Ron Johnson Signing Off

Bemidji Council Member Leaves LMC Board After More Than Eight Years

By Andrew Tellijohn

He’s served on the League of Minnesota Cities Board with three different executive directors. He’s championed improving the LMC’s communication with members and affiliate organizations. He leads through collaboration. And he’s not afraid to occasionally laugh at himself.

Bemidji City Council member Ron Johnson’s eight-and-a-half years on the LMC Board of Directors, which were spread across 12 years, ended in June. His tenure helped him become a better public servant and he hopes it has also helped others.

“I’ve always strived to be the best elected official that I could possibly be, and I realized early on in my Council career that getting involved with the League of Minnesota Cities could help me achieve that,” he said. “Serving on the LMC Board was a way I could share my public service experience with others and help to make the organization even stronger.”

Mission accomplished, his colleagues say. Johnson got involved in Bemidji politics in 2000 when the City Council was struggling to determine the need and feasibility for an event and conference center. He thought he could help and, in 2010, the Sanford Center opened.

“That’s been very important to the growth of Bemidji,” he said, adding that he enjoyed being involved and has stuck with it ever since. “A lot of people run because they have an issue. The ones that last are the ones that get caught up in liking it and realizing there are other things they can weigh-in on.”

Champion communicator

Johnson’s first tenure as an LMC Board member ran from June 2012 through June 2015. Given his busy schedule, he thought that may be the end of his work on the Board. However, he ended up returning and serving as an affiliate member representing the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities twice before being elected to the Executive Committee of LMC’s Board; he was named second vice president in 2020, advancing the ranks to past president during his 2023-2024 term.

Before he ran for local office, Johnson was well into a broadcasting career with Lakeland PBS. Once on the LMC Executive Committee, he instinctively considered ways the League could hone its communications efforts and relay information to its 839 member cities.

When the pandemic forced people and organizations to change how they interacted and communicated, Johnson supported the League’s efforts to be more strategic in how it used its staff, programs, and resources to communicate effectively with members and maintained a strong emphasis on this during his 2022-2023 presidential term.

Luke Fischer, the current executive director, said the League and its affiliates, which include Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities, the Metro Cities/Association of Metropolitan Municipalities, and the Minnesota Association of Small Cities, don’t always agree on every detail of the issues on which they work, but he credits Johnson for finding common ground.

“Ron has always focused on the big picture of bringing folks together and continuing the conversation and maintaining relationships,” he said, adding that Johnson also has advocated for a lot of in-person time. “Ron has also been a champion of us getting out and meeting with our members one-on-one in communities across our state. Ron has a ton of miles and hours out on the road with us listening to our members.”

Thoughtful approach

While he was instrumental in overseeing the process that led to Fischer’s promotion, Johnson’s split term makes him the sole Board member to serve with three LMC executive directors, Fischer and predecessors Dave Unmacht and Jim Miller.

“What makes that special is Ron has this perspective, this long arc of our organization,” Fischer said. “Ron has really taken a deep sense of responsibility around that perspective that he has and in his role on the Board. He’s seen us change.”

While his contributions are many, colleagues say they’ll remember him as much for his thoughtful feedback and good humor.

Centerville Mayor D. Love, who preceded Johnson as Board president, credited Johnson for his caring approach to the role.

“From my chair, Ron is one of the most caring and thoughtful leaders I know,” Love said. “He was so incredibly supportive of me during my time as president. He consistently provided encouragement and thoughtful advice.”

Staying involved

Johnson said above all he hopes he’s remembered for his commitment to good government. He’ll stay involved with the League by attending annual conferences and being available to share his knowledge.

He also intends to run for another term on the Bemidji City Council, though redistricting has moved him to a different ward. He’s also recently retired from PBS Lakeland but has found plenty of ways to keep busy.

But he’ll miss the camaraderie and the opportunity to learn from other smart leaders.

“It’s been eye opening and has provided me a chance to grow,” he said. “It’s quite an honor.”

Andrew Tellijohn is a freelance writer.