For the Newly—or Somewhat Newly—Elected!

Info from the 1968 Conference for Newly Elected

 

Are you one of the newly elected from Minnesota’s 60 cities (or one of the League’s 10 member townships) that just held a municipal vote yesterday?

Or perhaps you are one of the 752 councilmembers or 197 mayors who was elected last year?

Either way, the League has resources to support you! For example, at the turn of every year, LMC holds conferences for those new to city leadership.

Beginning back in January 1957, the League partnered with the University of Minnesota’s Department of Conferences and Institutes to put on a Conference for Newly Elected Mayor and Councilmen on campus.

Some questions they covered then included:

-What are the limitations on council authority? 

-What problems will your municipality face next year? The year after? 1980? (Editorial note: Isn’t it fun to think of a time when 1980 was still the semi-far-off future??) 

-What are public relations basics for municipal officials?

While those conferences only lasted until 1970 (at which point there is a lull in both our records and collective memories), an updated version of the program entitled Leadership Conference for Newly Elected Officials was resurrected by the League beginning in 1987.

And while time has ticked by, many of the core issues around leading a city remain the same. Questions addressed at the conference today include:  

-As a city council, what are we allowed (and not allowed) to do? 

-Where can I find resources to help make sound decisions? 

-How can I avoid common missteps, pitfalls, and negative press?

Newly elected officials also learn about finance fundamentals and legal responsibilities (like details around the open meeting law and data practices, to name just two). And last—but definitely not least—this conference has always been a great opportunity for the newly elected to meet peers in similar positions from across the state!

So if you (or someone you know) would like to attend the 2014 Leadership Conference for Newly Elected officials, click here to get more information and register now.

In the meantime, the League wants to congratulate all of Minnesota’s newly elected city officials!

P.S. - What if you can’t attend the conference—or perhaps just can’t wait for it? You’re in luck! The League has also compiled a whole host of helpful information at www.lmc.org/goodstart, a special webpage created just for the newly elected.