2021 CSMFO Annual Conference Magazine by CSMFO Magazine

TOGETHER TOWARD TOMORROW ANNUAL CONFERENCE MAGAZINE

ANNUAL CONFERENCE MAGAZINE

2021 CSMFO CONFERENCE | ANNUAL CONFERENCE MAGAZINE

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TOGETHER TOWARD TOMORROW ANNUAL CONFERENCE MAGAZINE

President Marcus Pimentel

President-Elect Scott Catlett

Past President Steve Heide

Director Grace Castaneda

Director Craig Boyer

Director Will Fuentes

2021 CSMFO CONFERENCE | ANNUAL CONFERENCE MAGAZINE

Director Karla Romero

Director Stephen Parker

Communications Committee James Russell-Field, Chair Yolanda Rodriguez, Vice Chair Kofi Antobam, Vice Chair David Cain, Senior Advisor Joan Michaels Aguilar, Senior Advisor Andre Aberdeen, Member Veronica Alvarado, Member Lily Ng, Member Karla Romero, Member Matt Schenk, Member Wing-See Fox, Member Ernie Reyna, Member CSMFO Staff Melissa Manchester, Executive Director Catherine Smith, Account Manager Sarah Erck, Administrative Director Justin Lewis, IT Director David Garrison, Creative Director Teri Anticevich, Conference Director Janet Salvetti, Conference Director Marisa Anticevich, Conference Coordinator Beth Ramirez, Sponsor Coordinator Zach Seals, Account Coordinator Amanda Rae Smith, IT Coordinator Harriet Commons, Program Coordinator

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TABLE OF CONTENTS President’s Message Executive Director’s Message CSMFO Year In Review 2021 Distinguished Service Awards Chapter Networking Event Keynote - Gifts From A Crisis Keynote - The Messy Middle Volunteer Of The Year Award CSMFO Students Presidential Roadtrip CSMFO Pre-Conference Session A CSMFO Pre-Conference Session B 2021 CSMFO Entertainment Conference Highlights The Virtual Exhibit Hall President-Elect’s Message

10 14 18 20 24 26 28 30 34 36 38 42 44 46 48 50

Editors James Russell-Field David Cain Marcus Pimentel Melissa Manchester Yolanda Rodriguez Wing-See Fox Graphic & Editorial Design David Garrison

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

BY MARCUS PIMENTEL, 2021 CSMFO PRESIDENT

Together Toward Tomorrow 2021 It was a beautiful day in this virtual neighborhood. Our 2021 conference embodied the spirit of inclusiveness, joy, optimism, and the “will do” attitude that someone like Mr. Rogers would have appreciated. Fred Rogers is often thought of that unique TV personality who embodied the values he shared with kids of compassion, kindness, humility, and integrity. And he delivered his messages in a way that was seemingly simple. When I think of my colleagues in local government and those within CSMFO, I find the same common values and natural inclusiveness qualities. And, specifically, when I think of how “simply effective” our virtual conference was, I’m so grateful to all our volunteers and staff who developed what became a very inclusive and historic virtual experience.

2021 CSMFO CONFERENCE | ANNUAL CONFERENCE MAGAZINE

As I expressed in the CSMFO News conference article, our 2021 Together Toward Tomorrow event came together so well because everyone put our attendees’ desires first. We listened to their voices from surveys to personal conversations. And we learned from other virtual conference experiences. In this special conference magazine edition, I hope you’ll enjoy recalling those feeling of “ah ha” when you learned something new or that feeling of renewed friendship or connection with your CSMFO colleague. For me, I hope I retain the feeling of elation when I saw the chat box catch fire during the National Anthem, when our hosts Melissa Manchester and David Garrison brought in President Steve Heide to welcome everyone, and especially when the Volunteer of the Year awards were given to Chapter Chairs Kim Scott and Debbie Rosales. I close this message with continued gratitude. Thank you on behalf of everyone in CSMFO to our now Past President Steve Heide, who joined a distinguished list of Past Presidents. He provided thoughtful, inclusive, and steady leadership in a year where these seemed to be in short supply. He was the right person to lead CSMFO in 2020.

And thank you to... • our outgoing Board Members Carrie Guarino and Rich Lee for their years of volunteer service. They both exemplify what it means to be a CSMFO Director, member, and friend to all; • Past President Margaret Moggia (2019) who finished her term as a CSMFO officer but remains so deeply active in CSMFO and a mentor and guide to so many; • you, and everyone who registered and attended our virtual conference;

• our out-of-state colleagues who visited our virtual conference; • all our staff who supported this conference including our conference co-hosts; • all our volunteers on the Program Committee; and • all my friends on the 2021 Host Committee who embodied the spirit of “Together Toward Tomorrow” As I reflect on all of you, I feel aligned with a classic Mr. Rogers closing line, “I like you as you are.”

Marcus Pimentel

2021 CSMFO ANNUAL CONFERENCE

TOGETHER

TOWARD

TOMORROW

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

BY MELISSA MANCHESTER, CSMFO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

I gotta tell ya, I was against having a virtual conference. I was worried it would hurt our brand. CSMFO is so known for its conferences—not just the education but also the fun and camaraderie—that I thought trying to replicate it in a virtual environment would damage what we’d built. But Marcus and the Host Committee disagreed, and we went ahead with a virtual event.

I had a moment of Imposter Syndrome after receiving the award. I was convinced that others, especially other recipients, would look at me and wonder why I was in their ranks. I looked at the experience and dedication of this year’s other recipient, Harriet Commons, and felt I couldn’t possibly measure up to her influence on the profession. But the response I received after the announcement was overwhelmingly supportive. Your comments and texts and emails and phone calls made me believe that it wasn’t just Marcus seeing that influence. So thank you for supporting me, and for embracing my optimism and values for your own. It’s more than I would have hoped for my legacy with CSMFO.

2021 CSMFO CONFERENCE | ANNUAL CONFERENCE MAGAZINE

I’m very happy to say that they were right and I was wrong. The 2021 Virtual Conference was still a CSMFO conference. No, we weren’t in person—but it was the most connected I’ve felt in the past year. I didn’t realize how much I’d missed you all. How much I’d missed that energy! Between the chats and the Jeopardy and the mixology and the dueling pianos and the vendor happy hours…it was exactly what I didn’t know I needed. Thank you for being there, and for wanting to have fun with us. Your attitudes and optimism made that event feel like the Conference. I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank Marcus for presenting me with the Distinguished Service Award, and to all the CSMFO members who reached out to congratulate me. When Steve and Marcus surprised me on that Zoom call back in January, I was floored. Not being in the public finance profession, it never occurred to me that I might someday be a recipient. That Marcus insisted I’ve made a lasting impression on the profession through my work with CSMFO—that you can tell which finance people are CSMFO members from their attitude, and that somehow that was due to my influence…I still have trouble accepting that.

With the COVID-19 vaccine being administered as quickly as it is, it seems very likely we’ll be in person together in February 2022 in San Diego. I cannot wait for that day!

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CSMFO YEAR IN REVIEW

BY STEVE HEIDE, 2020 CSMFO PRESIDENT

In the 60-plus year history of our association, I can only imagine that each CSMFO president who served before me began his or her presidential year much like I did, with feelings of excitement and optimism for all of the magical possibilities in the year ahead. While 2020 was most definitely not the year we expected, there were several organizational bright spots for CSMFO. Our 2020 conference at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim in late January was certainly a fantastic start to the new year. With record attendance at over 2,000 people, our 60th Annual Conference – Yesterday, Tomorrow and Finance, offered participants nearly 60 educational sessions and we also welcomed more than 400 first-time conference attendees.

2021 CSMFO CONFERENCE | ANNUAL CONFERENCE MAGAZINE

In the year of the COVID-19 pandemic, CSMFO quickly and successfully transitioned our educational offerings to an exclusively virtual format in the spring of 2020. The Career Development Committee responded in short order to the rapidly changing operational and economic pandemic challenges for public agencies, rolling out our COVID-19 Webinar Series to deliver important and timely educational content at no charge to participants. Our CSMFO chapters also rose to the occasion by offering Zoom-based chapter meetings, providing attendees with the opportunity to obtain continuing education while networking virtually with their peers and our commercial partners. The use of the Zoom breakout room features also allowed chapter members to have small group discussions as a way to catch up with old acquaintances and makes new friends too.

And speaking of networking, our Executive Director Melissa Manchester, in collaboration with our Membership Committee, rolled out a number of fun and engaging social activities for members, including: • A Virtual Steps Challenge in September • October’s Pumpkin Challenge • Our Linkedin Thankfulness Challenge in November • December’s Virtual Holiday Happy Hour and Charity Exchange to round out the year

At the steady direction of President Elect Marcus Pimentel, the 2021 Annual Conference Host and Program Committees continued to forge a path forward under very difficult and uncertain circumstances, thoughtfully planning our 2021 Annual Conference to provide the best possible conference experience given the physical limitations and public health constraints.

2021 CSMFO ANNUAL CONFERENCE

TOGETHER

TOWARD

TOMORROW

2021 CSMFO CONFERENCE | ANNUAL CONFERENCE MAGAZINE

All in all, although 2020 was anything but typical, I’m so proud of our CSMFO leadership team, staff and all our members for rising to the occasion as we all met the challenges of the pandemic head on. Here’s to a bright 2021 filled with good health and exciting times ahead.

2021 DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARDS BY MARCUS PIMENTEL, 2021 CSMFO PRESIDENT

CSMFO Honors Harriet Commons & Melissa Manchester

2021 CSMFO CONFERENCE | ANNUAL CONFERENCE MAGAZINE

Every year, the CSMFO President is given the wonderful opportunity to recognize a CSMFO legacy hero who has provided outstanding service over a consecutive period of time to CSMFO in service of our local government finance profession. This is the highest honor CSMFO bestows and is not necessarily an annual award but rather “given at such times as a person is judged deserving of the honor.” This is reflected in the fact that in the 53 years since the first award in 1968, there have been only 34 recipients. This year, I was given the incredible opportunity, honor, and to a certain degree, the stress to consider and ultimately make the determination whether to recognize someone worthy of our past legacy of award recipients. I can still remember the exact moment sitting on my couch at home when the weight of this award hit me. After a few moments of pointless panic from the pressure of “making the right choice”, two names leaped forward. And I knew instantly they were both the right choice and both so deserving for their passion to serve CSMFO. They were so clearly the ideal reflection of what it took to navigate CSMFO through the crises of 2020 and what we will need to do to build our bridge through the messy middle into the new horizon. While it is common to have one honoree, this would become the fifth time CSMFO would have two honorees. And I stand proud to be able to recognize and honor what will be our ninth and tenth women to have received this award and to mark the first time two women were nominated together.

Harriet Commons “I affectionally call her the accounting dude-ette because she knows everything there is to know about accounting.” -Mary Bradley, CSMFO Past President (1999), Retired Finance Director. While Harriet’s last name might lead a reader to typecast her, everyone knows she is actually quite extraordinary and anything but common. Her career and quotes from fellow CSMFO-ers across the country validate just how fortunate CSMFO is to have Harriet give so freely to all of us. She has been a constant voice advocating for the highest quality in career development resources for all our members and creating a career pathway for others to learn from and follow. Harriet Commons graduated from Sacramento State and began her career as an auditor with Price Waterhouse, where she earned her CPA. She went on to work as a Research Fellow for GASB and subsequently returned to work at Price Waterhouse until she was recruited to become the Assistant Finance Director at the City of Fremont. After obtaining her Masters in Taxation, she was once again recruited and returned back to Price Waterhouse. In 2004, she was appointed Director of Finance at the City of Fremont and served in that capacity until she retired in 2013. While performing all her duties in Fremont, she continued to contribute to our profession through membership in GFOA and CSMFO. She served on a GASB technical advisory committee and various CalCPA committees.

Harriet has devoted herself to supporting CSMFO’s members through her continuous years of volunteering on the Career Development Committee and has been the mainstay of the Conference Program Committee, initially as a long-term volunteer. When CSMFO asked her in 2016 to grow her work exponentially to support the ever-increasing complexity of the conference, she stepped up to this new challenge and began a small contractual relationship to bring new opportunities to how we delivered conference content. Here are a few reflections from within CSMFO on Harriet’s impact to our large family. “Harriet’s been a constant pillar in my professional career. She’s been there as my trusted colleague while we guided our respective agencies through good and bad financial times. She’s been candid in her advocacy for expanding CSMFO’s training opportunities. She’s a role model for so many women in finance. But I’m most thankful for her personal friendship and loyalty.” -Mary Bradley, Past President (1999), Retired Finance Director “Harriet works tirelessly assisting both the Program and Career Development Committees for the benefit of CSMFO membership and programs. Her vast experience both having served as a Finance Director and in CSMFO leadership has been invaluable to the planning and execution of initiatives for both committees. Harriet truly deserves this recognition for her many years of service to the profession and CSMFO. Thank you, Harriet and congratulations!” -Laura Nomura, Past President (2012), Deputy General Manager, Eastern Municipal Water District

“Harriet’s love of and commitment to CSMFO are evident as she provides administrative support to the Annual Conference Program Committee. She is the gentle taskmaster who ensures every “I” is dotted and “T” crossed.” -Ronnie Campbell, Past President (2010) and past Program Committee Chair, Finance Director, City of Johns Creek (GA)

“Harriet has dedicated her lifetime to promote, educate, and support local governments through her time working in the field, serving on industry working groups, and now supporting it through her role as the Annual Conference Program Coordinator. I knew that I could rely upon Harriet to take the monumental task of coordinating the Annual Program with the sessions and speakers. What is so special with Harriet is her servant heart. She is dedicated because she just wants everyone to obtain knowledge to do their job.” -Margaret Moggia, Past President (2018) and past Program Committee Chair, Executive Manager of Finance, West Basin Municipal Water District Harriet will always be a mentor for anyone who watches her and while we are so grateful her CSMFO legacy will continue to build, we are honored to be able to pause and celebrate her in 2021.

2021 CSMFO CONFERENCE | ANNUAL CONFERENCE MAGAZINE

“Harriet has been a consistent, calm, and organized guide for the Program Committee’s work for a number of years, ensuring that the numerous activities necessary to deliver a successful conference program are well coordinated and completed on time.” -Scott Catlett, President-Elect (2022), Finance Director/Treasurer, City of Newport Beach

“I just want to express my deep gratitude for your efforts…toward the (CSMFO) Program Committee. Since you’ve been involved, everything has drastically improved with that process…all the deadlines are met or exceeded, the speaker coordination is thorough, and no one has to worry about it because you have it handled. The CPE process is now impeccable and beyond reproach.” -Melissa Manchester, CSFMO Executive Director

2021 DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARDS - CONTINUED By all accounts, CSMFO has thrived during her tenure. We have served thousands of members through our annual conferences, live and virtual training, and through all our programs. Melissa has been there as we moved from the MiniNews to the CSMFO Magazine and now CSMFO News online platform. She has been there to see our membership grow and our conference attendance double. And when 2020 hit, she was there as a thought partner to help us turn the challenges into new successes.

Melissa Manchester “I would surmise that a number of our members would have no idea that (Melissa) works with CSMFO under contract, instead, assuming she must be a longtime dedicated employee, as Melissa’s genuine passion for all things CSMFO shines through each and every day.”

2021 CSMFO CONFERENCE | ANNUAL CONFERENCE MAGAZINE

-Steve Heide, Past President (2020), Finance Director, Chino Valley Fire I share Steve’s observation above. Years ago, as I left the Chapter Chair circles and moved into other CSMFO committees and roles, I was one of those CSMFO members who assumed Melissa was near full-time dedicated to CSMFO. I can still remember feeling so impressed with how much she did for CSMFO while also supporting other clients. I also remember that same feeling of denial and a little bit of selfishness when I realized that CSMFO has to accept we are just one of her clients. In late 2008, CSMFO was badly in need of professional association support and management. Enter Melissa Manchester and SMA. Over these last dozen years, Melissa has passionately served as CSMFO’s Executive Director. She has guided us when we needed it. She has pushed us to be better and responsive. And has embodied in her own actions what it looks and feels like to be a part of CSMFO.

Her influence through CSMFO has improved our members’ careers and skills, thereby providing even more value to their agencies across all of California. Here are reflections from CSMFO’s leadership on how Melissa has supported them and their own CSMFO innovations and successes. “Melissa was a true partner during my term as President. Reflecting back, I was amazed on how much she understood CSMFO with its history and was able to guide me behind the scenes with energy and passion to make sure I fulfilled the role like other Presidents. Over the past decade, she has been invaluable to the Board and leadership of CSMFO. I believe Melissa loves CSMFO as much as I do.” -John Adams, Past President (2016), Chief Financial Officer, Eastern Municipal Water District “Melissa has been a key to my success as a volunteer leader of this organization, with us working side-by-side for the benefit of our members. She was a sounding board, a mentor, an idea generator, and the person who generally saved me from myself. She was a trusted advisor who always found solutions to even the most difficult problems. I simply could not have done it without her, and I am so grateful for her dedication to CSMFO.” -Drew Corbett, Past President (2012), City Manager, City of San Mateo “Melissa is very passionate about her work and always has a smile on her face. I love her positivity no matter what the situation. And when options were needed, Melissa could always be counted on to come up with some creative suggestions. You just know everything will be taken care of in the end.” -Jesse Takahashi, Past President (2015), Finance & Administrative Services Director, City of Mountain View

“Melissa’s enthusiasm to support the CSMFO membership is unwavering. While she may have not walked in our shoes as a finance officer, she embodies the spirit of supporting our work. For over 10 years she focused on connecting people, supporting our programs and advancing CSMFO’s strategic plan. Thank you, Melissa for your creativity and friendship.” -Margaret Moggia, Past President (2018), Executive Manager of Finance, West Basin Municipal Water District “She is forward-thinking and a problem solver and values the people of CSMFO. She has a high degree of professional responsibility and greatly enjoys working with the CSMFO. And for our organization, she takes our vision and makes it happen.” -Joan Michaels Aguilar, Past President (2019), Retired Finance Director Melissa, in my own perspective, shares our common CSMFO values. When I reflect on what it feels like to work with Melissa, “Integrity”, “Competency”, and “Transparency” are wonderful ways to describe her. And when I think of what drives her to continue to bring a daily renewed devotion to CSMFO, I know it comes from her “Commitment to Public Service”. But when you get to the core of why she serves us all with such enthusiasm, and aligned with her humble demeanor, it comes from “Creating a Positive Legacy” for CSMFO and all our members.

2021 CSMFO CONFERENCE | ANNUAL CONFERENCE MAGAZINE

Thank you in advance Melissa for holding me accountable this upcoming year for all the commitments I’ve made and will still make, for guiding me with thoughtful and candid feedback including “not” to overcommit myself, for texting me when I forget about a meeting I’m supposed to attend, for guiding the execution of our Strategic Plan, for getting our agenda, reports, and minutes completed, and probably most importantly for reminding me to pause, to smile, and to track down that special Disney gift for my wife Laurie!

CHAPTER NETWORKING EVENT

BY KOFI ANTOBAM, VICE-CHAIR, COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE

Chapter engagement at the annual conference is a session I look forward to each year to connect with other CSMFO members. The 2021 event was unique compared to previous years’ due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Members were not able to physically hug, fist bump and interact in the traditional way as normally would have happened at an in-person meeting. Nonetheless it was a fun virtual event. The REMO virtual platform allowed the CSMFO President and Past President to address the “whole room” without taking members away from their tables.

CSMFO, their greatest challenge during the pandemic, among others. Discussions were lively and members wished the event could have lasted longer. Overall, attendees expressed positive feedback on the event and would love to use the REMO platform for future chapter meetings. The smaller setting, ability to move from table to table, and being able to talk without having to resort to the chat function were some highlights of the event. Some views on the event by attendees include: “Good experience, efficient way to do networking without the distraction of food tables on your way to the next… one could pop in from table/floor to the other which was fun.” ~Jennifer Wakeman

2021 CSMFO CONFERENCE | ANNUAL CONFERENCE MAGAZINE

“This chapter event worked well for a virtual event. I was able to talk to three or four CSMFO members that I have not talked with in the past, making it a great meet and greet time...The event could have been longer with more time to meet other attendees.” ~David Cain REMO provided the opportunity to move from table to table to interact with different members. This was a great opportunity to meet individuals not just from one’s chapter, but members from other chapters. Members on each floor and each table networked and discussed several topics, including how long they have been a part of CSMFO, the location and year of their first conference, the number one benefit they derive from

Chapter engagement is the bedrock for CSMFO, therefore continuous networking at the chapter level remains crucial to member development. Get involved and do not miss out on your future local CSMFO chapter meetings.

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KEYNOTE - GIFTS FROM A CRISIS

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TUESDAY’S KEYNOTE SPEAKER

RABIA SIDDIQUE

Wow! Rabia Siddique is an inspirational woman with an intriguing background that engaged all of our members as we heard her share her life’s story. We now know that she is a criminal and human rights lawyer, a retired British Army officer, a former terrorism and war crimes prosecutor, professional speaker, trainer, MC, facilitator and published author. But as they say, there is more to the story!

Here are just a few of the many quotes from our members as they listened to Rabia tell her amazing personal life story . . . . “I am deeply moved by her powerful force for advocating for others, starting with protecting her brother at the age of 10”.

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Her story, “Makes having to work from home and dealing with COVID so trivial”. “Thanks Rabia, what an amazing, brave and strong woman you are!” “Amazing life story, beautifully told, real life lessons!” “Best keynote speaker I have ever seen. Thank you Rabia and CSMFO.” “Love this! Thank you so much for sharing your journey with us today!” “So inspiring, powerful, strong, brave, and kind!” “Shukrun Rabia!!! You are an inspiration.” “Speechless... she is one strong and inspirational soul!” “Thank you. Very inspiring. Makes me more motivated to get out of my comfort zone!”

Rabia shared the challenges she had growing up in Australia and the abuse she suffered at a very young age and her coming to the defense of her bother when she was only ten years old. However, these would not be the only challenges Rabia would face in her life. From those early hard learned lessons of life, she focused on being a criminal defense lawyer and youngest ever federal prosecutor in Western Australia. Rabia then moved to the United Kingdom in 1998 where she was eventually commissioned as a Legal Officer in the British Army in 2001. An altercation occurred during her time serving the British Army that gained worldwide attention which riled Siddique after the incident was covered up by the Government. After rescuing two Special Force soldiers from Iraqi insurgents in Basra, Rabia’s colleague received a Military Cross whilst her participation was merely dismissed. Ordered by the British Military to never speak of how she was taken hostage while negotiating the release of captured Special Forces soldiers, Rabia developed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. In a fight for justice, she brought the case against the UK Ministry of Defense and won. Her brave action of suing the British Government for sexism and racism, against public ridicule, became a catalyst for policy change to ensure a fairer workplace for women and cultural minorities in the military. Having survived a 2005 hostage ordeal in Basra, Iraq, Rabia committed to living each day with purpose, serving others and speaking her truth. She went on to become a Crown Advocate in the British Counter Terrorism Division, prosecuting Al Qaeda terrorists and hate crimes and advising on war crime prosecutions in The Hague.

Rabia closed out her personal story with these key lessons (“Gifts”) we can all learn from a crisis. • We must choose to confront our realities – accept and embrace this new world we live in. • We must choose to challenge our perspectives – see the opportunities and gifts. • We must protect hope – focus on the silver linings. • We must choose to do things differently – do the uncomfortable and embrace our inner GIANT.

Taking inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi, Rabia lives by the words, “be the change you wish to see” in the world. I want to close with one final quote from one of our members who had their own story to tell. They asked the following questions we all need to answer. “How will you choose to show up? Who will you choose to become? What mark will you leave on your world as a result of what you have learned?”

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In 2013, Rabia authored and published her memoir ‘Equal Justice’, which told the story of her strength, resilience, bravery, conviction and determination. A common thread in all her roles is a desire to make the world a better place, to give voice to the voiceless and to lift up those around her so that they may be the best version of themselves. Consistently striving for personal and professional growth, Rabia’s most rewarding challenge is being a Mum to her triplet sons, now 12 years old.

KEYNOTE - THE MESSY MIDDLE

BY DAVID CAIN, SENIOR ADVISOR, COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE

On Thursday during our annual conference, we had the opportunity to hear again from the human spark plug, Rebecca Ryan describing the “Messy Middle”. Below are parts of her blogs that she wrote recently on this very topic along with the concept of “Oxen don’t pivot”. In this Year of the Ox, we are in the “messy - between the old REBECCA RYAN middle” and expiring ways and the new and emerging ways. This is a time when we don’t have answers. Instead, we need great questions that can penetrate to the core of the issues and see afresh what’s before us. THURSDAY’S KEYNOTE SPEAKER

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There was a lot of good energy coming into 2021 fueled by a new year, new vaccines, and high hopes for an end to quarantine. I read a lot about the need to pivot. Let’s slow-think this. “Pivot” means making a sharp turn from one direction to another.

When you hear “pivot” today, do you get the sense that leaders have a playbook, know where they’re headed, or have a vision of what “winning” looks like? I don’t. At a recent conference I asked the following question: Is your team more focused on the sidewalk (near-term) or the horizon (longer-term)? Twenty-to-one (roughly), attendees said “Sidewalk.” That mirrors nearly every conversation I’ve had since the start of the year. No one knows where they’re going. They’re just trying to muddle through. Or worse, they’re trying to get “back” to a broken future. These are not the conditions in which to pivot. If you pivot while looking down at the sidewalk you may lose your balance or hurt yourself. 2021 is not the year to pivot. We’ve already made the pivot. Covid-19 forced us to pivot from schools and offices to homes and Zoom. The Pandemic Wall was making us pivot: to reach deeper than we ever have for resources we never realized. We have lost so much and there’s no going back. We have already pivoted. So, if 2021 is not the year to “pivot”, what are we going to do?

In my pro basketball days (that’s me in the photo above with the red circle around my head), I was a master pivoter. On offense, I would pivot to throw my opponent off-balance and create opportunities for myself or teammates to score. Pivoting on offense was part of a well-practiced and intentional set of plays designed to win ballgames.

I’m drawing inspiration from the ox. In the Chinese calendar, 2021 is the Year of the Ox. Oxen are known for their persistent, powerful (even stubborn) forward movement. Oxen don’t pivot. 2021 is a year to outline our vision for a better future and then develop a new rhythm of steady, persistent progress towards that vision. Oxen don’t pivot - why 2021 is the year for steady, strategic progress What does this mean for you, change-makers? • If you lead an agency or department, it means getting crystal clear on why you exist. What current human need do you fill? And in the new conditions, what does excellence look like? • It means you’ll have to once-and-for-all let go of some things that just don’t work anymore so you can create space for ideas, experiments, processes, or people that are better suited to the times. If you’re a long-time leader or experienced manager, maybe this is the moment that you step out of the limelight and become a mentor to the next rising stars. • It means you’ll have to take some risks and run some experiments. “Let’s try it and see what happens” will be the motto for pilot projects and innovation teams, measuring as they go.

My friends, we’ve already made the pivot. We’ve turned away from What Was. Now it’s time to build new scaffolding for What Can Be. So as Rebecca says - Let’s do this! For more information, join Rebecca on her Future Friday’s webinars at https://rebeccaryan.com/blog/joinus-at-futures-friday

• It means you’ll start working with different people in new configurations to leverage cognitive diversity and tackle new and better questions.

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VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR AWARD

YOLANDA RODRIGUEZ, VICE CHAIR, COMMUNITCATIONS COMMITTEE

The CSMFO Volunteer of the Year Award recognizes outstanding volunteers for going above and beyond the call of duty for the benefit of the CSMFO members. In 2020, the year of the pandemic, CSMFO leadership was especially challenged with the pivot to exclusively online content delivery to our members. Whether it be for our upcoming annual conference, our Career Development classes or our local chapter meetings.

In the virtual event aspect, Debbie has moved forward with procuring speakers and trying to gather CSMFO members together for relevant sessions during the pandemic. The Inland Empire Chapter was an early adopter of the Zoom breakout room feature, allowing for more efficient member networking in a smaller group setting.

This was an especially challenging year for our local chapters, which are at the core of CSMFO’s member engagement. However, our chapter leadership rose to the occasion, effectively mastering Zoom for chapter meetings, and in many cases using Zoom breakout rooms to better allow for networking and small group discussion.

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The CSMFO 2020 Volunteer of the Year Award is being awarded to Debbie Rosales, from the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District, Chapter Chair for the Inland Empire Chapter, AND, Kim Scott from the City of Victorville, Chapter Chair for the Desert Mountain Chapter.

Kim Scott has actively participated in CSMFO leadership since becoming the Chapter Chair for the Desert Mountain Chapter. In addition to her chapter chair duties, Kim is amongst our most active chapter chairs, regularly contributing at board meetings and in our annual strategic planning sessions. Kim has taken charge of a chapter which had been largely inactive for several years but now holds regular chapter meetings, albeit remotely these days. She is highly enthusiastic and embodies a spirit of service to others which is inspiring and contagious. How did it feel to be on a live zoom call and hearing the news that you were being recognized as Volunteer of the Year?

Debbie Rosales had relocated to the Channel Counties Chapter area yet continued to lead the Inland Empire Chapter for the better part of two years until such time as an orderly transition of chapter leadership could occur.

Debbie: To say that I was blown away is an understatement. I was told that the Executive Board Committee wanted to get some feedback from a couple of Chapter Chairs so I think I even had some notes prepared to share at the meeting (even though I had no idea what they were looking for). When the Volunteer of The Year was mentioned I wanted to jump up and dance and cry with joy all at the same time. I love volunteering for CSMFO and was so humbled to know that my efforts had been noticed. Honestly, to know that I was even

nominated is something that I hold near and dear to my heart. The experience is something I will remember always. Kim: Melissa was so sneaky to set that meeting up and I was totally in shock. When it was announced that Debbie received the Volunteer of the Year award, I was so happy as I had seen her putting herself out there and taking charge of a new chapter while still assist her old chapter. Her energy level is something to strive for. That said, when it was announced that I also was receiving this award, I was totally shocked and very humbled. I had volunteered to help restart the Desert-Mountain chapter only because nobody else was stepping up to do it and I had someone that was volunteering to help and be a vice chair. I really struggled to get it right and am still working on that one. I am very thankful for all of the support from other chapter chairs and the CSMFO leadership for their support and assistance and also all of the SMA support in the transition to Zoom and getting the registration links and postings handled. Where did your journey with CSMFO begin and when did you know that you wanted to get more involved?

Kim: I begged my manager to let me attend one day of the CSMFO conference in 2014 as I had just been promoted to grant accountant and the new regulations were overwhelming me so I wanted to attend that session. I was so impressed with the sessions that day that I couldn’t wait to attend a full conference. I used my CSMFO membership to the fullest I could, attending meetings at Inland Empire chapter by taking vacation time and paying my own way and loved seeing the way everyone reaches out to welcome and help each other out. I wanted to connect like that. Did anyone within the organization help you achieve more within CSMFO and to progress your finance career? Debbie: Absolutely – a whole village. I previously mentioned my CSMFO involvement and I can’t say enough about how much I have gained by participating. One thing that stands out most was when I relocated from the Inland Empire to Ventura County. Several peers from CSMFO knew I was looking for a new position after moving and they were so helpful. From sending me links to openings to actually reaching out to others at the conference that year, gathering information, and then letting me know where the openings were, it was amazing and I was really touched. It was like having my own personal employment agency with a touch of sleuthing mixed in. Kim: I was very fortunate that my organization supported the annual conference attendance and membership so I could attend all of the Southern California conference sessions since then. Once I volunteered to chair the chapter, my Deputy City Manager at the time George Harris II, supported it 100% and let me take my work time to attend the planning session in 2019 before the 2020 conference. There I really got to know several people better and Margaret Moggia really encouraged me to speak up and I felt so welcomed and valued that I knew I wanted to do that with others. Seeing the value that others placed on my input helped my confidence to continue to progress in my career. My current title is Finance Analyst although the duties equate to an Accounting Manager. My current finance director, Bobby Magee, enrolled me in a Dale Carnegie course when I let him know my major fear was public speaking and that has also helped my confidence in reaching out to others to help them grow also.

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Debbie: I knew I wanted to become more involved after the annual conference in Monterey in 2015. I’ve told the story many times about how, in general, I am not super outgoing person (astonishing I know) when it comes to 1:1 interactions. Put me in a room of a thousand people and give me a topic and I could speak for days. Send me to a luncheon with nine other people at the table I don’t know? Total Wallflower! I saw a flyer at the conference about becoming more involved and the committee positions that were open. About the same time I heard about the coaching program so I thought I would check it out. I knew I was interested in advancing my career and wanted to gain some insight from an expert. Selecting a Coach was a little intimidating because I honestly did not know any of the names on the list and they were all Finance Directors, Administrative Service Directors, Assistant City Managers, General Managers, and the like. I picked one, Margaret Moggia, really because she looked nice. I sent her an email and waited for her response. We talked about many things and, to this day, I really appreciate all she said. After talking about my individual career, the topic turned to how intimidated I felt when I went to business lunches, trainings, and the CSMFO conference. She suggested getting more involved as a way to get to know more people. As she put it, those gatherings were “like a family reunion” for her. I took her advice to heart and reached out to CSMFO about committee opportunities and found that the career development committee had an available spot. I met some great people and was in awe of all they knew. I realized that, although the

committee experience was great, I wanted something that would offer more face to face interaction with my peers so I became more involved with my local Chapter meetings. The rest, as they say, is history. Currently I am the Chapter Chair for Channel Counties and serve on the membership committee and help in other areas where I can.

VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR AWARD - CONTINUED

What do you believe to be the best aspect of CSMFO? Debbie: I know it sounds cliché but the people. Everyone I have met is so talented and knowledgeable and willing to share that knowledge with others. We have such an amazing resource in CSMFO, from the topics that are presented by each Chapter, to the trainings provided by the Career Development Committee, and the sessions at the conferences, there are so many opportunities to continue learning and that wouldn’t be possible without the people. All you have to do is read through the knowledge base on CSMFO’s website to see how much people are willing to share. Kim: I believe that the best aspect of CSMFO is the people. I joined CSMFO for the knowledge, but continue to pursue active involvement because of the great people who are also a part of this fantastic volunteer organization. The fact that we reach out to each other and share so much more than just professional assistance and growth but often become friends and sometimes family. I know that someone out there will always reach out with a helpful hand or a smile when needed.

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What would be your recommendation to someone who wants to be more involved within CSMFO but has no idea where to start? Debbie: I am going to be biased here and say by attending your local chapter meetings. Whether held virtually or in person, this provides such a great start in meeting people and learning more about a wide array of topics that affect us all. There is so much going on at the Chapter level and even if you are not ready to be a Chapter Chair/Co-Chair, there are other opportunities to get involved. I started by being the person who dismissed tables for the buffet line! Kim: I would recommend attending your local chapter meetings and asking if you can help out. Getting involved at the local level is a

great start. If you can’t attend local meetings, volunteer to be a reviewer for budget or financial statements or see if there is a committee that sounds interesting. There are a bunch of opportunities listed on the CSMFO website. If you want to get involved, you won’t be turned away. Bonus Fun Question: What’s a CSMFO award that doesn’t exist, but totally should? Debbie: This is a tough one. There are so many great people who devote so much time and energy in putting together great programs for us that deserve recognition. Maybe something like the Academy of CSMFO Awards Event of the Year? Kim: I think there should be a “Spirit Award” (and no Marcus, I did not say “Spirits Award” although best drink recipe could be a good one also). I would love to see someone recognized for embodying the theme of the annual conference. --Both Debbie and Kim are highly engaged chapter leaders who may not fit the typical profile of department director or manager, but are, regardless, leaders in the true sense of the word. They both stepped into their respective chapter leadership roles at a time when others were either unable or unwilling to do so. Debbie and Kim’s tireless commitment to the CSMFO membership is commendable. Congratulations to Debbie and Kim as our 2020 CSMFO Volunteers of the Year!

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2021 CSMFO STUDENTS

BY JOAN MICHAELS AGUILAR, COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE SENIOR ADVISOR

One of the cool things about the recent 2021 virtual conference was the option to reach out to colleagues, friends, vendors, and even some of our student attendees via the messaging feature on the platform. I found it a great way to welcome a few of the students and ask about their involvement in CSMFO and willingness to answer a few questions about the conference and municipal finance.

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Cesar Armas, a student at Cal State Fullerton, noted that this was his first CSMFO conference experience, as he had not had the chance to attend the in-person in Anaheim in 2020. While I know chapters are embracing student outreach, Cesar has not yet attended any chapter meetings. Of all the outreach I undertook, I received a lot of answers to the questions I had presented to Rene Anita Chombeng, from Cal State Northridge or CSUN (Go Matadors! I am an alum myself). In today’s world, I was curious to know whether municipal finance is her chosen field or just something she is exploring. She noted that given the opportunity, public sector finance is of interest to her. Our own David Cain, make that with a Professor in front of his name, had talked about CSMFO and the Student Engagement Committee during one of his courses. As a result, Rene is now a member of that committee! Once the scholarships were announced for the 2021 conference, she applied and was selected as a recipient.

Rene shared that she enjoyed most of the session topics, and found the opening keynote session, Rabia Siddique, the most interesting. Other sessions that she highlighted included the 21st Century Internal Audit, the Benefit of Internal Audit and Get Noticed: Make your Resume Stand Out. The experience has helped broaden Rene’s network and she appreciates that there are people she can reach out to for assistance. In her own words, “The members are welcoming and always ready to help. I feel like I am at home.” For our student members, CSMFO has revamped and improved our portal in order to access valuable resources geared towards students. Students can now connect with the student network and link with possible intern positions, available in many or our local agencies. CSMFO committee members are proactively reaching out to students via email and the student portal. During the CSMFO annual conference, students were linked with a coach or mentor who they could reach out to at any time. If you have not become a student member, remember it is FREE!! Join today at www.csmfo.org/ membership/join-csmfo/ .

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PRESIDENTIAL ROADTRIP

BY MARCUS PIMENTEL, 2021 CSMFO PRESIDENT

Road trips. Truth be told, I’ve not yet had a memorable road trip. They have all focused on the point B destination and never on any of the points along the way. Honestly, I can be pretty frugal and would rather spend my time than my dime. So, when my “squiggle” plan to thank the Host and Program committees was shut down by COVID, enter plan B. A thank you CSMFO California road trip. The challenges. First, how would I get my wife Laurie to agree? Second, how could we create a delivery route for locations across our great state? Third, how would I keep this a relative surprise to everyone? Mostly because my wife Laurie is pretty amazing, the first part was a bit easier to get to “yes” than I originally thought. The second part took some serious creative planning and calendar coordination between work, family, and all the places across the state where Host and Program committee members lived.

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The third “surprise” element served both to create some hopefully unexpected happy moments while balancing the real health precaution of social distancing during a high COVID risk period. The four-stage master plan (1,192 miles/19.5 hour drive time).

Stage 1: Date night and a flight in the Bay Area. Laurie and I started a date night game where we cycle through the alphabet to find new restaurants that we wouldn’t otherwise eat at. That, along with timing a trip to pick up our daughter at the airport made this a fun route. But the first real rain cut our trip short. Nonetheless, it was fun to surprise and see Wing-See Fox and Board Member Grace Castenada and connect over the phone with Past Presidents Mary Bradley (1999) and Jesse Takahashi (2015).

Stage 2: SoCal & Kaitlynn’s 21st Birthday. Aided by my daughter’s remote location for her 21st birthday and returning to her home in LA days later, we pulled together the Southern California loop surprisingly easy. It began with connecting with now Past President Steve Heide, his wife Gabrielle, and a few of their animal friends. We looped through stops at Terry Shea and Past President Laura Nomura (2012) and the striking orange groove in the middle of their neighborhood. And, with support from Marisa Anticevich on how to navigate her mom’s (Teri) gate security system, we showed up at her front door just as she was ending a conference logistics planning meeting. We went on to Yorba Linda and Brea, swinging by President Elect Scott Catlett and grabbing a few minutes with David Cain just before he started his MPA class lecture. The SoCal loop ended with a middle of the street “hello” from Marisa and witnessing Past President Margaret Moggia’s (2018) incredible collection of board games. Stage 3: Sacramento and Baby Sanger. Stage 4: East Bay Tour & Skee-Ball.

Like any road trip, there were a few moments where it felt like I was perhaps a bit too ambitious. But with some distance now between then and today, it was an unexpected gift to create my first real road trip. This will be a 2021 memory I know I will cherish and never forget.

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As soon as we learned Laurie’s sister had a new Portuguese water dog named Sanger, it became easy to pull together our loop around the state capital. It provided us the opportunity to deliver the Distinguished Service Award to Melissa Manchester in person and to stop by and connect with Past President Joan MichaelsAguilar (2019), with CSMFO’s creative genius David Garrison, to say Hi to Lily Ng in a US Post Office Parking lot and end with surprise visits to SMA’s Sara Erck and former Past President (2004) and M&AMS Manager Janet Salvetti.

This final stage was our return loop from the Sacramento tour. It began with finding Communication Chair James Russell-Field working on a holiday and continued with us spending some extra fun time in Lafayette’s downtown, sandwiched around drop-offs to current Board Member Craig Boyer, former Board Member and Membership Chair Jennifer Wakeman, and East Bay Chapter Chair and Program Committee Vice Chair Margaret O’Brien. This final stage ended with witnessing a full size Skee-Ball machine at Rich Lee’s place and saying hello to Dave McPherson and his wife Suzanne.

CSMFO PRE-CONFERENCE SESSION A

JAMES RUSSELL-FIELD, CHAIR, COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE

Water and Wastewater Rates Workshop 101 The CSMFO Annual Conference kicked off on Wednesday, February 10th for those who participated in Pre-Conference Session A: Water and Wastewater Rates Workshop 101. This workshop gave a comprehensive overview of the complexities surrounding financial plans, cost of service analyses, rate studies, public outreach, legal requirements, and more! The presenters were Sanjay Gaur (Raftelis), Adam Hofmann (Hanson Bridgett LLP), Melissa Elliot (Raftelis) and Kevin Mascaro (Western Municipal Water District). This group managed to get through their jampacked agenda in two days, providing over 80 attendees tools and tips to take back to their organizations.

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Sanjay Gaur kicked off the workshop with an overview of rate studies from a California perspective, and proceeded to cover financial plans, cost of service allocations, rate design, drought rates, and capacity fees over the remainder of the workshop. Sanjay did a fantastic job providing key legal decisions, helpful resources, and example policies from other agencies to help frame the content he presented. Looking back on the workshop, Sanjay said “CSMFO members know as well as anyone the complexities of work in our state: legal and regulatory compliance, risk mitigation, political considerations, and stakeholder engagement to name a few. All these issues and more converge when studying and setting rates for water and wastewater services.

“Whether I’m counseling my clients one-on-one, or hosting workshops for industry colleagues, I always recommend close attention be paid to things like ensuring a proper reserve policy that mitigates financial risk, compliance with legal precedents that mitigates litigation risk, and stakeholder communication and engagement that ensures alignment with community values and mitigates political risk. “ “Perhaps most important is the development of a detailed and easy-to-understand final report that presents all elements of the study in a linear fashion. Our reports improve transparency and create a defensible administrative record should rates be challenged in court.” Next up, Melissa Elliot discussed the importance of communicating complex rate information through public outreach. Finance professionals tend to jump into the number crunching and analysis. However, starting a rate study with a strategic communication plan can help to avoid headaches down the road when trying to communicate the numbers. Melissa also provided some great tips on sharing information through social media, creating easy- to-understand messages, and making virtual meetings engaging. After the workshop, Melissa shared some important advice on communication: “As you are thinking about your rate study, it’s critical to put your communication strategy in place at the beginning of the study. So many times, we’re tempted to wait until the end and just inform customers of what the rates will be, but you miss a big opportunity to share the value of the service and explain what it is that people are paying for—the investments in the system that need to be made. Plus, if you engage with your customers throughout the study, you may find that their input is useful in your decisionmaking—that you can make the rate structure fit the needs of the community and the utility.”

Adam Hofmann tackled the legal environment and requirements surrounding rate studies, diving into important details of key legislation. The framework Adam presented contained several key takeaways for attendees to consider: • Think carefully about the full scope and nature of the agency’s service, as defined by the authorizing laws. • Allocate rates reasonably amongst grouped rate payers, based on a detailed cost of service study. • Use reasonably reliable data. • Err on the side of including too much information in your cost of service study. Imagine what you would need to prepare for trial testimony. After the workshop, Adam summarized the legal complexities of rate setting: “Remember that the California Constitution has been amended to make it hard for governments to set rates and fees. Agencies should use the best available data (doesn’t have to be perfect), design their rates to recover the costs of service only and to allocate those costs proportionally among groups of ratepayers (don’t try to generate excess revenue or create cross-subsidies), and ensure that rate revenue is actually used only to pay for the costs associated with the related service. Work with agency counsel and a rate consultant, and let these standards guide rate setting, rather than other political aims, and your agency will probably do just fine.”

After the workshop, Kevin’s advice to agencies starting a rate study was to “involve your communications group early on in the rate setting process in order to develop key messages for use in all printed materials and presentations, especially the Public Hearing Notice.” A big thanks to the CSMFO Program Committee and the presenters for this outstanding pre-conference session!

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Adam teamed up with Kevin Mascaro to present Proposition 218 logistics, multi-year notices, rate adjustments, and affordability programs. Kevin’s biography stated he was a “game show host trapped in an accountant’s body,” and he lived up to the claim! Kevin brought a lot of energy presenting with Adam to provide additional applications of topics covered in the session, using Western Municipal Water District as a case study.

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CSMFO PRE-CONFERENCE SESSION B

JAMES RUSSELL-FIELD, CHAIR, COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE

The Leader in All of Us: Leadership in the Next Normal The COVID-19 pandemic marked a drastic shift in how everyone approaches day-to-day tasks in their personal and professional lives. What was once “routine” seems to have been completely upended. With all these changes, everyone looks to leaders to provide guidance and direction. But how can leadership keep up with the changes and ensure they are providing the proper support to their teams? CSMFO Conference training veteran Phil Bertolini presented Pre-Conference Session B, “The Leader in All of Us: Leadership in the Next Normal” to provide some guided reflection and tips on how to handle leadership in the new normal.

2021 CSMFO CONFERENCE | ANNUAL CONFERENCE MAGAZINE

Phil opened the presentation with an important statement, “Now more than ever, finance officers must be good leaders to ensure that government functions at the highest level possible for the people they serve. The pandemic changed government forever and leadership must adapt for the future.” What a fantastic opening! Everyone can relate to the changes we have experienced over the last year, but how can we adapt as leaders? Especially in an era where leaders are not only expected to do “more with less,” but sometimes “less with less.” Phil framed his presentation around the “WHYs.” The “WHYs” are an exercise to reflect on day-today activities, and ensure they are connected to the bigger picture. For leadership, the “WHYs” included empowering staff, mentoring people, and guiding the team. For government, “WHYs” included to provide, serve, and help. It is important for leaders to stop and ask, “why are we doing this” and make sure work activities have a purpose tied to the “WHYs.” However, it is even more important to connect the “WHYs” and efficiently communicate them to teams and the community. When it comes to change, being able to tell a story based around the “WHYs” can help staff and the community get to “yes” instead of an immediate “no.”

The session included a robust discussion on remote work. Specifically, remote work is the future. When it comes to remote work, Phil emphasized leaders should understand the “big three.” Leaders first need to understand people, and if they have the right people and facilities for remote work, as well as a way to hold people accountable. Next, leaders need to understand the process. Leaders should reflect if they have the right project management, time policies, and a method for people to report in for remote work. Finally, leaders need to understand technology. This includes making sure everyone has the right network, hardware, communication and collaboration technologies, proper cybersecurity, and digital access for remote work. Understanding the “big three” will help leaders set their staff and agencies on a path to success. The session ended with five key takeaways: 1. Leaders must be many things for the team. 2. Telling a great story is everything. 3. Remote work is the ‘next’ normal. 4. People, process, and technology are the big three! 5. You must understand your WHYs. Reflecting on the session, Phil shared that “Leadership in this new world will require increased awareness of the team and their needs especially in the new hybrid remote workplace. The new leader is live in their team’s living room with kids and pets in the background. You cannot simply pop in to their workstation physically so you must communicate clearly and often to ensure success or the team will struggle to understand their WHY for what they do. Leadership is harder today so be ready to listen, learn, and engage, your team needs you!” Thank you for the CSMFO Program Committee and Phil Bertolini for a fantastic pre-conference session!

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COMMITTED TO CALIFORNIA WITH SERVICES SUITED TO YOUR NEEDS Special thanks to CSMFO for bringing us all together virtually. We wish we could have had the opportunity to visit with you in person. We hope you, your family, friends and colleagues weathered the storm of 2020 and that we will be able to connect with you sometime this year.

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2021 CSMFO ENTERTAINMENT KARLA ROMERO, COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE

CSMFO Magic The final day of the conference started with a little CSMFO Magic provided by Nash Fung, a magician. The 30-minute interactive show started at 12:15pm, which allowed conference attendee’s children to join the fun.

Mixology and Dueling Pianos

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A little history, lots of laughs, lip signing, and some tasty recipes were included in the Wednesday night Mixology and Dueling Piano event. In true CSMFO fashion attendees experienced a unique blend of information and entertainment, while seeing colleagues sing, dance, and laugh as the day’s events came to an end. Frankie Thaheld, the Director of Mixology with Snake Oil Cocktail Co. located in San Diego, CA shared the history and how to make the Moscow Mule; a classic cocktail from the 1940’s. He also shared how to make a refreshing and good-looking muddled blueberry Smash. Two best tips; a little over, it is ok and eyeball it. With drinks in hand, attendees were treated to dueling pianos featuring Jon Coyle & Eric Blumenfeld. Requests started and were fulfilled immediately, During the hour-long session, singing along was just as strong as the dancing and even better many attendees were showcased throughout the event. A bonus for those who attended and saw people’s outrageous sunglasses, CSMFO swag, and pets. There was even an Animal on the drums. This event was utterly amazing virtually and a great way to end the first night of the conference.

Decks of cards flew in the air across California offices and homes, Nash changed shirts during his magic show without anyone seeing and attendees have a recorded video to prove it. We shook up our soda cans and everyone was scared to open them, but none exploded!!!! Water flowed and cups were turned upside down without water in them. It was magic. It was amazing to see eyes open wide, mouths saying “ohh my gosh”, and people clapping during the show. Attendees were left wondering, could I do this magic again? But perhaps opted for not pushing our luck and stuck to our day jobs instead.

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With expertise spanning public

CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS “I enjoyed seeing the engagement by members in the chat function during sessions to have a chance for interaction in a virtual year. The member engagement activities, from the meditative moments to stretching and the dueling pianos also helped have some fun, relaxing time and a chance to see colleagues on-screen. Plus the usual great content. “

2021 CSMFO CONFERENCE | ANNUAL CONFERENCE MAGAZINE

-Joan Michaels Aguilar

“Seeing all the smiling faces, the energy from attendees, and knowledge shared by speakers.” -Karla Romero “My favorite moments were to see the many faces you normally see in person at the conference, and although we were not in person, CSMFO created a platform to interact with the presenters, see other attendee’s questions and responses. I am grateful for the effort and the outcome, we even had the opportunity to engage in magic shows, and breakout sessions. CSMFO took the current lemon environment and made an awesome lemonade! Kudos! “ -Yolanda Rodriguez

“My first favorite moment was the signing of the National Anthem by our leaders. The Jeopardy was fantastic! I wish it had continued longer. The ease of interacting through the chat feature in real time was great! “ -Kofi Antobam

“My favorite moment was the dueling pianos social event. Most fun I’d had in almost a year! I loved how everyone was laughing and singing. The air guitar competition was epic. “ -Wing-See Fox

-David Cain “I enjoyed losing at Jeopardy and exploring the virtual exhibit hall!” -James Russell-Field “Ease of interacting with fellow attendees. Jeopardy was awesome!” -André Aberdeen

2021 CSMFO CONFERENCE | ANNUAL CONFERENCE MAGAZINE

“There was nothing not to like in the virtual world. Keynotes were outstanding, concurrent sessions were informative, the networking was good (can’t beat in person), and the social activities we beyond my expectations. Much more membership engagement than I anticipated. Great Conference in the format.”

THE VIRTUAL EXHIBIT HALL We may not have been in person, bumping shoulders and having face to face conversations, and we’ll admit that we greatly miss the plethora of swag all of our incredible sponsors and exhibitors made available at their tables, but something that really worked was being able to visit a virtual booth and immediately have access to their website, social media and their marketing materials as PDF’s saved to my computer in an instant. Using that virtual birds eye view of the hall you could click on any bubble of a logo you did or didn’t recognize and find yourself immediately connected with that organization and could immediately learn everything you need to know about them, including (and most importantly) how to get connected.

2021 CSMFO CONFERENCE | ANNUAL CONFERENCE MAGAZINE

Some booths had video links, chat options and direct links to the profiles of the folks from those organizations. Please be aware that all of this content will still be live until mid-August 2021.

In 2022 our exhibit hall will look and feel like it has in the past in person events, but we hope some of these elements of ease of connection and a sharing of information so quickly can be incorporates as well. It’s important that our exhibitors and sponsors not only get the chance to show what they can do for finance officers, but to be able to talk about it and make those in person connections truly is something special and we can’t wait for that to be back!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS AND EXHIBITORS PREMIER SPONSORS

SUPPORTING SPONSORS Bartel Associates Best Best & Krieger LLP Cantor Fitzgerald Caselle DTA Fieldman, Rolapp & Associates Financial Statement Services, Inc. (FFSI) Fitch Ratings Harris & Associates IntraFi Network Invoice Cloud Jones Hall, APLC Kosmont Transactions Services, Inc Maze & Associates NBS OpenGov Oracle Paymentus PSD Citywide SCI Consulting Springbrook Software UMB Bank Zions Bank Corporate Trust

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DELUXE SPONSORS Bank of the West BerryDunn California Asset Management Program (CAMP) California JPIA California Municipal Treasurers Assn (CMTA) CalTRUST CentralSquare Chandler Asset Management Crowe LLP D. A. Davidson & Co. GovInvest Insight Investment Insight Investment JP Morgan MBS Securities Piper Sandler & Co Plante Moran Public Trust Advisors Public Agency Retirement Services (PARS) Questica RAMS SDI Presence LLC Stifel UKG US Bank Wells Fargo Willdan Financial Services

PRESIDENT-ELECT’S MESSAGE

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SCOTT CATLETT, 2021 CSMFO PRESIDENT-ELECT

First, I want to start out with kudos to Marcus Pimentel and the 2021 Host Committee for the amazing result that came out of a frequently changing situation that created a great many challenges in planning CSMFO’s first ever virtual conference. The end result was what I can safely say was the best virtual conference experience I have seen in the past year. Whether it was the unique but effective interactions with vendors or the ability to engage virtually with the breakout session panelists, the format delivered more than I would have thought possible given the circumstances. Feedback that I have heard has been very positive, and we are considering how a virtual component can fit into the 2022 conference and beyond.

For 2022, the conference is scheduled for February 16th to the 18th in San Diego. The exact format of the events has yet to be determined, but we are planning for the conference to be primarily in-person. There may well still be COVID-related restrictions in place at that time, and our conference planning will be flexible to accommodate whatever restrictions remain in place. The Host Committee also hopes to take what was learned this year about virtual sessions and vendor interactions to enrich the conference experience for attendees in the long-term. An even wider audience may be able to gain access to our conference program content with a continued virtual component, thanks to the innovation that we saw in the 2021 conference experience. As the year progresses, I will be providing updates to you via the CSMFO News on the latest developments with the 2022 conference and the specifics of the planned format, theme, keynote speakers, and events. The Host Committee, comprised of volunteer government and commercial members, is already hard at work planning the conference. I look forward to seeing you all in San Diego in 2022!

Scott Catlett

SAVE THE DATE!

SAN DIEGO - FEBRUARY 16-18, 2022

2021 CSMFO CONFERENCE | ANNUAL CONFERENCE MAGAZINE

THANK YOU TO THE 2021 CONFERENCE TEAMS Your 2021 Conference Host Committee Marcus Pimentel, Chair (Santa Cruz) Craig Boyer (Alameda County) John Adams (Eastern Municipal Water District) Mary Bradley (Fremont) David Cain (Retired) Grace Castaneda (Belmont) Steve Heide (Chino Valley Fire) David McPherson (HdL Companies) Joan Michaels Aguilar (Retired) Lily Ng (Bank of the West) Margaret O’brien (Oakland) James Russell-Field (Fairfield-Suisun Sewer District) Terry Shea (RAMS CPA) Wing-See Fox (UFI) Jesse Takahashi (Mountain View) Jennifer Wakeman (Lafayette) Our 2020 Program Committee Margaret Moggia, Chair, (West Basin Municipal Water District) Dennis Kauffman, Vice Chair, (City of Roseville) Karan Reid, Vice Chair, (City of Concord) Ronnie Campbell, Senior Advisor, (Southern California Regional Rail Authority) Viki Copeland, Senior Advisor, (City of Hermosa Beach) Richard Lee, Board Liaison, (City of San Mateo) Mary Bradley, (City of Fremont) Scott Catlett, (City of Newport Beach) Harriet Commons, (Retired) Laura Nomura, (Eastern Municipal Water District) CSMFO Conference Supporting Cast Melissa Manchester (MMM Management) David Garrison (SMA) Teri Anticevich (M&AMS) Marisa Anticevich (M&AMS) Janet Salvetti (M&AMS) Harriet Commons Beth Ramirez (M&AMS) Sarah Erck (SMA) Zach Seals (SMA)

2021 CSMFO Annual Conference Magazine

Articles inside

President-Elect’s Message

Conference Highlights

2021 CSMFO Entertainment

CSMFO Pre-Conference Session B

Keynote - The Messy Middle

Volunteer Of The Year Award

Presidential Roadtrip

CSMFO Year In Review

Chapter Networking Event

2021 Distinguished Service Awards

Keynote - Gifts From A Crisis

CSMFO Students