Agenda Packets - 1990/06/18 - Laserfiche WebLink

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