News

Reflections on Governance Conference 2023

As AGRiP wraps up Governance Conference 2023 work, we find ourselves reflecting on the experience. Thanks to all who attended (with a special nod of appreciation to those who presented at the conference to share their ideas and insights). Ours is an inspiring community of people working together to make pools more effective, collaborative and informed. Here’s a message from Executive Director Ann Gergen: Whenever I attend on e of our conference events, or any sort of pool gathering for that matter, I find myself immediately struck by two things. It's energizing when the pooling community is together. Our membership is filled ...
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NYMIR’s Kevin Crawford Honored with Leadership Award

Kevin Crawford, executive director with the New York Municipal Insurance Reciprocal (NYMIR) , has been selected for a prestigious Award for Excellence in Leadership by the Association of Governmental Risk Pools (AGRiP) . NYMIR is uniquely formed by three New York municipal associations: NY Association of Counties NY Conference of Mayors Association of Towns of the State of NY Kevin was instrumental in NYMIR’s formation in 1993. At that time, he was general counsel for the Association of Towns of the State of NY (AOT), where he helped AOT respond when municipalities were otherwise unable to obtain adequate and affordable coverage. As an attorney, ...
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OMAG’s Bill Tackett Honored with Service Award

Bill Tackett, Director of Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships with Oklahoma Municipal Assurance Group (OMAG) has been selected for a prestigious Award for Excellence in Service by the A ssociation of Governmental Risk Pools (AGRiP) . “Bill is the epitome of a public servant and his career and volunteerism is proof of his dedication to public entities,” said Suzanne Paulson, OMAG’s CEO. Bill’s entire career has been in public service beginning in human resources for two Oklahoma cities and then as city manager for cities in Oklahoma and Texas. During that time, he voluntarily served on his local school board, the chamber of commerce and OMAG’s board. ...
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What's Ahead For 2023: A Message From Executive Director Ann Gergen

AGRiP has actively engaged in annual strategic planning and goal-setting since our start in 1998. Just like our member organizations, we experienced quickly changing priorities during the pandemic that caused us to become more tactical in the short term and to reexamine some long-held assumptions for the long term. In recognition of industry influences and a continued need for rapid adaptation, the AGRiP Board of Directors has set forward an incredibly powerful set of strategic goals for 2023. This year, AGRiP will: React in measured (not knee-jerk) fashion to changes Experiment Be highly visible and accessible to help ...
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Join Other Pools at Governance Conference for Important Learning

The deadline to register and reserve your hotel room for Governance Conference 2023 is Monday, Feb. 13. New and experienced governing body members, staff and leaders from your pool will benefit from spending time together and learning alongside their peers across the industry. In addition to daily keynote speakers, roundtables for open sharing and networking opportunities, attendees will explore important and future-focused topics in: Governance --Identifying practices of an ineffective governing body (what not to do) --Governing body roles and ...
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Pooling Community Resources (Jan. 12, 2023)

The resources below were featured in the Jan. 12, 2023, issue of AGRiP eNews and may be of interest to pools. RISK MANAGEMENT GUIDANCE FOR PUBLIC ENTITIES Article about protecting property with routine safety inspections (AMERIND) Guidance on how and why to ensure sprinkler systems are fully operational (MCIT) Tips for safely maintaining retention ponds in winter weather (LMCIT) MEMBER-ORIENTED COMMUNICATIONS AND SERVICES Information on how to help firefighters protect themselves from skin cancer risks (CSD Pool) Resources related to increased cyberattacks on health and emergency services ...
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Renew Your Pool’s AGRiP Membership for 2023

As a relatively small and niche association, AGRiP is singularly committed to the values and spirit of pooling. We are an association of more than 200 pools, delivering programs and services that include education, best practices, industry intelligence, networking and advocacy. All AGRiP members renew on January 1. When you renew your commitment to AGRiP, your entire staff and governing body have access to resources they need to meet the obligations of the pool and expectations of its membership. Furthermore, your participation in AGRiP helps the community of pooling be more effective, collaborative and informed. Our dues increase for 2023 ...
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Pooling Community Resources (Dec. 22, 2022)

The resources below were featured in the December 22, 2022 issue of AGRiP eNews and may be of interest to pools. RISK MANAGEMENT GUIDANCE FOR PUBLIC ENTITIES Newsletter with articles about clinical risks in healthcare settings, mental health challenges in law enforcement interactions (MMRMA) Article exploring the threat of cyberattacks on local governments and recommended solutions (SDPAA) Guidance on social media for fire and EMS departments , including a model social media policy (LMCIT) MEMBER-ORIENTED COMMUNICATIONS AND SERVICES Article explaining myths about the seasonal flu vaccine (TSHB) ...
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Exciting Changes to AGRiP’s Fall Conference (June 30, 2022)

Staff Forum (formerly named Fall Forum) is transforming in several key ways beginning this year. We last held our fall conference in person in 2019 and a lot has changed since then, including expectations around how we learn, unprecedented staff turnover (in many industries, including pooling), and the even greater need for community among those who understand the work of pools. Many conference sessions will be extended to 90 minutes and will incorporate collaborative learning and peer support frameworks such as case studies, scenarios, table top exercises, small group work, and more. Attendees will use their time together to solve problems ...
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Pooling Community Resources (June 30, 2022)

The resources below were featured in the June 30, 2022, issue of AGRiP eNews and may be of interest to pools. RISK MANAGEMENT GUIDANCE FOR PUBLIC ENTITIES An update on active cyber threats and vulnerabilities (MEL) Article on the complexities of the Americans with Disabilities Act and compliance (PRM) Resources for preventing workplace violence (PRISM) Guidance on preventing slips, trips and falls (LMCIT) Reminder about summer road work risk (TOIRMA) Resources for understanding various federal cyber resources available to public entities (NLC) Article about who’s ...
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Join the AGRiP Team to Energize the Power of Pooling

AGRiP has an exciting job opportunity for someone looking to support and advance the pooling industry. You can help envision and maintain programs tailored to the public entity pooling community by joining AGRiP as its Programs Director . In this fully remote role, you’ll be responsible for growth and management of existing and new member programs that are heavily valued and used within the public entity pooling community. This includes working on our annual residency — a unique opportunity to do in-depth, focused work on a timely topic with one resident and AGRiP members for a full year. You’ll also manage existing programs like AGRiP Recognition, ...
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Cyber Coverage and Risk Management (May 19, 2022)

In May 2022, AGRiP member pools met virtually for roundtable discussions about cyber coverage and risk management strategies. In the first meeting, participants shared how their pools address cyber coverage terms, deductibles, sublimits and more. No two pools approach cyber coverage in the same way — in fact, the only thing pools have in common is that they’re all facing the same struggles. In the second meeting, participants shared what they’re doing to mitigate cyber risk for their members. Frequently discussed ideas included: Conducting cybersecurity assessments Requiring multi-factor authentication Providing phishing education ...
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Pooling Community Resources (April 28, 2022)

The resources below were featured in the April 28, 2022, issue of AGRiP eNews and may be of interest to pools. RISK MANAGEMENT GUIDANCE FOR PUBLIC ENTITIES Best practices for managing cybersecurity and cyberattacks (MIIA) Blog post about Distracted Driving Awareness Month with links to additional resources (KLC) News roundup covering a state court ruling on qualified immunity, a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on malicious prosecution, and a recent trend of public libraries hiring social workers (MMRMA) Toolkit to address issues of public safety mental health and PTSD (LMCIT) Tips on how to get playgrounds ready for spring (LMCIT) ...
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Academic Research Could Help Us Better Understand Law Enforcement Liability

If you’re exploring how your pool’s claims data can be used to understand law enforcement liability and workers’ compensation, or if you’re working to identify effective ways your pool could help manage law enforcement risks, university researchers doing credible work in these areas may be a helpful resource. Law enforcement liability in the U.S. was the topic of two meetings I recently attended with pools, commercial insurers and brokers, and academics. This subject is a matter of increasing public interest and debate, so it should come as no surprise that there’s interest in broader and deeper research. These conversations were born from questions ...
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The Digital Proficiencies Pools Are Prioritizing

NOTE: If you're using a mobile device, please view this page in landscape mode. Through our Digital Transformation Residency , pools have been assessing their mastery of eight digital proficiencies that are critical for navigating this time of significant change. It’s worth considering which proficiencies people feel are the most important at their pools, how individual perspectives may vary, and what those differences might mean. Understanding these different priorities (and where they come from) can help pool teams communicate more clearly — and improve the effectiveness of all pool digital efforts and operations. To learn more about these proficiencies, ...
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The Importance of Community

The timing of Governance Conference 2022 was perfect for reconnecting the pooling community — COVID-19 infection rates were down and mask restrictions in New Orleans lifted the day before we arrived. After two years without major in-person events, I anticipated strong attendance numbers and the hallways to be filled with conversations. I was prepared for attendees to be happy to see their colleagues and friends again (other than through Zoom). But I did not expect the overwhelming sense of pure joy. I witnessed it in smiles, laughter and hugs. I felt it, too. Being together last week felt simultaneously familiar and altogether new — like the first time ...
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Pooling Community Resources (February 17, 2022)

The resources below were featured in the February 17, 2022, issue of AGRiP eNews and may be of interest to pools. RISK MANAGEMENT GUIDANCE FOR PUBLIC ENTITIES Article on preparing member entity IT systems for quick recovery in the event of a disaster (NDIRF) Bulletin on the danger to pools of third-party cybersecurity vulnerabilities (NJ MEL) Overview of the ADA interactive process to determine reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities (APEI) Discussion of the risk of police pursuits and policy considerations (LMCIT) Article on the importance of providing a mentally healthy workplace ...
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The Top Digital Transformation Opportunities for Pools

Digital transformation is changing almost everything about pools and their operating environments. Those pools that successfully embrace digital transformation will be able to operate at peak performance. Pools that don’t will fail to meet members’ expectations. It’s up to pool leaders to manage this transformation, and there are two dangers they should specifically avoid: The first is chasing too many ideas that all look to have value and getting nowhere as a result. The second is focusing on the wrong priorities and later finding that you accomplished your goals but, in the end, did not move your pool forward. To provide clarity on where you might focus ...
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The Top Digital Transformation Risks for Pools

Digital transformation is changing almost everything about pools and their operating environments. Those pools that successfully embrace digital transformation will be able to operate at peak performance. Pools that don’t will fail to meet members’ expectations. It’s up to pool leaders to manage this transformation, and there are two dangers they should specifically avoid: The first is chasing too many ideas that all look to have value and getting nowhere as a result. The second is focusing on the wrong priorities and later finding that you accomplished your goals but, in the end, did not move your pool forward. To provide clarity on where you might focus ...
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The Importance of Digital Decentralization for Pools

Last week, we launched Office Hours, a conversational setting for pools to engage directly with Resident Scott Klososky and each other on topics related to digital transformation. After quickly outlining the eight most important digital proficiencies for pools to master , we opened the floor for input and discussion. Unexpectedly, most of the conversation focused on whether pools should decentralize control over how digital systems are being built and used — i.e., distributing tech responsibility and expertise for business applications across a pool rather than siloing it exclusively with an IT department. This idea was recently covered in ...
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