Resolving Conflict on Main Street:THE ART OF EFFECTIVECOMMUNICATION

WORKSHOP

Who Should Attend• Main Street, Downtown Development

Authority, and non-profit organization leaders, staff, boards and volunteers

• City, village and township elected and appointed officials, boards and staff

Cost: Free | Registration required by June 16Note: While registering online, provide three questions/situations you need to resolve in your work. See session five for more information on the group exercise.

JUNE 201919The Treasury | 30 N. Saginaw Street

Pontiac, MI 48342

8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.

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Learn how to improve your communication and reduce conflict – while producing better results for your community and strengthening your relationships with stakeholders. Downtown and corridor development is a complex undertaking that touches and connects diverse groups of stakeholders from across your community. With so many people involved, communications can get bumpy. This workshop will help you improve your communication skills and provide ways to manage difficult situations and personalities. Avoid the pitfalls that can hinder your community’s progress.

Hear tips and best practices to strengthen communication with staff, board members, local leaders and volunteers. Gain communication approaches to help you improve your downtown or historic commercial corridor.

Participate in discussions on how best to build a plan that effectively communicates your vision, goals, strategies and value to the broader public. Expand your circle of partners, funders, volunteers, businesses and supporters.

Questions? Contact:Annaka Norris, Planning Divisionnorrisa@oakgov.com(248) 858-5447

Agenda8:30 a.m. Sign In and Light Breakfast

8:45 Welcome and Introductions

9:00 Session One: Focusing Your Internal Communications to Build Downtown Advocates

Cristina Sheppard Decius, CMSM, owner, POW! Strategies, Inc., Ferndale, and executive director, Downtown Dearborn Focusing a downtown’s communications strategy on its internal stakeholders is one of the strongest ways to build supporters and advocates for your downtown — while spreading the good word. During this quick tutorial, you will learn how to build your own internal communications strategy using best practices. You will hear perspectives from a panel of key internal stakeholders. This session focuses on the significant role that city officials, staff and administration; and DDA/Main Street board members, staff and volunteers all play in moving downtowns forward.

10:15 Break

10:30 Session Two: A Tale of Two Projects— Lessons Learned in Meaningful Community Engagement

Jordan Twardy, director, Community & Economic Development, city of Ferndale Kara Sokol, director, Communications, city of FerndaleSharing their experience with two major project opportunities in recent Ferndale history, the speakers reveal lessons learned and best practices that have worked for their community to achieve better development outcomes and build stronger relationships with their community. Topics covered include methods of outreach, addressing resistance and identifying and resolving community concerns.

11:45 Lunch on Your Own to Experience Downtown Pontiac’s Eateries

1:15 p.m. Session Three: Strategies for How to Properly Manage MeetingsKathleen Bertolini, analyst II, Human Resources, Oakland CountyJason M. Deneau, analyst II, Human Resources, Oakland CountyHaving difficulty managing meetings? Learn how to manage them more effectively with strategies for working with argumentative, disruptive or negative participants; regaining balance; and keeping up momentum for more effective and productive meetings.

2:10 Break

2:20 Session Four: Strategies for How to Properly Manage Different PersonalitiesKathleen Bertolini and Jason M. DeneauLearn how to manage the different personalities in your downtown — while maintaining your relationships in order to effectively do your job as a DDA director/Main Street manager. You can acquire the skills needed to help you navigate the different opinions and ideas while building consensus and partnerships with vested stakeholders in the unique environment of a downtown.

3:15 Session Five: A Real-World Group ExerciseKathleen Bertolini and Jason M. DeneauThis session is a group exercise working through real-world communication issues. The topics will come from you. During your online registration or at check-in, you will submit three questions or situations you are facing at work. These could involve any of your stakeholders (e.g., board members, residents, clients, etc.). Provide something relevant to you to be discussed with the group.

4:00 Q&A

4:15 p.m. CloseNetworking option at Exfermintation: 7 N. Saginaw Street, Pontiac

SpeakersCRISTINA SHEPPARD-DECIUS, CMSMFounder and President, POW! Strategies, Inc., Ferndale; and executive director, Downtown Dearborn

Sheppard-Decius founded POW! Strategies, Inc., to help downtowns, communities and businesses leap tall buildings in a single bound to reach their full potential by implementing sound business development and communications strategies. She provides training for downtown and economic professionals both nationally and regionally through the National Main Street Conferences, ICSC, Southeast Michigan Council of Governments, Michigan Economic Development Association, Michigan Downtown Association and other local and state economic development agencies. She is known nationally and locally for her proven track record of revitalizing Downtown Ferndale. Her tenure as executive director of the Ferndale Downtown Development Authority (DDA) was from 2000-2015. Under her leadership, Ferndale was honored as one of five Great American Main Streets in the nation by the National Trust Main Street Center in 2010. As the East and West Dearborn DDA executive director since 2015, Sheppard-Decius works with the City of Dearborn and its community stakeholders to build a cohesive downtown along Michigan Avenue. Dearborn is a community of almost 100,000 residents; over 700 businesses in two downtown districts; and is home to significant tourism, business and education institutions and assets undergoing catalytic transformations. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in public relations from Western Michigan University and is a Certified Main Street Manager (CMSM) (2005) of the National Main Street Center.

JORDAN TWARDYDirector, Community & Economic Development, city of FerndaleTwardy is passionate about championing increased civic awareness and collaboration toward the pursuit of community goals. He has more than a decade of experience in local government and nonprofit management, including strategic planning and implementation, budgeting and teambuilding, tax incentives, problem-solving, fundraising and project management.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations and history from Oakland University; and a master’s degree in urban and regional planning from the University of Michigan.

KARA SOKOLDirector of Communications, city of FerndaleSokol leads the digital, print, and social media communications and community engagement initiatives for Ferndale. She has a master’s degree in professional and creative writing and has been writing professionally for 15 years — specializing in organizational branding and voice, magazine editing and nonprofit communications.

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KATHLEEN BERTOLINITraining and Development Analyst II, Human Resources, Oakland County, Waterford

Bertolini came to county government as a retired public middle school teacher with over 25 years of experience. She has a proven track record of educating people of all ages — while providing strategic thought to make successful change a reality.

Throughout her career, Bertolini has shared her expertise on instruction at conferences across Michigan and the Great Lakes region. In her professional leadership roles, she has been successful in initiating new programs for both students and educators. She challenges and supports her teams to elevate the development and delivery of highly effective instruction.

Bertolini has taught students of different nationalities, cultural backgrounds, races, ages, socioeconomic levels and ethnicities. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in elementary education from the University of Michigan and has two master’s degrees, the first in reading and language arts and the second in educational studies-curriculum, instruction and leadership from Oakland University.

JASON M. DENEAUTraining and Development Analyst II, Human Resources, Oakland County, Waterford.Deneau is a training and development professional that leads, develops, facilitates and coordinates personal and organizational change initiatives at Oakland County. Prior to the county, he worked in a similar role in the finance and manufacturing industries.

After a successful private sector career helping and developing employees, corporate customers and the public, Deneau uses his skills and passion for helping to further develop Oakland County’s employees and communities.

He received his Bachelor of Science degree in public administration from Central Michigan University, and his master’s degree in training and development from Oakland University.

Joe FrostAssociate Planner

John BryPrincipal Planner and MSOC Program Coordinator

Annaka NorrisAssociate Planner

Ron CampbellPrincipal Planner

Tim ColbeckAssociate Planner

MEET THE OAKLAND COUNTY PLANNING GROUP’SMAIN STREET OAKLAND COUNTY TEAMProviding technical services, training and promotional opportunities for the cities, villages and townships in the Main Street Oakland County program.

Communities in Main Street Oakland County Program

SELECT LEVEL01 Berkley02 Clawson03 Farmington04 Ferndale05 Franklin06 Highland07 Holly08 Lake Orion09 Ortonville10 Oxford11 Pontiac12 Rochester13 Royal Oak

ASSOCIATE LEVEL14 Birmingham15 Lathrup Village16 Wixom

AFFILIATE LEVEL17 Auburn Hills18 Clarkston19 Groveland Twp 20 Hazel Park 21 Holly Twp 22 Leonard23 Madison Heights24 Oak Park25 South Lyon

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11

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AN OAKLAND COUNTY EXECUTIVE L. BROOKS PATTERSON INITIATIVEFunded by the Oakland County Board of Commissioners

Managed by Oakland County’s Department of Economic Development & Community Affairs:Dr. Timothy Meyer, Deputy County ExecutiveMike McCready, Acting DirectorDan Hunter, Deputy DirectorBret Rasegan, Planning Group Manager

Ferndale

MAIN STREET OAKLAND COUNTY2001 - 2018 PROGRAM STATISTICS

8,000+ new jobs created

$837 million+in private and public investment in our Main Street downtowns

1,100+new businesses opened

Farmington

Pontiac

Royal OakHolly

Lake Orion

Let the Main Street Program Help Your Community Meet its PotentialMain Street Oakland County Mission Statement: To maximize the economic potential and to preserve the heritage and sense of place of Oakland County’s historic downtowns, heritage corridors and commercial districts by encouraging and facilitating the use of the Main Street Four-Point Approach® that emphasizes economic development within the context of historic preservation.

MainStreetOaklandCounty.com | planninggroup@oakgov.com | (248) 858-0721

For more information, contact:Main Street Oakland County

2100 Pontiac Lake Road, Bldg 41WWaterford, MI 48328-0412