Municipal officials from across the state gathered at the Little Rock Marriott and Statehouse Convention Center January 15-17 for Called to Serve: ’25, the Arkansas Municipal League’s 2025 Winter Conference. More than 750 mayors, council members and other city officials and personnel, including more than 100 newly elected officials, all representing over 200 cities and towns, prepared for the year ahead and discussed a variety of essential municipal issues.
With the 95th General Assembly of the Arkansas Legislature underway, conference general sessions focused on legislation affecting local government likely to come before legislators. The League welcomed Senate Pro Tempore Bart Hester and Speaker of the House Brian Evans to the stage to discuss the important relationship between local and state government and share their perspectives on several critical issues, including housing, water and sales taxes.
Education is a key component of every conference and Called to Serve: ’25 featured 12 breakout training sessions—some designed specifically for newly elected officials—covering topics such as disaster preparation, cybersecurity, planning and zoning, grant opportunities and conflict management. All sessions offered certification credit as part of the League’s Arkansas Civic Education Program, which offers training in person and online, and it is available to all League members. To take advantage of this excellent professional education tool, visit the ACE Hub at armuni.org/ACEhub.
The Arkansas City Clerks, Recorders and Treasurers Association and the Arkansas City Attorneys Association were also active at the conference. The ACCRTA presented new clerk orientation training, and the ACAA offered 12 hours of continuing legal education over the course of two days.
Called to Serve: ’25 also featured two special guest speakers. During the opening general session on Wednesday, January 15, author Doug Griffiths shared practical tips to help cities and towns thrive. During the conference-closing session on Friday, January 17, the League welcomed the Honorable Joyce Williams Warren, Arkansas’ first Black female judge and a trailblazer in juvenile justice in the state, who shared insights from her personal journey in public service.
Key sessions and takeaways
The League welcomed the Honorable Judge Joyce Williams Warren to Called to Serve: ’25, who addressed the membership during the conference-closing Inspire Breakfast on Friday, January 17. Warren was the first Black graduate of the UALR William H. Bowen School of Law, the first Black law clerk for the Arkansas Supreme Court and Arkansas’ first Black female judge. She is recognized as a trailblazer in juvenile justice and is a member of the Arkansas Women’s Hall of Fame. Before her retirement in 2020, she presided over juvenile and domestic cases for more than 37 years, and she shared insights from her personal journey in public service. Williams thanked local leaders, who she said give her hope in these trying times. “To everyone who holds a position in local government, I thank you for your willingness to be a public servant. It can be a daunting and sometimes thankless job.” She decried the current political climate and encouraged municipal officials to instead lead with integrity. “The atmosphere of deceit, dissension, division, hate, fear and prejudice seems to be more and more of the norm. Too many leaders embrace and display bad behavior that most adults would not condone in children. In my humble opinion, sixth graders of average intelligence would be better models of appropriate behavior. I believe it is absolutely crucial to know what your job entails and to be ever vigilant remembering that you hold your position to help others.”
“Don’t do anything that tells the world ‘we believe in ourselves.’” That’s the kind of reverse-psychology advice keynote speaker Doug Griffiths offered municipal leaders during the conference’s opening general session on Wednesday, January 15. Griffith’s presentation was based upon his book, 13 Ways to Kill Your Community, which presents practical advice in a similarly playful yet serious fashion to help cities and towns thrive in challenging times. He encouraged cities to take what is unique about the community and build upon that rather than copy what everyone else is doing. He mocked the overused and cliché city slogan “The Best Place to Work, Live and Raise a Family.” He shared a bit of gallows humor as an analogy, asking the audience to consider a morgue with an unidentified body whose toe tag says John Doe. “Well, when your community dies trying to be like everybody else, it’s toe tag will read ‘The Best Place to Work, Live and Raise a Family.’”
For more Winter Conference 2025 coverage, check out the Trendsetter City and Volunteer Community of the Year awards and others recognized during the event. Congratulations to our honorees and award recipients!
