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Public Meeting

synonyms: scary, stressful, impending doom.

Alright, that may be a little dramatic. But, if you have ever felt unprepared when it comes to managing a public meeting look no further. Experts Michael Blue, FAICP, Teska Associates, Inc. and Peter Friedman, Elrod Friedman LLP host an interactive 1.5-hour discussion to better prepare YOU on how to manage a public meeting. Attendees will be split up into breakout rooms for a portion of the session to discuss the submitted scenarios with a group. At the conclusion of the breakout room discussion, the experts will discuss the submitted questions/scenarios, and provide helpful tips and tricks.

Planning school gave us tools to build better communities, but planners are often faced with complex management situations that can feel overwhelming. The PlanNotes series will help to fill the knowledge gap and assist you on your way to building better communities in Illinois. Keep an eye out for other sessions in this series which will cover your management needs from A-Z, such as managing an intern or even managing your boss!

Speakers:

Michael Blue, FAICP, is a Principal at Teska Associates, Inc. Michael’s time working in both the public and private sectors of planning have given him an eccentric perspective of the field and how consultants can best serve communities. Prior to joining Teska Associates in 2013, for eleven years Michael was the Director of Community Development in Highland Park, IL. There he managed a department of 30 staff, worked on a range of planning projects, refined the Department’s organization, and supported City Council and Commission activities (the Department served nine City Commissions on development, housing, historic preservation, cultural arts, and environmental issues). While in Highland Park, Michael managed passage and implementation of the City’s affordable housing ordinance. Prior to Highland Park Michael was Deputy Community Development Director for the Village of Mount Prospect, IL, managing planning, building permit and code enforcement efforts.

Now as a consultant (having also worked as a planning consultant out of college), Michael brings an implementation oriented approach to his work. As he is fond of saying “Plans must absolutely be aspirational, but there has to be a practical side to them”. In addition to comprehensive and area plans, Michael’s work at Teska involves updating zoning and development codes, preparing strategic plans, and providing organizational and staff development. View Speaker Bio >

Peter Friedman, is a Partner at Elrod Friedman LLP. Peter Friedman has an accomplished and broad real estate and government law practice, representing both private and public sector clients in all phases of government operations, real estate finance, acquisition, development, zoning and land use matters. He is the co-founder of Elrod Friedman LLP and serves as the firm’s General Counsel.

Peter represents numerous Illinois local and state government agencies, municipalities, and counties on all aspects of government law, real estate, and development. Peter serves as City Attorney for the City of Des Plaines; as Village Attorney for the Villages of Lake Bluff and Winnetka; and as General Counsel to the Waukegan Port District (including the Waukegan Harbor and Marina and the Waukegan National Airport). He is General Counsel to the Chicago Association of Realtors and special outside counsel to the Teachers’ Retirement System of the State of Illinois. He has represented the state of Illinois and the Illinois Medical District on significant public-private partnerships involving large multiuse developments as well as infrastructure and public transportation projects. He has also handled cyber security and related technology issues. View Speaker Bio >