Filled With Gratitude for the Connections and Support of Fellow City Leaders

By Jenny Max

I am not quite sure how I ended up here — and when I say “here” I’m referring to the end of my yearlong term as the League of Minnesota Cities president. Many past presidents forewarned me to enjoy every moment because it would be over in the blink of an eye. They were right!

Thinking back on this past year, I am in awe of the many opportunities I had to represent the League and connect with city officials across both the state and the country.

The first few months of my term included jumping into work as part of the state’s Local Taxes Advisory Task Force. Along the way I engaged with many city officials to learn how the outcome of the task force’s work could potentially impact their communities. I was grateful to represent cities in this capacity.

In September, the League Board held its annual retreat in Nisswa. It was a fun-filled two days of learning, connecting, and goal setting for the upcoming year. The League Board is an exceptional group of individuals who care deeply about all Minnesota cities, and it’s been wonderful to get to know each of them throughout this year.

The month of November included some travel, where First Vice President Justin Miller, Second Vice President Wendy Berry, and Past President Ron Johnson, and I traveled to Atlanta for the National League of Cities (NLC) City Summit Conference. This conference kicked off NLC’s 100th Anniversary Centennial Celebration. If you didn’t know, Minnesota is proud to be one of NLC’s founding members.

Shortly after the NLC conference, I joined League staff to visit cities across the state in what is referred to as “mini meetings.” My visit included stops in Cambridge, Barnum, Virginia, Hill City, Crosby, and Rice. These mini meetings are one of my favorite activities. I love visiting your community centers and city halls to hear all about what challenges you are facing, successes you have achieved, and the passion you have as city officials. Your stories are fun and inspiring, and are what make each city distinct and unique.

The new year brought the League’s Elected Leaders Institutes to Plymouth and Alexandria. I enjoyed being able to give opening remarks at both conferences, as well as being part of a panel discussion to help newly elected city officials navigate the many nuances of their new roles.

In late January, LMC Executive Director Luke Fischer and I traveled to Washington, D.C., for a quick visit to NLC, along with other state league presidents and executive directors. I had a wonderful time getting to know other state leagues. Fun fact — Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Nebraska all have women currently serving as their league’s presidents.

On March 7, the League held its annual City Day on the Hill. We had another strong turnout for this event. The day was memorable for me. I had the opportunity to say a few remarks to kick off the event, and as I looked out into the crowd, I noticed that the people looking back at me were smiling. As I looked more closely at one person, then another, then another, I realized that they were smiling because they were my friends. Throughout the year I have had many opportunities to meet city officials, and while perhaps the title or position may be important at times, truly at the end of the day it’s about people connecting and finding ways to support each other. This day was so meaningful to me, to realize just how much support I had from all of you.

Shortly thereafter, the NLC Congressional City Conference was upon us back in Washington, D.C. Minnesota had a strong attendance at this conference, and it’s a great opportunity for our officials to network and learn from others. We also held our first joint reception with the Iowa and Wisconsin leagues; it was a fun evening getting to know our Midwest neighbors. The conference wrapped up by spending a day on Capitol Hill, meeting with our delegation, and sharing more stories with them.

I am extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to serve as League president, and especially to be able to represent small cities in Greater Minnesota. Thank you for sharing your stories, and for your support. It has been a memorable experience that I will cherish forever!

Jenny Max is LMC past president and Nisswa city administrator.