Local government workers, in general, are far behind in professional development. Government can't expect superb efficiency, effectiveness and ethics from its workers if it does not make substantial investment in continuous public workforce development.  High quality conferences have to be part of such development. Cost is a challenge and public-private partnership has become the "buzz" solution for anything that Government wants done nowadays.  Because of the imbalance of powers and influences, public-private partnerships have become uncomfortable arrangements whether they are applied to conferences or financing of major public infrastructures.