POTSDAM – New York State Deputy Secretary of State for Local Government and former assemblywoman Dierdre Scozzafava is the keynote speaker for todays’ 20th Annual Local Government Conference at SUNY Potsdam.

The annual event will feature a variety of workshops on topics important to public servants and community leaders alike.

Scozzafava, a Republican who was largely abandoned by her party and pulled out of a campaign for Congress in a special election in 2009 to fill Secretary of the Army John McHugh’s seat in the 23rd Congressional District, landed on her feet with an appointment to Democrat Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s State Department.

Before her election to the state Assembly, Scozzafava was mayor of Gouverneur.

Clarkson University President Anthony G. Collins will speak at the luncheon to discuss progress of the North Country Regional Economic Development Council. He serves as co-chair for the regional council along with Garry Douglas, president of the North Country Chamber of Commerce. SUNY Potsdam is the host campus for the initiative.

Representatives of the NYS Comptroller's Office will discuss the recently enacted property tax cap law. A combined session of budget and finance professionals and board members will also have information regarding the tax cap's impact locally.

Sessions for assessors, board members, budget and finance officials, code enforcement officers, community development experts, municipal clerks, planning and zoning board members and public works employees will all cover timely topics. Workshops will focus on everything from finding census data and writing grant applications, to following open government laws and even inspecting solar panels.