Downtowns
$75 Million - New Transportation Multimodal Local Supplement (MLS) Grant Program (FOR ALL LOCAL GOV!)

Information on MLS is posted to the League's website and includes:

>Background
>Type of projects applicable
>Program Highlights
>Information on how to access WisDOT's optional informational webinars:
Sept. 30, 2019: 9:00am to 10:30am
Oct. 2, 2019: 1:00pm to 2:30pm
Oct. 10, 2019: 2:00pm to 3:30pm

If Applying for DOT's new Multi-modal Local Supplement Grant, Tell the Public and your Legislators - More information here...
By Debby Jackson, Executive Director, Transportation Development Association of Wisconsin
September, The Municipality, pg.15

Adopt a planter and more! Wisconsin Rapids Mayor Zach Vruwink's Beautification Council has instituted some innovative ideas. Learn more from Sue Wesley, a Rapids resident and member of the Council.
Cool! Climbing walls, a zip-line and a lazy river will all be part of the Wisconsin Rapids Aquatic Center, which as Wisconsin Rapids Mayor Zach Vruwink says in this video, is a regional asset.
Make Your Community a Recreation Destination
By Zach Vruwink, Mayor, Wisconsin Rapids
September, The Municipality, pg. 4

Learn more at Zach's " Make Your Community a Recreation Destination " Workshop at the Annual Conference! Register for the Annual Conference...

On a mission to revitalize, diversify and enhance its offerings, Wisconsin Rapids embarked upon a recreation destination overhaul. Already, Wisconsin Rapids has redeveloped its riverfront district, turning an underutilized feature into a focal point. It has also improved multimodal connectivity as a means to boost alternative, active and accessible means of travel. Now, the City is tackling the creation of an impressive regional aquatic center, funded in large part by the grassroots support of community businesses, donors and residents. All of this, in under five years’ time. How have they done it?

Wisconsin Rapids Mayor Vruwink will walk participants through his vision and implementation process, describing how community engagement and involvement led to the successful transformation of Wisconsin Rapids into a recreation destination. Raine Gardner, PE, senior project engineer and Parks and Recreation practice leader and Daniel Borchardt, PE, project engineer at MSA, will join Mayor Vruwink.
REPURPOSE YOUR DOWNTOWN THROUGH MARKET ANALYSIS
By UW-Extension Specialists Jenny Erickson, Sharon Lezberg, Bill Ryan, Victoria Solomon and Daniel Foth
September, The Municipality, pg. 7

Additional information from the Local Govt Center, UW-Madison, Division of Extension:

For more information, contact UW Extension’s Community Development Specialist, Bill Ryan at 608-263-4994 or via email at [email protected]

A recording of the "Repurposing our Downtowns: Strategies that Work" webinar and copies of the support materials can be ordered from the UW-Extension Local Government here...
The Local Perspective - Human Resources

Wages and overtime? Recognizing impairment due to CBD use? Jerry discusses these and other Human Resource issues with Lisa Bergersen, Principal Attorney at EngageHR Law , Of Counsel at Buelow Vetter , Former HR Director, City of Pewaukee. Lisa is Jerry Deschane's guest on the League's September Local Perspective.

Learn more at Lisa's "HR 101 Deep Dive" Workshop at the Annual Conference! Register for the Annual Conference...
HR Matters
I-9 Forms Matter
By Lisa Bergersen, Principal Attorney at EngageHR Law , Of Counsel at Buelow Vetter , Former HR Director, City of Pewaukee 
September, The Municipality , pg. 22
 
Learn more at the "HR 101 Deep Dive" Workshop at the Annual Conference! Register for the Annual Conference...

The federal I-9 form is used to verify a person's identity and eligibility to work in the United States at the time of hire. All employers are required to comply with the verification provisions.

Did you know? The I-9 Form must be completed for elected and appointed officials if they receive compensation for their services.

Resources Lisa references in her column:

All HR Matters columns are posted to their own page on the League's website for reference.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT ENVIRONMENTAL COST RECOVERY TOOLS
September, The Municipality , pg. 24
By Ted A. Warpinski & Todd Farris, Davis|Kuelthau, s.c.

"Many local governmental units (“LGUs”) may still be dealing with old municipal dumps and most have abandoned contaminated properties ripe for development if sources of funds to clean them up can be identified. It is time to look again at the tools available to recover investigative and remediation costs from the parties responsible for the contamination. In addition, older liability policies (before the absolute pollution exclusion was added to most policies in 1986) insuring the municipality may provide a significant source of funds to clean up old municipal dumps."  Read the article as a pdf.
Warrantless Blood Draws of Unconscious Drunk Drivers
September, The Municipality, pg. 18
By Maria Davis, Assistant Legal Counsel, League of Wisconsin Municipalities 

"The U.S. Supreme Court recently held that under the exigent circumstances doctrine, a warrantless blood draw may generally be taken from an unconscious person when police have probable cause to believe the individual committed a drunk-driving offense and their unconscious state deprived law enforcement of a reasonable opportunity to administer an evidentiary breath test." Read the article as a PDF.
Municipal Immunity for Discretionary Acts Survives – For Now
September, The Municipality, pg. 19
By Claire Silverman, Legal Counsel, League of Wisconsin Municipalities 

"The League of Wisconsin Municipalities participated as amicus curiae in Pinter v Village of Stetsonville, an important case concerning municipal immunity before the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Wisconsin Statute § 893.80(4) prohibits suits from being brought against municipalities or their officials, agents or employees for “acts done in the exercise of legislative, quasi-legislative, judicial or quasi-judicial functions.” Wisconsin courts have long interpreted that language as providing municipalities with immunity for discretionary acts. The good news? That longstanding interpretation survives -- for now." Read the article as a pdf.
Join Us!
The League's 121st Annual Conference
With Engineering & Public Works Institute
October 23-25, 2019
KI Center, Green Bay

Network with attendees from municipalities all over Wisconsin. Exhibit Hall with 105 vendors; Mock "Bad Characters" Meeting, Table for 10 and that's just Wednesday! 

WORKSHOPS INCLUDE > Bus Tour: Northern Renewal - Tour of Green Bay and Ashwaubenon, Deep Dive 2 – Human Resources 101, Mini Bar: A New Round of FUNdamentals for Municipal Attorneys, Innovative Housing Solutions, Running an Effective Meeting (Mock Meeting), EPW Track: Engineering & Public Works Roundtable, Practical Strategies for Dealing with More Frequent Severe Rain and Flooding Events, Municipal Collaboration & Relationship-Building, Working with and Utilizing Your Municipal Attorney, Small Community Roundtable, Levy Limit Strategies, Building a Strong System of Internal Controls to Prevent Fraud, Rethinking Special Assessments: New Ways to Pay for Street Improvements, Large Community Roundtable, Not with My Tax Dollars! Ethics of Budgeting, How Not to Be an Ethics Case Study, Legislative Update, Liquor Licensing (Implementation, Authority), Current Issues in Land Use Regulation, Public Records, TIF: The "But For" Test - Prove It!, EPW Track: The Importance of Sanitary Sewer Management, EPW Track: Stormwater Mitigation Utilizing Suspended Pavement, EPW Track: Compact Roundabouts/ EVP’s/ Traffic Calming Ideas, EPW Track: Rethinking GIS – Informed Planning, Deeper Insights, Panel: Inclusivity in Small and Large Communities, Make Your Community a Recreation Destination, Panel: Downtown Redevelopment, Municipality Utility Oversight: Governing Body Options and Responsibilities, Lessons Learned about Phosphorous Compliance Options, EPW Track: Engineering Ethics
One-Day Registration is available! Register now here .

NOTE! NEW 2019 HASHTAG is #LeagueWI2019
Check out the 2018 Annual Conference Social Media
The League's Police & Fire Commission Workshop
November 1, 2019
Holiday Inn Hotel & Convention Center, Stevens Point

You can register now for this popular one-day workshop.

Note! We are updating the League's Police and Fire Commission Handbook and will have the new version available for workshop participants and handbook orders. In the meantime, if you order a handbook now, you will be added to the list and will be sent the handbook hot off the press later this fall.
The League's Plumbing Inspectors Institute

November 6 - 8, 2019 
Lake Lawn Resort
Delavan

The agenda lists the credit hours for each session.
Missed the League's 2019 Local Government 101 Workshops? Order the DVDs!

You can order the League's Local Government 101 workshop on video. It is the full day's program on four DVDs for you to watch at your own pace!

It comes with the companion resource book - in your choice of printed workbook or on a USB drive.

Segments include: Organization & Powers of Cities and Villages + Recognizing and Avoiding Conflicts of Interest + Budgeting & Financial Oversight + Procedures for Local Government Meetings + Managing Public Works Activities

Drones used in policing, revocation vs. parole and opioids are the latest #LocalGovMatters podcasts. Listen to all episodes here or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts .

The #LocalGovMatters Podcast is a partnership between the League, the Wheeler Report, Inc. and the Wisconsin Counties Association. You can listen on your PC or smartphone.