Now Available: Sep-Oct Issue of Minnesota Cities Magazine

The winners of the LMC 2019 C.C. Ludwig and James F. Miller Leadership awards are St. Anthony Village Mayor Jerry Faust and St. Michael City Administrator Steve Bot. Find out what makes these leaders special in the latest Minnesota Cities magazine cover story.

The September-October issue of the magazine hit the streets last week. In addition to profiles of the LMC award winners, you’ll also find important information on railroad hazmat training and financial management planning.

More highlights:

• Afton’s Downtown Village Improvement Project. Read Ideas in Action to find out how Afton got flooding under control and made many other upgrades to its historic downtown. The project was a 2019 City of Excellence Award winner.
• Website photos and copyright laws. In Letter of the Law, you’ll learn how to stay on the right side of the law when it comes to using photos on your website.
• Main street revitalization efforts in Bird Island. This city of just over 1,000 residents recently joined the Main Street Minnesota program to help them pump up their downtown businesses and encourage residents to shop local. Read all about it in Focus on Small Cities.

Bonus: This issue also includes the League’s 2018-2019 Annual Report. Read highlights of the last year, see a financial overview, and get a glimpse into our plans for the future!

Read the Sep-Oct 2019 issue of Minnesota Cities online.

Do the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Graders You Know Have the Write Stuff?

The League of Minnesota Cities’ annual Mayor for a Day Essay Contest is now open! Students who will be in the fourth, fifth, and sixth grades during the 2019-2020 school year can enter by answering this question:
 

Cities provide a variety of services and programs that make our lives better, including parks & rec, street maintenance, water and sewer, libraries, police, fire, and more! If you were mayor for a day, what would you do to make one of the services that your city provides even better?

Students (ahem—and parents and teachers!) can download the essay form here. Handwritten responses must be mailed to us by Oct. 14, 2019.

The sky’s the limit for ideas!

Among last year’s winning essays, one student wanted to improve his city’s police department by encouraging officers to talk with kids more often. Another student focused on parks and rec, suggesting that her city add a community center and some after-school programs. The final winning essayist focused on improving her city’s streets and sidewalks, and hosting some events where residents could meet each other.

Three winners will be chosen—each winner will receive $100 and have their essay published in Minnesota Cities magazine.

So please share this with the kids you know … we can’t wait to read what they’d do to improve their cities!