Educational Sessions

Preparing for the Unimaginable: Lessons in Community Crisis Management – This session will be repeated in Block 4.  

Moderator: Don Reeder, public affairs coordinator, League of Minnesota Cities

Presenters: Jared Shepherd, Campbell Knutson/Burnsville city attorney; Gregg Lindberg, city manager, Burnsville; BJ Jungmann, fire chief, Burnsville; Tanya Schwartz, police chief, Burnsville; Paul Omodt, founder & principal, Omodt & Associates Critical Communications LLC

City of Burnsville staff and consultants will share lessons learned from their crisis management experience in responding to the tragedy of Feb. 18, 2024, when two police officers and a firefighter/paramedic were killed during a police standoff. The panelists will discuss how to prepare for and manage emergency responses, as well as available resources and key considerations for small and large cities.

City Festivals: Your Ticket to Safe and Local Fun!

Moderator: Marc Dunker, loss control field consultant, League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust

Panelists: Jason Eikam, sergeant, Duluth Police Department; Phil Kern, city administrator, Delano; James Miller, executive director, Willmar Chamber of Commerce

Many cities have festivals and celebrations to foster community, celebrate local culture, and create a sense of belonging for residents. But going from idea to execution takes a lot of planning and coordination. Join representatives from Delano, Duluth, and Willmar to learn how they successfully manage their city festivals. From partnering with local businesses and managing volunteers to coordinating public safety, traffic control, and regulatory best practices, this panel will give you the tools to plan a successful event your community can be proud of!

Resilience Revelry: Mastering Disaster Preparedness and Recovery

Dr. Kim Abrego, president and chief operating officer, DRS

Step right up to the “Resilience Revelry,” where we bring you the top tips for mastering disaster preparedness and recovery. This presentation hosted by Sourcewell will equip cities of all sizes with the essential knowledge to protect your community and ensure a swift recovery when disaster strikes. From procurement must-knows to grant tips and cyber essentials, there’s a bit of resilience fun for everyone!

Is Your City Ready for Redevelopment?

Jupe Hale, senior director of municipal services, WSB; Mayor Duane Poppe, managing principal, City of Osseo and Lee & Associates, Inc.; Derrick LaPoint, President & CEO, Downtown Moorhead, Inc.

This session will examine the risks and realities behind the “If you build it, they will come” mindset in city development planning. While growth can be beneficial, it’s crucial for cities to evaluate whether they are truly prepared to support sustainable development. Attendees will explore the potential pitfalls of premature infrastructure investment, including financial strain, environmental impact, and the challenges of attracting long-term residents and businesses. You’ll gain tools and strategies for assessing development readiness, balancing growth with community needs, and making data-driven decisions to ensure lasting value and resilience in urban planning.

Civic Engagement for Stronger Cities: Tools and Strategies from WCI’s Rural Democracy Program – This session will be repeated in Block 3

Erik Peterson, president, Bending the Arc Strategies; Ben Schierer, director of civic partnerships, West Central Initiative

Learn how West Central Initiative’s Rural Democracy Program is helping rural communities across Minnesota build stronger, more connected local leadership. Through workshops and leadership training, the program creates opportunities for Minnesotans to step up and make a difference, whether they’re running for office or simply getting involved in their communities. This session will provide practical tools to create welcoming spaces for civic engagement and build stronger relationships and better collaboration with residents.

Taxes, Taxes, Taxes!

Dan Tienter, municipal advisor, Ehlers; Kelly Horn, senior fiscal consultant, Ehlers

Join us for a deep dive into the various taxes collected by cities, including property tax, local sales tax, and lodging tax. Follow the city’s levy through the property tax statement to see how rates are calculated and what factors influence them. Explore how local sales tax can fund city projects and hear an update on legislative changes. Finally, gain insight into the lodging tax — where it applies, how its collected, and how funds can be used.  

Planning and Funding Stormwater Resilience in Duluth

Ryan Granlund, utility programs coordinator, Duluth

The City of Duluth, rich with water resources, is traced by more than 240 miles of streams and lies along the shorelines of Lake Superior and the St. Louis River Estuary. This presentation will explore how Duluth plans, funds, and implements large-scale stormwater management projects. Learn how the city was able to secure Minnesota Pollution Control Agency grants for stormwater resilience upgrades in two watersheds. These projects, which were informed by engineering analysis and community input, include stormwater infrastructure to protect the Central Hillside neighborhood against increasingly frequent and intense stormwater flows and site-specific drainage improvements in the Lincoln Park 

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Confronting PFAS Contamination — and a Brooklyn Center Success Story

Meghan Brockman, project engineer, Bolton & Menk, Inc.; Elizabeth Heyman, public works director, Brooklyn Center

PFAS contamination is a critical issue in the water and wastewater industries yet it is still a challenge to find effective mitigation strategies. This presentation will provide a comprehensive overview of PFAS in water and wastewater systems and outline actionable steps that systems can implement to address the issue. The City of Brooklyn Center will also share their successful approach and lessons learned in managing PFAS, offering a practical case study for communities facing similar challenges.

Training the Civic Pipeline

Ben Martig, city administrator, Northfield; Lynette Peterson, city clerk, Northfield; Dan Mahli, city manager, Moorhead; Mike Rietz, assistant city manager, Moorhead; Kelly Kuntz, communications coordinator, Moorhead

Have you thought about how to prepare and train your community members in what a city does, how it operates and what it takes to serve in a city role? Join representatives from Northfield and Moorhead who are taking unique approaches to training community members on all things city! Learn about the Moorhead Citizen and Government Academy, a program that teaches residents about city operations, as well as a program in Northfield that provides training to individuals running for city council. See how these efforts lead to more informed candidates stepping in to commission and council roles.

Taking (and Paying for!) Climate Action 

Erica Bjelland, GreenStep program associate coordinator, GreenStep Cities/Minnesota Pollution Control Agency; Kristin Mroz, GreenStep Cities and Tribal Nations co-director, GreenStep Cities/Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Climate change is no longer a far-off possibility. Minnesotans across our state are seeing its devastating effects right now — and it will get worse. Luckily, cities can all be a part of the solution. Addressing climate change presents us with a historic opportunity to strengthen our economy, improve our health, and create a more resilient Minnesota for everyone. Hear about the Gold Leaf Challenge, a new, flexible climate action GreenStep program, and how Minnesota communities are thinking about and funding climate action amidst a changing political climate.

Cannabis Regulation: Are We Out of the Weeds Yet? – This session will be repeated in Block 4. 

Kyle Hartnett, assistant research manager and staff attorney, League of Minnesota Cities

Join us to learn about the current state of cannabis regulations in Minnesota. Explore steps your city should be taking to prepare for cannabis businesses to begin setting up in your community. We’ll discuss what’s working well and the pitfalls in local regulations so your city make informed decisions related to cannabis businesses and regulations.

Big Organizational Culture in Small Cities

Al Roder, city administrator, Byron; Elizabeth Howard, city administrator, Pine Island

We know small cities are great places to work – but how can we convince others of that? And once we get them in the door, how can we encourage them to stay? Learn how the cities of Pine Island and Byron are tackling recruitment and retention issues by focusing on their employees and workplace culture. Hear how they decreased turnover, built trust across siloed departments, focused on supervisors, and included their city councils in building a strong foundation. These cities are creating strong cultures without spending a lot of extra money and they want to share how your city can do it, too!

YOU and the Power of Personal Communications

Paul Omodt, owner and principal, Omodt & Associates Critical Communications LLC

Person-to-person communication is the most effective form of communication, yet we often overlook our ability to harness and take advantage of its power. This session focuses on the YOU of communicating: You Own Understanding (YOU). YOU aligns the power of you as a communication delivery system. Learn how to build the best messages with impact, making messaging more strategic and influential as a result.

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Shifting Cultures: Prioritizing Well-being in Public Safety

Terry Stier, police chief, Belle Plaine; Zack Bonnema, assistant fire chief, Chaska; Justin Sherwood, fire chief, Bemidji

Hear from three public safety leaders who are challenging the status quo and redefining what it means to care for themselves, their teams, and their communities. Explore how police and fire departments are taking action to prioritize the well-being of their personnel by identifying critical gaps, implementing innovative solutions, and shifting the narrative and culture around mental fitness and physical health.

Big Projects, Small Communities: Infrastructure Success Stories from Medicine Lake and Alpha

Bill McNaughton, council member, Medicine Lake; Dave Hutton, senior project manager, SEH; Brent Kavitz, associate and project manager, SEH; John Ingebretson, Public Works, Alpha; Kelly Soucek, City Clerk, Alpha

This session will showcase two small cities that demonstrate the power of perseverance, strategic planning, and local government collaboration. Learn about the City of Medicine Lake’s (pop. 441) recent $7.4 million infrastructure upgrade to install public water system for fire protection and well replacement, and street reconstruction using Complete Streets concepts for enhanced safety. Hear how the city collaborated with the City of Plymouth and state and federal partners, and how the project was funded without raising taxes or special assessments. Also, discover how the City of Alpha (pop. 97) is replacing its water treatment and distribution systems with USDA and EPA funding, highlighting that even the smallest communities can achieve big goals.

Sandstone Workforce Housing: A Case Study in Persistence and Adaptive Re-use

Join city leaders and developers from Sandstone to hear how they turned a former school building dating back to 1901 in to 32 workforce housing units. This session will share the timeline of the project, the pitfalls and the successes, as well as the funding ups and downs for how this community added much needed workforce housing, while also preserving a treasured historic building in the community. Learn how to navigate and fund an adaptive re-use project for your city.

Stronger Together: Embracing a Whole-of-State Cybersecurity Approach

John Israel, chief information security officer and assistant commissioner, Minnesota IT Services; Peter Alsis, Cyber Navigator Lead Supervisor, Minnesota IT Services; Foua Xiong, Cyber Navigator, Minnesota IT Services

Learn about the benefits of partnering with Minnesota IT Services (MNIT) on Minnesota’s Whole-of-State Cybersecurity Plan, security services available to local governments and critical infrastructure, how to comply with the state’s new cybersecurity incident reporting law, and trends in cybersecurity.

Civic Engagement for Stronger Cities: Tools and Strategies from WCI’s Rural Democracy Program – This session is repeated from Block 1. 

Erik Peterson, president, Bending the Arc Strategies; Ben Schierer, director of civic partnerships, West Central Initiative; Ben Schierer, director of civic partnerships, West Central Initiative

Learn how West Central Initiative’s Rural Democracy Program is helping rural communities across Minnesota build stronger, more connected local leadership. Through workshops and leadership training, the program creates opportunities for Minnesotans to step up and make a difference, whether they’re running for office or simply getting involved. This session will provide you with practical tools to create welcoming spaces for civic engagement and build stronger relationships and better collaboration with residents.

Communicating Critical Information to All Residents

Julie Long, city engineer, Bloomington; Garett Flesland, police chief, Brooklyn Center; Brad Phenow, communications manager, Faribault

Every city department shares vital information, but some residents still miss out. How can we effectively connect with those who are hard to reach or have different communication needs? Join a police chief, city engineer, and communications manager as they explore strategies to make messaging more accessible. Learn how they are testing different platforms, multilingual communication, and in-person outreach as a way to meet people where they are and engage all residents. This session will leave you inspired to try new approaches for ensuring everyone receives critical city information.

ROW, ROW, ROW Your Right of Way

Trisha Duncan, director of Minnesota community relations & gas business development, Xcel Energy; Kyle Hartnett, assistant research manager and staff attorney, League of Minnesota Cities

Minnesota energy service providers have a statutory obligation to provide safe, adequate, and efficient electric and natural gas service to the public at just and reasonable rates. To assist with this obligation, state law allows utilities to use public rights-of-way subject to reasonable regulation. This session will explore the general authority of cities to regulate the use of the public rights of way and why cities enter franchise agreements. Xcel Energy will explain how franchise agreements between cities and utility providers work, and how to make the process run smoothly for both parties.

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Preparing for the Unimaginable: Lessons in Crisis Management – This session is repeated from Block 1. 

Moderator: Don Reeder, public affairs coordinator, League of Minnesota Cities

Presenters: Jared Shepherd, Campbell Knutson/Burnsville city attorney; Gregg Lindberg, city manager, Burnsville; BJ Jungmann, fire chief, Burnsville; Tanya Schwartz, police chief, Burnsville; Paul Omodt, founder & principal, Omodt & Associates Critical Communications LLC

City of Burnsville staff and consultants will share lessons learned from their crisis management experience in responding to the tragedy of Feb. 18, 2024, when two police officers and a firefighter/paramedic were killed during a police standoff. The panelists will discuss how to prepare for and manage emergency responses, as well as available resources and key considerations for small and large cities.

Supporting You: The Top 10 Areas to Involve Your City Attorney

Korine Land, attorney, LeVander Gillen & Miller P.A.; Eric Larson, attorney, Eckberg Lammers

Navigating city government is not easy – there are laws and rules that can feel like a direct barrier to accomplishing what you want, which is to make your community better. In this session, hear from two city attorneys on the important legal areas that will help make city governance a smoother experience for everyone. Dive into the areas of conflict of interest, Open Meeting Law, land use and zoning, free speech, and more – with the goal of helping you avoid the legal missteps from the beginning so you can focus on bettering your community.

Building Welcoming Cities: The Role of Human Rights and Equity Commissions

Hue Schlieu, DEI coordinator, New Brighton; Molly MacGregor, council member, Grand Rapids; Chris Swanson, assistant city administrator, Savage

Commissions play a valuable role in cities — by fostering collaboration with residents to ensuring policies, practices, and procedures reflect community needs and values. Human rights commissions and equity commissions are two types of commissions that can help build a welcoming city. While they may have similar goals, these commissions are unique in focus and approach. This session will highlight their similarities and differences and the role these commissions play in creating cities where everyone wants to live, work, and play.

Cannabis Regulation: Are We Out of the Weeds Yet? This session is repeated from Block 2. 

Kyle Hartnett, assistant research manager and staff attorney, League of Minnesota Cities

Join us to learn about the current state of cannabis regulations in Minnesota. Explore steps your city should be taking to prepare for cannabis businesses to begin setting up in your community. We’ll discuss what’s working well and the pitfalls in local regulations so your  city make informed decisions related to cannabis businesses and regulations.

Website Accessibility: Addressing Access for All Residents Through Website Design

Amanda Lillie, communications manager, Shakopee; Brooke Hall, communications coordinator, Fridley; Caitlyn Walker, assistant city administrator, Medina

City websites are a hub of important information for residents and visitors, but not all websites effectively reach their intended audiences. Adopting digital accessibility best practices is important not only for compliance with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, but also for ensuring that all residents can access critical information when they need it. Hear from cities who are taking steps to redesign their websites, review their web vendor agreements, and consider small and large projects that support digital accessibility for all residents.

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