FAQ on the 2026 NIRMA Conference – Get Ahead of the Game

Now that registration has closed for the upcoming annual conference, here are a few common lingering questions and answers:

1. Where do I go if I’m registered for the Conference?  We’re glad you can join us!  Head to the Younes Conference Center North in Kearney on Talmadge Street (attached to the Crowne Plaza hotel).  Ample free parking surrounds the conference center. The registration desk will be open Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 21, beginning at 3 pm, and at 7am on Thursday and Friday, Oct. 22-23. Go to the registration desk to check in. You’ll receive your free gift and binder of materials, which includes a map of the facility, sessions at a glance with room assignments, and more.  Enjoy breakfast on us both days before sessions begin.
2. Can I still attend, even though online registration is closed?  It depends on space available, and whether the food and beverage guarantees allow for it.  Please contact Stacey or Brandy at the NIRMA office 402.742.9220 to inquire. Limited walk-in registration space may be available on site, but we ask that you call ahead to ensure we have sufficient supplies and that we are not charged extra fees by the venue.
3. Who can attend the conference – is it only for elected/appointed officials?  The conference is exclusively for NIRMA members, but this includes officials as well as employees of every member county and agency office, regardless of their job role.  We welcome all members to attend, and our goal is always to have as many as possible, as well as at least one representative from each member county and agency.
4. I registered, but I can no longer attend.  What should I do?  Contact Stacey at the NIRMA Office by no later than the cancelation deadline of Thursday, October 15.  If you do not cancel by this date, you will be charged a fee of $75 to partially cover the cost of supplies and food that must be pre-purchased for each registered attendee.
5. I can’t remember if I registered and can’t find a confirmation email. What should I do? Call the NIRMA Office at 402.742.9220 and staff will assist you.
6. Will these seminars be recorded for me to watch later, or can I join virtually?  No, the conference involves legal content and is a live event only. The conference is not recorded to encourage in-person participation.
7. I need a hotel room. Can I still get a room with the NIRMA rate?   Yes, probably. Our room blocks at the Crowne Plaza and Hampton hotels are full. We have arranged for our discounted conference rate of $140 at the Fairfield Inn & Suites to be honored, until its capacity is reached. Call the hotels directly to book. Although we do not charge a registration fee to attend the conference, each member must arrange and pay for their own hotel room(s), if needed. There are often last-minute cancelations and shifts with hotel availability. Contact Brandy at the NIRMA office if you need assistance in locating a room.
8. How many continuing education hours are available for the seminar, and how do I claim my hours?  In the front pocket of your attendee binder on site will be a sheet that specifies how many hours were approved by various credentialing entities for various county job roles, and general instructions for how to claim those hours.  This sheet should be signed and preserved by you as your proof of attendance. Here is a summary of continuing education hours available:
   • Law Enforcement/Corrections, 9.2 hours – you must report your own hours
   • Attorneys, 9.2 hours (regular/traditional, no ethics hours) – you must sign in at the registration desk and NIRMA will report your hours after the event for those who sign in
   • Treasurers, 8 hours (excludes certain sessions) – you must report your own hours
   • Assessors, 5.5 hours (excludes certain sessions – however, approval was recently extended to Scouting Report session) – you must sign in at the registration desk – you must report your own hours, but NIRMA will confirm attendees with the State Property Tax Administrator post-event
   • Highway Superintendents (To be determined – PDH hours and category will be considered and determined by the credentialing agency shortly before the event)
   • District Court Clerks, 9 hours – you must sign in at the registration desk – you must also report your own hours
   • Human Resources staff:  6 hours of HR-related sessions are available and likely qualify for SHRM and HRCI recertification, but NIRMA is not a credentialed provider, so hours must be entered ad hoc.
9. I’ve seen photos being taken at this event. Can I get a copy of one?  What do you do with them?  What if I don’t want to be in photos?  Your attendance will be deemed consent to photography on site by NIRMA. Photos are typically only used for NIRMA’s publications or occasionally in speaker marketing. Contact Brandy at the NIRMA office if you’d like a copy of a photo from the conference for your county or agency’s website or social media. Photos of each member group accepting dividend checks are sent by NIRMA with press releases to local newspapers post-conference, through the Nebraska Press Association. It is in each newspaper’s discretion whether and when to publish them.
10. Can I get an extra copy of the printed materials from the Conference? What about the new MUTCD Guide?  Each attendee will receive a binder and a free printed copy of all written conference materials for sessions they attend, on site including slides and handouts. If you miss a session, don’t worry – attendees will also receive a post-event email with a link to a digital drive containing of all materials within two weeks after the event, including those materials that were not available in print at the time of the conference. As for the MUTCD Guide, we will be distributing it to Roads personnel and county board members on site, and will track who gets a copy. Post-conference, contact KC Pawling if you need a copy of the MUTCD Guide.
11. Why should I attend for the second day on Friday?  Lots of reasons!  You’ll miss out on 3 extra hours of continuing education if you aren’t there on Friday.  And it is critical that each county and agency have a representative at the business meeting on Friday to vote in the election for 4 seats on the NIRMA Board of Directors, hear about the financial health of your pools, and to accept your dividend check (if eligible) and take a photo for your local newspapers and social media pages.  Finally, the biggest door prizes are held for the conclusion of the conference and you must be present to win!
12. When we will be finished on Friday morning so that I can get back on the road to home?  We’ve implemented ways to improve efficiency of the business meeting by starting it at 11:30a on Friday. We will conduct roll call simultaneously with the distribution of board election ballots, and will again have a second photo station for the dividend distribution. We expect this process to get travelers back on the road as soon as possible and most likely by approximately between 1:00-1:30p.