July 2007 Washington View

By W. Andrew Seth, The Ferguson Group

This September 5-6, 2007, the National Association of Towns and Townships (NATaT) will host its annual conference, "America's Town Meeting," in Washington, DC, at the Capital Hilton. As the voice for nearly 12,000 towns and townships across America, NATaT has developed a proactive federal agenda to ensure that the needs of small communities are central to federal statutory, regulatory, funding and policy decisions. Please plan to attend this important conference to meet with your members of Congress, and help make the voice of towns and townships heard in Washington, DC. The conference will also provide opportunities for NATaT members to network with their colleagues, and share best practices, lessons learned and strategies for success.

The conference format this year will focus exclusively on federal advocacy. The two-day conference will feature:

• High-profile plenary speakers
• Interactive panel sessions on the key legislative issues of public service volunteerism, homeland security/public safety, the Farm Bill, census/immigration, and infrastructure funding
• A networking reception
• An opportunity to meet with your members of Congress

When making travel arrangements, please plan to stay for the closing reception on September 6 hosted by the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors. This evening event will include prize giveaways, feature Pennsylvania-specific food and beverage, and provide a relaxing opportunity for members to renew relationships with their town and township colleagues nationwide. The reception will follow Thursday's visits on Capitol Hill and will begin at 5 p.m.

Optional events will bookend the conference. Plan to arrive early on September 4 and enjoy a moonlight tour of Washington, DC. Tour highlights will include visits to the Capitol Building, White House, Jefferson Memorial, Washington Monument, FDR Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam Veteran's Memorial, Korean Memorial, and Iwo Jima Memorial. Attendees should also register for the bus trip to Historic Annapolis, Maryland, on September 7. Annapolis, the capital of Maryland, was founded in 1649 and served briefly as the nation's capital in 1783. Annapolis' historic Maryland State House, built in 1772, is the oldest state capital building in the United States still in legislative use. Annapolis is also home to the U.S. Naval Academy and St. John's College, the third oldest school in the United States.

The early-bird registration rate for NATaT members is $189 ($209 after August 1, 2007). Conference registration for Michigan township officials is being managed through the Michigan Townships Association. To register for the conference, please contact Audrey Sovis, MTA administrative assistant, at (517) 321-6467, or e-mail audreys@michigantownships.org.

Negotiated room rates at the Capital Hilton are $209 plus taxes per night for single occupancy, and $219 plus taxes per night for double occupancy until August 7, 2007. To reserve your hotel room at Capital Hilton, call 1-800-HILTONS and reference NATaT's America's Town Meeting. Hotel registration is also available online at www.hilton.com/en/hi/groups/personalized/dcashhh_nat/index.html.

For questions, please contact Andrew Seth at (800) 830-0008 or andy.seth@natat.org.