"There is no more effective lobbying tool than the presence of municipal officials in the Legislative Building." —NCLM General Counsel Andy Romanet
Town Hall Day, the League's annual legislative action day, is Wednesday, May 6, 2009.
Click here
for a pdf of this year's Town Hall Day mailer (pdf)
Online registration has now closed. You may register
onsite on May 6.
Click here for affiliate meeting information
The League's 2009 Town Hall Day, scheduled for Wednesday, May 6, will be a critical opportunity for municipal officials to advocate for their residents. The annual legislative rally is only days before the "crossover" deadline, which means most bills must pass either the House or Senate to remain eligible for consideration. Also, several municipal issues, especially annexation, are expected to be under major legislative scrutiny in early May.
"Town Hall Day always comes at a critical time for us, but this year we especially need a strong turnout if we are to be effective in representing our municipal residents on issues such as annexation, protection of municipal revenue sources and local control over personnel decisions," said NCLM President Jerry Jones, mayor of Morehead City.
"Folks are lined up to seek elimination of our annexation authority, to try to force collective bargaining on cities and towns and to take away our ability to make local decisions at the local level," said Jones. "We need to be at Town Hall Day to discuss fair changes in our annexation statutes, how to ensure that cities and towns will continue to be able to meet the needs of citizens through these economic tough times, and how to preserve authority to make local decisions at the local level. Town Hall Day is a great opportunity for each official to make a positive difference."
Issue
updates and time for legislative visits 
NCLM Executive Director Ellis Hankins said, "Because municipal budgets are strained, this year's Town Hall Day is different. We are not charging any registration fee, and there will not be a lunch or a reception function. NCLM officers want to encourage as many municipal officials to come as possible."
League officials will provide updates on municipal legislative priorities, and legislative leaders will be asked to address attendees. Two briefings will be offered: at 10 a.m. and again at 1:15 p.m. The remainder of the time is open for officials to meet with legislators, attend committee meetings and observe the House and Senate sessions.
No registration fee this year
To keep costs down and enable more officials to attend, there is no registration fee for Town Hall Day this year. There will not be a lunch or reception for this reason. Officials may wish to have lunch with their legislators, but please make these arrangements well in advance of May 6. Also, please remember that legislators have busy schedules and make plans accordingly.
Registration
Complimentary Registration Fee - There is no registration fee for Town Hall Day 2009 but advance registration is required
Register by Wednesday, April 22 or return the Advance Registration form mailed to all cities and towns. Mailed forms must be received in the League office by April 22 (mail at least five days prior to deadline).
Those who register in advance will receive a confirmation for their records. Those who advance register will receive an email confirmation once the League staff has processed the registration form, if an email address is provided on the registration form.
All materials and name badges will be available for pick up on-site at the Registration Desk in the Quorum Center Lobby.
Room Reservations
A limited block of rooms has been reserved at the Clarion State Capital Hotel, 320 Hillsborough St., at a rate of $63.75 plus tax for a single or $73.75 plus tax for a double. The hotel offers free parking for guests. Room reservations deadline is Friday, May 1. Check-in is 3:00 p.m. Check-out is noon. Call the hotel directly at (919) 832-0501 to make reservations, and indicate attendance at Town Hall Day. A credit card is required to make reservation by phone and to pay for incidentals at checkout. The Clarion is a smoke-free facility.
Parking
Quorum Center, 323 West Jones Street
Parking around the Legislative Building is very limited. Those who register for Town Hall Day will receive complimentary parking at the Quorum Center parking deck, located at the corner of Harrington and Jones Streets. Entrance to the deck is on Harrington Street. A parking placard will be provided when the attendee enters the parking deck. The Quorum Center Deck is a gated lot and closes at 5:00 p.m., but vehicles can be moved across the street, beginning at 4:00 p.m. to the NCLM parking lot.
Schedule
9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Limited Onsite Registration-Quorum Center Lobby - Onsite registration is complimentary to all municipal officials and guests. (Name badges and other materials should be picked up on-site at the Registration Desk.)
10:00 - 11:30 a.m.
First Legislative Briefing
Local Government Federal Credit Union Conference Center, Quorum Center, 323 West Jones Street, (First Floor) Each briefing is limited to 250 people, and attendees will be seated on a first-come, first-served basis.
11:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Shuttle Service - Continuous shuttle service running from the front of the Quorum Center (323 W. Jones St. to the Legislative Building on Jones Street. The shuttle service will end at 3:30 p.m.
11:30 am - 1:00 pm Lunch on your own
Have lunch with your legislator(s) at the Legislative Building or at one of the nearby restaurants. A list of the local restaurants will be available at the Registration Desk in the Quorum Center Lobby or you can view in advance on the League's website (to come), look for Town Hall Day. Shuttle bus service will only run between the Quorum Center and the Legislative Building. Those who will visit restaurants must provide their own transportation.
1:15 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.
Second Legislative Briefing
Local Government Federal Credit Union Conference Center, Quorum Center, 323 West Jones Street, (First Floor) Each briefing is limited to 250 people and attendees will be seated on a first-come, first-served basis.
2:45 p.m. Adjourn
NCLM Town Hall Day is a legislative rally and one-day conference held during the General Assembly session. Municipal officials visit the General Assembly, attend legislative committee meetings, House and Senate sessions and meet with their legislators to discuss municipal issues. In the afternoon, there is a legislative briefing on the status of key issues, and legislative leaders address the municipal officials. This is the primary opportunity for municipal officials to advocate together for municipal issues during the 2009 session of the N.C. General Assembly.
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NCBEMO, WIMG offer networking and educational opportunities for Town Hall Day
Breakfast with N.C. Black Elected Municipal Officials and lunch with N.C. Women in Municipal Government during the League's Town Hall Day on Wednesday, May 6 in Raleigh. Both constituency groups affiliated with the League are hosting events during the League's annual legislative briefing in Raleigh.
NCBEMO
The annual N.C. Black Elected Municipal Officials (NCBEMO) Town Hall Day Breakfast will be held at 8 a.m. on the campus of Saint Augustine's College.
NCBEMO, with more than 100 members, supports public service as a means to implement change for the citizens of North Carolina. It works to guide black elected municipal officials in helping to reshape the future of North Carolina. At the breakfast, Winston-Salem Councilmember Joycelyn Johnson, past president of the League and NCBEMO, will provide information about the organization's summer conference. The conference will be held in Winston-Salem Aug. 7-9.
Cost of the NCBEMO breakfast is $20 and proceeds will go to the NCBEMO scholarship fund. The breakfast will be held in the Martin Luther King Jr. Conference Center, Building #18, located in the center of campus. Parking is available behind the building. St. Augustine's College is located at 1315 Oakwood Ave., Raleigh.
Information on registration has been sent to the NCBEMO membership. If interested in attending, email Kacey Barcliff at kbarcliff@nclm.org or call 919-715-1222 to register. Registration deadline is April 30.
WIMG
The N.C. Women in Municipal Government Luncheon will be held at noon in the Auditorium of the Albert Coates Local Government Center.
The North Carolina Women in Municipal Government is a constituency group of the League focused on encouraging women to be active in municipal government and in the activities and leadership of the League and to focus on issues of interest to women.
Their 2009 luncheon will be held at the League offices, in the Auditorium of the Albert Coates Local Government Center. In addition to a guest speaker, attendees will hear about plans for the national conference in Charlotte.
This year's national Women in Municipal Government Conference will be held in Charlotte with national WIMG President Susan Burgess, Charlotte mayor pro tem and past NCLM president presiding.
Cost for the luncheon is $30. Registration information has been mailed to all women elected municipal officials. For additional information, contact Margot Christensen at mchriste@nclm.org or 919-715-3931.
