The Lake County Bar Association's Local Government Committee Seminar will cover such topics as: (1) FOIA-An overview of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and how to respond to FOIA requests (2) Review of Public Access Counselor (PAC) Decisions - What You Need to Know (3) The Pros and Cons of Mediation & Arbitration for Local Governmental Disputes (4) Open Meetings Act: Practical Aspects and Common Problems Involving Open Meetings. The focus will be on how to spot and avoid violations. (5) Identifying and Avoiding Issues that Result in Litigation (6) Getting Your Public Improvement Project Up and Running - An Overview of the Process and Issues Involved in Retaining a Design Professional and Contractor (7) Economic Development: Learn the basics for a variety of economic development tools available to help grow the local economy. Municipal officials will want to know what is in "the toolbox," while other local governments will want to learn whether each tool may or may not affect their revenues. Intergovernmental cooperation will also be discussed