Understanding statements issued by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) for future implementations and projects is vital for those engaged in the financial management of governmental utilities. This session provides an overview of GASB standards from the lens of a governmental utility and focus on GASB 87, Leases.
Now more than ever, it is important to understand the way technology influences your future state and how to prepare your utility for the impact it will bring. This session dives into Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence, including how these systems can simplify and automate many aspects of daily life and where bias can impact these systems. Then, it focuses on Digital Centers of Excellence, including the concept, structure and a utility customer service organization example.
Two topics that are affecting the workforce now and will continue to in the future are strategic planning and cybersecurity. This session dives into both topics providing insight into the fundamentals of strategic planning, roadmaps for success, the latest cybersecurity threats, mitigation strategies and more!
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is currently making its way through Congress. The $1 trillion plan was passed by the United States Senate on August 10th and includes $550 billion in new federal investments in America’s infrastructure over the next five years. This session focuses on the various components of the Infrastructure Bill, discuss how funding can be used to enhance communities’ economic development goals and providing examples of how the dollars allocated to states can be used for utilities, sewers and power and utility systems.