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You can now find City Spot blog on the League of Minnesota Cities website at lmc.org/news-publications/publications/city-spot/. 

Please join us there to read up-to-date news that impacts Minnesota cities!

Recently retired city councilor reflects on the value of serving on a state board

For many local elected officials, public service is part of their DNA. They are passionate about striving to make their communities safe, vibrant, and desirable places to live and work. Because of that dedication to public service, it is no surprise many mayors and city council members also choose to serve in other ways, including by taking on roles with statewide commissions and boards. 

It is important that cities have a voice in the various groups and task forces that impact priorities ranging from water quality to public safety to housing (and many other issues). The League encourages our members to view the boards and commissions openings on the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office website and apply for any that interest you!

One city official who has dedicated his career to public service — including by serving on a statewide board — is Roger Ihrke, who recently retired after 46 years of service between serving on the Dover City Council and as a volunteer firefighter with most of it spent as fire chief. Ihrke was also an integral part of advancing firefighter training and education for departments across Minnesota as a member of the Minnesota Board of Firefighter Training and Education (MBFTE). 

As a part of his retirement from public service, the League asked Ihrke to reflect on his tenure and the importance of serving on the board:

“Serving as a member of the Minnesota Board of Firefighter Training and Education since June of 2009 has been an honor for me. Active as a volunteer firefighter for 46 years in the small southeastern Minnesota community of Dover, 36 years as the fire chief, I found out early how important training is. In our instance, volunteers were willing to serve, but needed the skills in order to do so and feel good about their response. During my firefighting career the fire service went through many changes going from fighting a few fires each year to providing rescue services and responding to hazardous material incidents. As each of these obligations came before us it was easy to see how important training is.  

When asked by former Chief Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court the late Alexander ‘Sandy’ Keith if I would be willing to serve on the Board it would have been difficult to say no. The Board was in its infancy. It had just been given the first allocation of funds and had hired a private consulting firm to help administer the program. Since then, we have been assigned the task of licensing firefighters in the state and providing training guidance and training dollars. Our administrator and staff now work under the Minnesota Department of Public Safety as a part of the State Fire Marshals Division.

In my years of service on the Board, I believe our greatest accomplishment is providing basic firefighting, rescue and hazardous materials handling skills to every firefighter in the state at no cost to the local departments.  

The MBFTE Board is made up of individuals from all different backgrounds and parts of the state. The Board brings with it the challenges of making sure training is provided for most advance firefighters to those just starting out, both paid and volunteer.   

The State of Minnesota has several boards that provide guidance in different categories which until I became a member of the MBFTE never realized existed. These boards are very important because they not only provide guidance to many professions, but the Legislature looks to them to help determine where the state dollars are spent and what laws, rules and regulations should be adopted.

Public service at any level is rewarding and like anything, is what you make of it. I would recommend to anyone looking for a rewarding experience to serve on a state board. Check with the Secretary of State's website under boards and commissions to find one that may interest you.”

The League would like to thank Ihrke for his decades of service to his community and state, as well as thank all the dedicated city officials who devote their time and energy to serving on statewide boards and commissions. 

2023 State Legislative session: League supports sensible housing solutions

 The 2022 Minnesota State Legislative session saw the introduction of proposals including the “Legalizing Affordable Housing Act” that would have broadly preempted local government authority to administer fees and zoning regulations for residential housing development. The preemption efforts were supported by private developers focused solely on reducing the cost to build new market rate single-family homes without any parameters to guaranty affordability by limiting city authority and shifting costs onto local taxpayers.

Rejecting the notion of a one-size-fits-all solution for addressing housing needs in our state, the League of Minnesota Cities worked alongside city officials and other interested stakeholders to successfully advocate against the proposals. The advocacy efforts resulted in the ability of cities to continue making, for now, their own decisions about zoning, land use and fees associated with residential development that best fit the locally identified housing needs of their communities. 

With housing expected to emerge as a front-and-center priority for the new legislature in 2023 and a significant state general fund surplus, the League prepares to once again advocate for sensible solutions including both policy and state resources to address housing supply and affordability challenges without compromising local authority. Specifically, the League will continue to work toward a four-pronged approach:
1. Address the full housing spectrum.
2. Support local housing innovations.
3. Utilize incentives instead of mandates.
4. Partner with the state to create community-specific solutions throughout Minnesota.
For details visit Housing Needs in Cities: State Policy Solutions That Work.  

As noted in a previous post, cities acknowledge that racial disparities exist in housing and want to address them. Cities across the state are making intentional changes at the local level to address these disparities and broaden affordable housing options across the housing spectrum for all residents. Cities are also working to address other affordable housing needs in our communities. In order to continue that work and to support the diverse needs of their residents, cities require local authority to respond to community-specific housing needs and support the construction and preservation of housing stock.

Results can be better achieved with federal, state and local governments working as partners, rather than adversaries. Significant resources are needed from both the state and federal government to bolster efforts at the local level to address housing needs across the spectrum. State preemption promoted by for-profit developers will only hinder local efforts to support the diverse array of housing needs in our cities. Throughout the legislative session, the League will make available information useful for city officials to promote and advocate for sensible housing solutions in their own communities. Legislative updates on housing and other issues can be found in the League’s  Cities Bulletin publication.

Cybercrime Has Gone Prime Time!

If it feels like everywhere you turn there is news of another cybercrime story, your hunch is probably true. The average ransomware paid jumped up 478% between 2020 and 2021, according to the Sophos 2022 Threat Report. 

Government entities are often targets of cyberattacks, with 58% of local and state governments hit by some form of ransomware in 2021. Ransomware has become its own industry, where bad actors specialize in stealing passwords and then turn around and broker them for a profit. 

The best defense for a city is to go back to the three fundamental components of security: people, processes, and technology. Here are a few suggestions to help prevent cybercrime within your city departments:

• Help city employees understand phishing and have a set process so they know how to alert others if something looks suspicious. 
• Encourage and educate employees about strong passwords. 
• Incorporate processes for additional layers of security like multi-factor authentication. This method uses a password and something else in combination to allow access. For example, a password and a code sent via text or phone call to validate the login. 
• Evaluate your city’s technology for simplicity. The more complex the technology, the more difficult it is to keep secure. 
• Look at your most critical systems or data and focus on protecting those assets first.

For more information about cybercrime and what your city can do, check out the educational session “The Hackers are Coming — Are You Prepared?” at the League of Minnesota Cities 2022 Annual Conference. Can't come to Duluth? Check out the cybersecurity resource page or check out the Cybersecurity for Clerks MemberLearn course — both available any time, any place.

Thank You, City Clerks! Municipal Clerks Week 2022

 May 1-7 is Professional Municipal Clerks Week! Being a city clerk is a truly unique role in a city that attracts tough but kind problem-solvers. Many clerks demonstrate a commitment to learning — from finance to working with the public, the skills required are broad. And while every clerk has their own style, a keen eye and a good dose of patience are usually part of the mix too.

We've been thinking a lot about city careers over here: how cities can attract great people to local gov professions, how city teams can ensure you feel valued and have what you need once you're hired, and how cities can make sure that skilled people want to stay in your careers once you hit your stride.

We know you're all asking the same questions, and in many cases taking meaningful action to ensure city workplaces are great workplaces.

 — That doesn't always make the work any easier though, and that's where things like feeling valued, expressing gratitude, and saying thank you can make all the difference. 

So, to each and every clerk who shows up and dedicates yourself each day to doing your best and representing your city with integrity, all of us here at the League say a huge THANK YOU. Your perseverance over the past few years in particular is something that we see and appreciate not just this week, but every week.

We sincerely hope that the variety, the people, the opportunities to learn something new every day, and contributing to good things in your community more than make up for those days when it all gets to be a bit much. And on those days when you need a boost, remember we're here to help however we can, because you're making a difference every day, and we like your style.

LMC at the National League of Cities Municipal League Fly-In

At least it's not snow.

You may have seen that Executive Director Dave Unmacht and Board President D. Love were recently in Washington D.C. attending the National League of Cities (NLC) Municipal League Fly-In.

The fly-in is a chance for municipal league leaders to learn from each other and strategize on their federal policy, as well as an opportunity for these leaders to check in with their congressional delegation — Dave and D. were able to meet with Sen. Tina Smith and Rep. Tom Emmer while they were on the ground in D.C.

You can view the League of Minnesota Cities’ federal priorities here: LMC Federal Issue Highlights and Fact Sheet (pdf) 

Attendees also heard from top federal officials with the White House Intergovernmental Relations team including former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, senior advisor and infrastructure coordinator; and Gabe Amo, special assistant to the president and deputy director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs.

The municipal league crew also heard speakers representing departments that work on important local government topics such as telecommunications, transportation, and environmental protection. 

We sat down with Dave, and D. and asked a few questions to learn more about the fly-in: 

LMC Executive Director Dave Unmacht,
Senator Tina Smith, and LMC Board
President D. Love (left to right)

City Spot: So how was the trip?
Unmacht: The 2022 fly-in was designed to be intensive and interactive with federal agency officials, and it delivered.  D.C. was cool and rainy during our visit, but we were well prepared; in Washington, unlike Minnesota, if the rain was snow, the city would have shut down. Thankfully it was only rain and we got our business completed.  

LMC President D. Love, Rep. Tom Emmer,
LMC Executive Director Dave Unmacht (left to right)

Love: The fly-in was extremely valuable. We received information and heard about the vision and goals directly from the individuals working on the initiatives that have impacted our cities, and who have the potential to do so in the future.

City Spot: Can you share a highlight?
Unmacht: We heard repeatedly how important the voices of local government are in creating rules and establishing program guidelines. The League of Minnesota Cities has a voice at the table, and through the efforts of our city officials, League staff and board are well positioned to provide top federal officials with feedback and information about what is important to Minnesota cities.  

City Spot: Were there any themes among the different leagues in regard to federal policy?
Love: Other league leaders are also focused on helping small cities access the resources available to them. In unison, we were able to share the importance of that message.  

Unmacht: Yes, President D. Love expressed his strong support to help small cities navigate the maze of federal rules and encouraged agency and White House officials to keep cities of all size in mind when formulating programs. This point was echoed by many state leagues in attendance.   

City Spot: What's next?
Love: Minnesota city officials, including a few League board members as well as League staff, will return to Washington D.C. in mid-March for the National League of Cities Congressional Conference. This event is more tailored toward city delegations, as opposed to the fly-in for municipal leagues. At this event we will continue meeting with our federal delegation to speak on behalf of all cities in our state. 

Learn more about the League's federal relations

 
 
 

‘We Will Be a Force for Good’ — New Year’s Optimism From LMC Board President D. Love

A message from D. Love, LMC president and mayor of Centerville

As we entered 2021, it promised to be a year of great hope! We were thankful we survived 2020 and we had optimism that normalcy was right around the corner. With great resiliency, city officials vowed to move ahead with focus and dedication.

Now as we enter the last few weeks of 2021, we are able to look back with great pride when considering the obstacles we faced and the level of accomplishment achieved as we worked to be innovative, provide service, and build community.

I’m incredibly humbled and honored to represent the citizens of Centerville and to serve in the role of League of Minnesota Cities president. I’m fortunate to serve with board members from the League Board as well as the Insurance Trust Board who are incredibly dedicated, passionate, and truly care for the well-being of cities. True to form, in 2021 the League delivered with innovative training, thoughtful conferences, timely information, driven legislative support, and many visits to every part of the state. No matter the opportunity or challenge, city officials knew that the League would be by their side.

In a family photo, LMC President D. Love is joined
by his wife Susan; son, Payton; new daughter,
Danielle; daughter, Olivia; and son, D. J.

I’m optimistic about the opportunities that lay before us in 2022 and that we will be a force for good. We will combat incivility with positivity. We have a chance to inspire the leaders of tomorrow as well as improve the lives of those less fortunate while striving to be the best in the moment!

I’m grateful for the tremendous support I have received. I’m grateful for my wife and family. I’m grateful for the strength we have in our unity.

We are Stronger Together.

Happy Holidays,

D. Love
Mayor of the City of Centerville
2021-2022 League of Minnesota Cities President