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RELATIONSHIP TO THE LEAGUE OF MINNESOTA CITIES <br /> As indicated in the introduction, the Association of Metropolitan Municipalities • <br /> was originally created as a subsection of the League of Minnesota Cities and <br /> remains in that status today. As such, we are the only organization entitled to <br /> an ex officio (with voting privileges) seat on the League Board of Directors. <br /> We are considered an "affiliate organization" of the League for the purposes of <br /> adopting legislative policy. The Association offices are located on the first <br /> floor of the LMC building. Cities in the seven-county metropolitan area <br /> comprise approximately 15 percent of the LMC membership, but because of their <br /> size pay about one-half of the LMC dues. <br /> The Task Force met with LMC President Millie McCloud, as well as Executive <br /> Director Don Slater. A member of the Task Force, New Brighton Mayor Bob Benke, <br /> currently serves as vice president of the League. <br /> The Task Force observations are that the League of Minnesota Cities and the <br /> Association of Metropolitan Municipalities have maintained a very positive <br /> working relationship. Despite the split in the LMC membership over local <br /> government aid policies, the AMM has never taken a legislative position in <br /> direct opposition to any adopted policy of the League. In fact, LMC and AMM <br /> lobbying staffs work cooperatively in many areas of policy agreement (such as <br /> pay equity, labor relations law and tax increment financing). <br /> Officials from Greater Minnesota have raised concerns about the relationship <br /> between the League and AMM. Specifically, it has been questioned whether the <br /> AMM should have the ex officio seat on the Board, and whether the relationship <br /> between the staffs of the two organizations has been compromisingly close. Due <br /> these concerns, as well as our own concerns about the effectiveness of AMM as <br /> a subsection of the League, the Task Force considered carefully whether the AMM <br /> should be incorporated as a separate entity. <br /> RECOMMENDATIONS <br /> 1. Because of division in its membership, the LMC has been neutralized from <br /> effective lobbying on some critical issues like local government aid. This <br /> means that the AMM must become more vocal and assertive on behalf of its <br /> member cities in these policy areas. <br /> At the same time, we wish to support the efforts of LMC to bring together <br /> its membership on divisive issues, and recommend that the LMC develop <br /> effective consensus building and dispute resolution procedures that enable <br /> it to adopt policy positions that have credibility with the legislature. <br /> We encourage AMM member city officials to become more actively involved in <br /> the LMC, creating a metropolitan constituency group and perspective within <br /> the LMC. <br /> 2. We recommend that the Association not be incorporated as a legal entity <br /> separate from the League of Minnesota Cities. We wish to be supportive of • <br /> the LMC, and to encourage AMM member city officials to become more active <br /> in the League. We feel that this goal can be best accomplished in our <br /> current status as subsection of the League. <br /> - 3 - <br />