they relate to premiums and how properties are rated for risk. The most recent change when into effect on October 1, 2021. Specifically, FEMA has updated its risk rating methodology through the implementation of a new pricing methodology called Risk Rating 2.0. According to FEMA, the methodology leverages industry best practices and cutting-edge technology to enable the agency to deliver rates that are actuarily sound, equitable, easier to understand and better reflect a property’s flood risk. This webinar provides and overview of the NFIP and how the new Risk Rating 2.0 will affect Florida and Florida Counties.
Understanding the Property Tax Assessment Process in Florida
September 14, 2021
Join Tim Wilmath, the Chief Appraiser at the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser's Office, for a webinar which will cover important facts about the property tax assessment system in Florida. It will include an overview of the important dates and timeline, a brief history of property tax in Florida, the responsibility of the property appraiser and the duties the property appraiser performs. We will also discuss the methods the property appraiser uses to determine ownership, apply exemptions and set values. The presentation will cover the differences between market, assessed and taxable values and explain an overview of the various caps on assessments in Florida. We will also cover the most common exemptions, including homestead and portability (the ability to transfer cap savings to a different property). We will also briefly cover Agricultural classifications and personal property assessments. Lastly, we will discuss the appeals process. You won't want to miss this informative webinar.
Supporting Economic Development in Florida
June 2, 2021
The webinar is designed to illustrate how Florida’s counties can work with the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) and Florida’s Regional Planning Councils (RPCs) serving as the EDA-designated Economic Development Districts to help them build the capacity for economic development based on local conditions and needs. Learn how EDA’s grant investments in planning, technical assistance and infrastructure construction are designed to leverage regional assets to support the implementation of economic development strategies that make it easier for businesses to start and grow. Economic resiliency, EDA’s grant process and current grant funding opportunities including the American Rescue Plan will be discussed within the context of locally driven, community-supported approaches to create the foundation for high-quality job growth and private sector investment.
Who’s on First? Navigating, Understanding, & Complying with Federal COVID Funding
May 26, 2021
This webinar will provide an overview Federal funding related to COVID and Recovery, including CARES Act, ARPA, and FEMA, the unique requirements for each fund, and the different sets of compliance applicable to each fund. It will examine the interplay among the funds, how to avoid duplication of benefits, and appropriate funding uses. Finally, the session provide insight on the Federal audit and oversight process, discuss common audit findings, and how to maximize funding while reducing risk of clawbacks and deobligations.
Disaster Response Bootcamp for County Commissioners - The County's Role in Emergency Management
May 14, 2021
The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season was like no other. Not only did it produce 30 named storms, but the United States suffered 12 direct hits. Forecasters had to turn to the rarely used Greek alphabet for only the second time in history to name tropical systems. While NOAA will issue its outlook for the 2021 hurricane season in late May, forecasters at Colorado State University are projecting 17 named storms, including 8 hurricanes. In view of this, Florida’s counties will once again be on the front line and its emergency management systems will be put to the test.
Innovating County Government: How Miami-Dade County Modernizes Services
May 12, 2021
Governments across the country are continuously taking steps to innovate services for their communities. However, these innovation efforts can often be difficult to get off the ground - where do you start? Join Miami-Dade county and Qualtrics in a discussion about how Miami-Dade is innovating their programs in a variety of different ways, including listening to resident feedback, automating service delivery, and streamlining internal workflows.
Disaster Response Bootcamp for County Commissioners - The State’s Role in Emergency Management
May 7, 2021
The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season was like no other. Not only did it produce 30 named storms, but the United States suffered 12 direct hits. Forecasters had to turn to the rarely used Greek alphabet for only the second time in history to name tropical systems. While NOAA will issue its outlook for the 2021 hurricane season in late May, forecasters at Colorado State University are projecting 17 named storms, including 8 hurricanes. In view of this, Florida’s counties will once again be on the front line and its emergency management systems will be put to the test. To prepare for the upcoming season, FAC’s Institute for County Government (ICG) has organized an informal learning program for county commissioners during the month of May.
Be sure to watch this informative webinar featuring Kevin Guthrie, Deputy Director, Florida Division of Emergency Management discussing "The State’s Role in Emergency Management."
Looking to the Future: Counties & Emergency Management
March 31, 2021
The Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) plays a well-known role across the state, working day-and-night to ensure that Florida is prepared to respond to emergencies, recover from them, and mitigate impacts. In the age of COVID-19, counties collaboration with FDEM provides a vital life-line for our communities more than ever.
Rural Broadband Solutions Webinar
March 24, 2021
Founded in 2002, Inspired Technologies is an industry leader in technology support. Inspired specializes in IT support and consulting for county government/city/law enforcement, wireless technologies, 4GLTE/5G installations and support for T-Mobile, Sprint, AT&T, and Verizon, microwave installation, fiber construction, inside and outside plant engineering for internet service providers, and infrastructure cabling for Cat5/Cat6 cabling.
Zack Dunlap is the Vice President of Business Development for Inspired Technologies Inc. and manages the Florida Association of Counties Managed IT Services Program on behalf of Inspired Technologies.
Planning for the $1.9T American Rescue Plan and Emergency Rental Assistance Program Implementation Strategies
March 9, 2021
Witt O’Brien’s and Unqork will present information on the $1.9T American Rescue Plan and explain various approaches to Emergency Rental Assistance Program implementation.
Redistricting County Commissions in 2021
February 25, 2021
The Florida Constitution and Statutes require the Board of County Commissioners to divide the county into districts that are nearly equal in population after each decennial census. 2020 census data will be available later this year. The webinar will review the redistricting requirements and offer insights into best practices so that the process may be implemented in an efficient and effective manner.
For more information, please go to www.ksanet.net
Best Practices - Polk County: Helping HANDS
February 24, 2021
Challenged with mentally ill inmates cycling through jail, Polk County developed Helping HANDS. The program uses the Assess, Plan, Identify and Coordinate(APIC) jail transition model unconventionally, staffing Community Paramedics alongside Recovery Peer Specialists to engage inmates and assist them with community reentry. The program ensures participants engage in treatment, receive medications and connect with social services resulting in reduced arrests, crisis admissions, and inappropriate use of EMS. Breaking down barriers, partnerships include Polk County Sheriffs’ Office, Fire Rescue, Health and Human Services, jail healthcare providers and behavioral health providers who share information and data. Early results show improvements in fewer arrests, EMS calls and emergency room visits.
Aetna - Covid-19 Vaccine Update
February 23, 2021
The surge of COVID-19 has severely impacted the United States both medically and financially; however, the creation of not one but multiple vaccines signifies that help is on the way. The swift and efficient development of the COVID-19 vaccines is an unprecedented scientific revelation, yet hurdles remain. Dr. E. Lee Washington—Senior Medical Director of the Department of Plan Sponsor Insights in Aetna National Accounts—tackles the latest vaccine news, breaking down the clinical efficacy of the various vaccine candidates and what the population can expect from pharmacy distribution, the vaccination experience, and community efforts to alleviate vaccine hesitancy. Register today to receive crucial updates on all things vaccine-related!