Friday, December 30, 2016

Happy New Year, Best Wishes, and Welcomes

A message from Executive Director David Unmacht:
As we turn the corner on 2016 and begin a new year, we are granted an annual opportunity to reflect on the year closing behind us and eagerly anticipate what the next 365 days has in store for us. It’s not a stretch or a risk to suggest that—at least politically—the year 2016 was like no other in our memory. The presidential election is over, the electoral college has completed its work, and now we await the new administration. On a federal level, it’s impractical to predict specifically what changes are ahead, but we can reasonably expect that the course of business will change in Washington D.C.

On a smaller, but just as important scale, in our city halls across the great state of Minnesota, we have many returning colleagues as well as new faces to get to know beginning on Jan. 1. We congratulate and welcome back the many friends and colleagues who contribute countless hours of time and energy to make their city government work day in and day out. We also want to thank the public servants who retired or lost their election for their work in support of city government and the League of Minnesota Cities. We wish you all the best.

Finally, and just as importantly, we look forward to working with the many newly elected officials who bring different sets of experiences, expectations, and interests to city government—and ultimately, the work of the League. We are excited to meet and personally welcome you to the business of local government. We take great pride in our relationships with city officials across the state and are committed to helping you make a difference in your city. Many of you are already scheduled to attend one of our Newly Elected Officials Conferences in Mankato, Bloomington, and Brainerd in January. 
On behalf of the Board of Directors and staff, we wish each and every one of you a safe and prosperous new year!