2021 Annual Conference: No Other Virtual Place We'd Rather Be

The 2021 Virtual Annual Conference is behind us and we just want to take a minute to reflect on this chance to come together as a city community for discussion, inspiration, and reflection. There is no other virtual place we'd rather be! Thank you to everyone from over 115 cities across the state who signed in and participated over four days of events.

City presenters

City officials from the Range Area COVID
Response Team reflect on their work.

Cities were the star of the show throughout the conference educational sessions. We love featuring city stories, and city folks love learning from each other's experience!

City officials from Circle Pines, Hastings, the Hastings Police Department, Marshall, Aurora, Biwabik, Hoyt Lakes, the East Range Police Department, St. Louis Park, Bemidji, and La Crescent all presented.

Additional subject matter experts, included presenters from Ehlers, Bolton and Menk, Iverson Reuvers, and Kennedy & Graven, also shared examples and great city case studies from Proctor, St. Paul, and a whole host of GreenStep Cities. 

Remember, you can find session materials on the League website.

Keynotes

Every keynote speaker's unique background offered a fresh perspective on the city issues we face day in and day out. 

• Gopher Football Head Coach P.J. Fleck opened the 2021 Virtual Annual Conference with a motivating keynote speech. Fleck shared his approaches to leadership and how everyone can overcome obstacles to reach their goals.
  

• Former Viking and retired Supreme Court Justice Alan Page answered questions on his approach to public service, equity in education, and leadership during a Q&A with the League’s General Counsel Patricia Beety.
  

• Governor Tim Walz closed the conference with a Q&A covering a broad range of areas including lessons learned from COVID-19. Walz discussed the need to learn from these experiences and how surrounding yourself with the right people strengthens your leadership.

Elections

The annual business meeting was held on Thursday for Board of Directors elections and
remarks from League leadership. Outgoing Board President Brad Wiersum, mayor of Minnetonka, said his thanks and reflected on a term that was dominated by the challenges of the pandemic and discussions about race equity. 

President D. Love addresses the virtual business meeting.
Photo credit: LMC Deputy Director Luke Fischer

Following the nominating committee report and voting, several city officials were named to the board and the board's executive committee: D. Love, mayor of Centerville; Ron Johnson, councilmember from Bemidji; Jenny Max, administrator of Nisswa; Mary Gaasch, mayor of Lauderdale; Jon Lubke, mayor of Jenkins; Chris Volkers, administrator of Oakdale; Clinton Rogers, administrator of Janesville; Wendy Berry, councilmember from West St. Paul.

In his comments, incoming Board President D. Love emphasized that LMC continues to be a unifier, and that while the League building is physically located in St. Paul, the organization itself is made of all the cities it serves — kinda like a giant joint powers agreement, he joked. 

 Congratulations to all the city officials stepping into or continuing their role on the board, and thank you to all the outgoing directors for your service to Minnesota cities.

Networking

Just for fun, city officials could also pop in to a first-time attendee gathering, trivia night, and a morning "coffee and conversation." No, networking via Zoom isn't quite the same as chatting it up with your table at an in-person event. But we do what we gotta do.

See you next year!

City officials are familiar with making the most of what they've got, and this past year of virtual events is no exception. But the cherry on the sundae of this year's conference is announcing that in 2022 we are planning to be back together again in Duluth. And no, it's not too soon to mark your calendars!

Thanks again for being a part of the 2021 Virtual Conference!

Introducing MemberLearn - The League's New Online Learning Platform

The League of Minnesota Cities has recently launched its new online learning platform, MemberLearn. The League’s Instructional Designer Sam Easterson — key to developing and building out these courses — shares a little about this new program.

What is MemberLearn?
MemberLearn is an easy — and fun! — way for Minnesota city officials to learn online. We believe our courses need to be engaging to be effective. That’s why almost every MemberLearn course contains videos, interactive elements, or games. We think it’s OK to play (and smile) when you’re learning!

How are these courses different than webinars? 
That’s a great question. One way is that online courses often have the ability to cover a topic in a very granular way. We can dive really deeply into a particular subject. Online courses also allow us to deliver learning content in a wide variety of ways, which accommodates a lot of different learning styles. For example, some people like reading text while others like watching videos. Our courses can be designed to meet the needs of a lot of different types of learners. 

Who is MemberLearn for?
MemberLearn courses are custom designed by the League for Minnesota city leaders and staff — everyone from elected officials to city clerks.

What steps did you take to customize these courses specifically for Minnesota cities?
We listen very carefully to what educational content our members need. We only build courses if we determine that our members will find them valuable. We also occasionally customize courses based on member roles. For example, we currently have a data practices course for elected officials, another one for staff, and yet another for clerks. We keep our learners — and their roles — in mind to make sure we’re addressing their specific needs in each course.

An interactive element from the Open Meeting Law course.

Which topics will MemberLearn courses cover — and what does the future of MemberLearn look like?
MemberLearn courses cover a wide range of topics — from public finance to Open Meeting Law. We currently have more than a dozen courses available on MemberLearn. Over time, that number will grow exponentially. In the future, we’ll expand MemberLearn to offer a wide variety of educational content. In addition to courses, MemberLearn will also be a destination for more bite-sized learning experiences like micro-courses, stand-alone exercises, and interactive scenarios. 

How are MemberLearn’s courses specifically designed for adult learners? 
MemberLearn supports adult learning in a variety of ways. First, we realize that adult learners are busy! Our courses are designed to be taken anytime that is convenient for you — they’re available on demand, 24/7. We also strive for applicability in the learning. In other words, we try to provide learning that’s relevant to the actual work you do. Finally, we try to create courses that provide reinforcement of what you’ve learned. We realize that our members often have to know a lot about a lot of different things. Using features like knowledge checks and informal assessments, we try to show you that you know your stuff!

What else do you want us to know about MemberLearn?
Another unique feature of MemberLearn is that courses are driven by some of the latest research being done in the field of online learning. We use this research to steer the design of our courses. From the lengths of videos to the color schemes used in courses, there is usually a reason for why our designs appear a certain way. In the end, this data-driven design optimizes the learning experience for our members. And — because MemberLearn also allows our team to analyze data and feedback in real time — we can even adjust and improve courses while they’re live.

You can learn more about MemberLearn here and browse our current library of courses here. 

Interested in giving the MemberLearn platform a try? View our MemberLearn welcome video, where you can also take a brief (less than five minutes) tutorial.

Happy learning! 

2021 Virtual Annual Conference: Special Delivery

The sessions are virtual. The swag is real. League staff packaged up several hundred "exhibit halls in a box" to ship out last week, all in an effort to make your 2021 conference as friendly and helpful as an in-person event.

We are excited to bring you this year's lineup of sessions, speakers, networking events and more. Let's make the most of this moment! Want to connect with other city officials on social? Share a pic of your virtual conference setup and local gov team (pets included!) on Twitter with the hashtag #MnCities, or find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/minnesotacities. 

2021 Virtual Annual Conference info and agenda

Photo credit goes to Mel Reeder, LMC CIO

Municipal Clerks Week — THANK YOU, CLERKS!

It's Municipal Clerks Week and we are here for this. 👏👏👏

Clerks across the state are busy navigating the transition (cross your fingers) between the pandemic and what the "new normal" will come to be in their communities.

And they're doing it while taking care of the day-to-day business they've always been great at: 

• Making sure the work of city hall gets done efficiently and according to law. 
• Keeping people safe and informed. 
• Being resourceful when resources are tight. 
• Offering up a touch of humor when needed.

Last Municipal Clerks Week came in the thick of pandemic management as well as census and elections preparation. This year, we hope that there's an extra helping of pride for all that you've persevered through for your cities. The future is bright and your work helps make it shine.

As always, know that the League is here by your side — because nobody should feel like they're alone in this difficult role. We're committed to being responsive to what you need to get the job done right and listening, always, to help navigate the way together.

Take care, stay safe, and THANK YOU!

 P.S. If you're a city official who wants to learn more about the role of city clerk, check out this informative video from the International Institute of Municipal Clerks.

 

Heartwarming Stories From City Hall

It's that time of year when we’re all in the mood for some heartwarming stories, don’t you think? To help, members of the League Board of Directors and the LMCIT Board of Trustees submitted a few dispatches from their own city halls, sure to evoke a few smiles and some city gov pride.

Greeted as Friends

A few weeks ago, the Minnetonka Senior Center organized an afternoon of “Parking Lot Bingo” for our senior residents. Turnout was pretty strong. Chris Egert of KSTP News lives in Minnetonka and was recruited to be the celebrity bingo caller. Players stayed in their cars and were safely socially distanced, and the event was a real success. The proof is always in the pudding, and a week or so later, we received the following email from a Minnetonka resident who attended the bingo event, her first Senior Center activity, and had invited her 88-year-old mother as her guest:

“Not only did she get to see and speak with Chris, she had a ball--and I did, too! What a fun way to gather with others from the community. Zoom is great, but gathering "in person" can't be beat.
Senior Center staff members greeted us like friends, with lots of enthusiasm, and set a great tone for an hour of fun. AND we felt very safe from COVID exposure. After we played our first game, we agreed we'd sign up for February.”

I am very proud of our staff. They have been working creatively to reach out and to safely connect with our senior residents. Very positive.

Submitted by Brad Wiersum
Minnetonka Mayor

A Spirit of Service

Last December, a customer entered the city’s off-sale liquor store, Spirits of Nisswa. Shortly thereafter an employee found the customer on the floor. Another employee came over and determined that the man was having a seizure. Our Spirits staff was able to call 911 and take direction from the dispatcher, care for the customer by rolling him on his side to prevent choking, and assist the other customers in the store quickly so they were able to exit. Our staff was able to remain calm throughout a very stressful situation. The man was taken to the hospital by ambulance. A week later the customer and his wife came to Spirits with three bouquets of flowers and cookies to show their appreciation for the kindness he was shown that day. The customer had no memory of the situation and he and his wife were both so appreciative for the staff at Spirits. I am so proud of their teamwork and commitment to helping others in times of need!

Submitted by Jenny Max
Nisswa City Administrator

A Bright 'Like'

A couple of weeks ago, one of our residents was pulled over for driving with a taillight out. Being pulled over is always unsettling and a lot people aren’t excited to add another financial bill to their plates, which really increases the anxiety. The motorist left with a voucher to have her taillight fixed for free at a local autobody shop, but more importantly, she left with a smile on her face and warm feeling in heart. Cottage Grove police officers, as part of the Light’s On! program, have handed out so many of these vouchers that they recently had to order more from program administrators. The resident posted about her experience on a popular neighborhood Facebook page, where it was liked and shared hundreds of times. One traffic stop had one tremendous and far-reaching impact on our community. I think it brings well-deserved credit to all our officers who practice compassionate, community policing.

Submitted by Myron Bailey
Cottage Grove Mayor

Help for the Helpers

Our citizen volunteer Public Safety Volunteer Emergency Response Team (VERT) assisted the Christian Cupboard Emergency Food Shelf (CCEFS) with a super-sized food giveaway event on Dec. 12.  It was an outdoor, drive-thru event with COVID-19 safety protocols in place. It ended up being the largest single distribution event in the history of CCEFS with 50,000 pounds of food provided to 730 families. An amazing feat but also a sad snapshot of the need in the community. A VERT member who has found themselves a CCEFS customer wrote a kind note about the event.

“Reality is that I have had to go to the Food Shelf, CCEFS, as I am a very very vulnerable senior. … I am so deeply grateful for the CCEFS as I cannot get to a store. Their food has been top of the line, their volunteers sent from Heaven and the drop in the trunk service has been invaluable to me. I honestly do not know how I would have eaten. Waiting for pick up I look at the employees and wish that I was there helping them.”

Submitted by Clint Gridley
Woodbury City Administrator

A Warm Safe Haven

A public works staffer, John Wirtz, was putting sand and salt down on a bridge when he spotted a small boy wandering lost by a busy intersection. Despite it being 15 degrees out, the boy had no jacket, hat, or mittens on. When Wirtz approached, the crying boy held up his arms to be picked up. Wirtz scooped up the child, put him in the warm truck cab, calmed him down, and called police who were able to take it from there.

Submitted by Andrew Johnson
Minneapolis City Council

 A Winter Wonderland

The City of Sartell and our community partners are lucky to be able to offer the annual Country Lights Festival around Lake Francis – it’s an amazing 33-acre winter wonderland lit by the glow of thousands of lights! This year we had an extra special touch. Darwin Bonn, a resident of Chateau Waters Senior Living, purchased lights for every balcony at Chateau Waters in honor of his late wife, Rosie, who loved Christmas and Christmas lights. As guests walked Lake Francis and the Country Lights Festival, they were able to see the lights on every balcony – 72 balconies in total. Check the story featured on Kare 11’s Land of 10,000 Stories here if you have not yet. As we were all looking for ways to connect this year, this one topped the list!
 
Anna Gruber
Sartell City Administrator

Census Update: What's New and What's Next?

By Rachel Walker, LMC policy analysis manager   

Hey all, it’s Rachel, policy analysis manager and League census captain.

It’s been awhile so I’m back with a couple quick census updates.

First off, you may have heard, Minnesota was second in the nation as far as share of households counted! Yep, 75% of households across the state completed the census. Big thanks go to all of the local Complete Count Committees and others who helped achieve this. Cities, schools, counties, churches, nonprofits, local businesses and dedicated community members really stepped up in our state. 

You can explore census response rates in Minnesota and across the country by state, city, or county.

How does the census know how many households there are to count before they count? As you may remember, one of the first big steps in the decennial census process is the confirmation of local addresses. That's how census workers know where to send the forms and where to do targeted follow up. So, another big thanks goes to local government officials who assisted with the Local Update of Census Addresses (LUCA).

The census is pretty important for lots of reasons, but a big one is that it is going to determine whether we have seven or eight seats in Congress. In addition, about $2,800 in federal funding per person per year is distributed into the state through formulas for all kinds of programs: housing, education, healthcare, and more. The census data even affects distribution of LGA here in Minnesota by providing population information.

What's happening now

The past few months the U.S. Census Bureau has been compiling and formatting the data. It will slowly be releasing tables and maps as they wade through all of the data.  

You can visit the U.S. Census Bureau home page to see the latest.

Here at home, our Minnesota demographer’s office is closely monitoring data releases.

American Community Survey

If you are getting impatient waiting for more data, the Census Bureau did just recently release the 2019 American Community Survey (ACS) data. The ACS has taken the place of the long form census, which collected a much wider range of data like number of bedrooms, education level, etc. 

You can explore this American Community Survey data here. 

Again, thanks for all the work that you put in to make sure your community was counted. Be proud, and enjoy the data!

Yours in a complete and accurate count,

Rachel

Confidence in Our Communities: A New Year’s Message from LMC President Brad Wiersum

A message from Brad Wiersum, LMC president and mayor of Minnetonka

Dear Minnesota City Officials:

LMC President Brad Wiersum

We made it. 2021 is here. Joy at the arrival of the new year is normal; it brings out feelings of optimism, expectation, and renewal. That is in a normal year.

As city officials we navigated uncharted waters in 2020. And here we are, at the start of 2021, with more hills to climb, including the aftermath of Jan. 6, and its impact on American democracy.

While the mood is hardly joyful, I am feeling a growing confidence that our communities will prevail. We will get through the pandemic, the economy will continue its improvement, and a sense of normalcy, with real human interaction, will return.  

I am proud to be affiliated with the League of Minnesota Cities. The work of the League is more important than ever. New topics including pandemic relief, crisis management, a renewed focus on racial equity, states of emergency, stay-at-home orders, serial special sessions, police reform, and many more challenged LMC staff and leadership. Through it all, the League has been steadfast, and has continued to be a resource to all Minnesota cities. The League has had to innovate. It is no small task. The service delivery models may have changed. The quality, efficacy and support provided by the LMC have continued at the highest level.

My 2020 highlight

The best aspect of being involved with the LMC is the opportunity to network and work with city officials from around the state and beyond. The usual regional meetings did not happen this year, and that is disappointing to me. Yet, demonstrating the need for connection and visibility, a series of “mini-meets” with city officials and League representatives were safely and effectively conducted. Visits involving over 100 cities were held, of which I attended about a third. It was the highlight of the year for me. Meetings were well-attended and beneficial.

Welcome, newly elected officials

2020 was an election year and there is a large contingent of newly elected officials across the state. The League has reinvented its educational offerings to accommodate today’s virtual reality. The Elected Leaders Institute programs will begin in late January. The program has been recast as a combination of real-time virtual meetings and self-directed e-learning. These programs are outstanding. Significant investments were made to make this essential education interesting and engaging. Please encourage your newly elected officials to attend the foundational program. I strongly recommend that experienced officials attend the advanced program. I promise you, it will be an excellent investment of your time. The speakers and the material are outstanding.

Finally, I thank you for your service to your cities. The work we all do is important. Be strong and be well. I wish health, happiness, and success to you in this new year. 

Brad Wiersum
LMC Board President
Mayor of Minnetonka