Legislative Updates Program

Friday, January 12th | 7:30 - 9:00 AM

Virtual Zoom Meeting

As our first program of the new year, you are invited to participate in a virtual conversation with our state representatives. You can expect to hear summaries from our legislators on their legislative priorities, their biggest issues coming out of the 2024 session, and how they are personally working on issues related to RCLLG's collective and individual priorities.

Elected officials will have a chance hear about RCLLG’s collective legislative priority, and your jurisdictions will have a chance to share the issues impacting your communities.

Listen to and be heard by our legislators! Register for our January program.

Annual Dinner & Program Recap

Thank you to those who joined us for our Annual Dinner & Program on December 7th at the Cedarholm Community Building in Roseville. It was a gorgeous evening full of conversation and learning.

President Scott Arcand conducted a presentation of RCLLG’s Year-In-Review and the 2024 strategic plan. We welcomed our 2024 Executive Board, including Marylee Abrams, President; Teresa Miller, Vice President; John Doan, Secretary/Treasurer, and Scott Arcand, Past President.

Our featured speaker was Melinda Coleman, City Manager for the City of Maplewood and Gallup Certified Strengths Coach. Melinda discussed the benefits of "Strengths" and what it brings to their teams at the City of Maplewood. As a part of orientation, each employee at the City of Maplewood takes the Gallup "Strength" assessment to learn their top 5 of 34 Strengths. Learn more about Strengths and the benefits this has reaped for the City below.

About Strengths

Strengths are used all over the world. There are 34 themes. When you take the assessment, you learn your top five themes.
Each Strength falls into a domain. The 4 domains are Executing, Influencing, Relationship Building and Strategic Thinking.
Themes are not labels. They’re not about rules or processes; it’s about how you can be your best self.
You are 1 in 33 million. This is the chance someone else has your same strengths in the exact same order as you.
There is no such thing as a well-rounded person, as the strength truly lies in teams. Introducing strengths is a great way to energize your team.

Incorporating Strengths in Maplewood

People ask Melinda how she has time to incorporate Strengths into a team of almost 200, and she responded that it's too beneficial to not consider. It has had too much of a profound impact on City of Maplewood.
Strategies for engagement include: Checking in on employees, including a 10-question annual questionnaire in which employees can discuss how they feel supported. Maplewood also hosts lunch-and-learns, book clubs, etc. to discuss Strengths and bridge understanding.
Maplewood top 5 strengths are: Responsibility, Achiever, Relator, Learner, Consistency.
When new employees tell Melinda why they chose to work there, they discuss the morale, family-friendliness, and the engaged environment.

Putting it into Practice

RCLLG members had the opportunity to mimic a Strengths training exercise. We reflected on our own personal experiences: times when we felt when we were at our best, our proudest moments, and what we enjoy most. When we know the answers to these questions, the teams we are a part of will be strengthened. Engaged employees make a good organization great.

View Melinda's Presentation

Thank You, Sponsors!

Northeast Youth & Family Services

Resources for RCLLG Members

Add your resources here! Do you have an event or other resource applicable to RCLLG members? Contact RCLLG@fusionLP.org to have your resource added here.

Check out the 2023 RCLLG directory

Find contact information for members and state legislators, read handy information about RCLLG, and more! Visit our website to view this directory at any time.

View the Directory

2023 Program Recaps

As we look towards our next program, we want to provide you with a lookback on our 2023 programs.

January: No program held in January.

February: On February 10th, we held our annual Legislative Priorities & Updates program. It was a busy time due to the legislative session, and we were fortunate to hear updates from Rep. Hemmingsen-Jaeger, Senator Sandra Pappas, Representative Liz Lee, and Senator John Marty.

March: On March 8th, we heard presentations discussing the shortage of students/youth pursuing the skilled trades and its impact on our workforce and communities. We heard from Scott Stallman, Provost at Dunwoody; Don Mullin, Saint Paul Building Trades Council Executive; Jill Stewart-Kellar, Northeast Metro 916 School District, and Ling Becker, Ramsey County’s Director of Workforce Solutions.

April: On April 14^th, a few "trash talkers" spoke to our members. We learned how our communities in Ramsey County can more effectively manage waste and be more environmentally friendly, and were fortunate to hear from representatives from Ramsey County, Maplewood, and White Bear Lake Area Schools.

May: On Thursday, May 4th, RCLLG members attended a 'May the 4th Be With You" social event at El Sombrero Restaurant in Little Canada.

June: On June 9th, we heard from three experts on legislation passed relating to Ramsey County and in Education. Our presenters included Jennifer O’ Rourke, Director of Government Relations; Melissa Finnegan, Government Relations Specialist; and Kirk Schneidawind, Executive Director of Minnesota School Board Association.

July: On July 14th, we heard from Ramsey County Commissioner Victoria Reinhardt and Noelle Bakken, Sustainability Specialist for the City of Roseville on climate action plan priorities and initiatives at the city and county level.

August: On August 14th, we held another great RCLLG social with almost 20 of our members. After a great meal, we took time in groups to imagine and illustrate what an ideal "interconnected Ramsey County" means to us.

September: On September 8th, Ramsey County Attorney John Choi and Ramsey County Manager Ryan O’Connor presented on “Juvenile Crime & Legislative Funding, discussing a history of crime reduction efforts and current community-based efforts and results.

October: On October 13th, Assistant State Climatologist Pete Boulay shared a history of Minnesota’s climate as far back as the late 1800’s, as well as what he predicts for our future.

November: On November 10th, Meghan Redmond, Associate State Director and Community Engagement for AARP MN, and Kristine Rossow, Roseville Area Senior Program Manager, provided information and resources on Age-Friendly communities in Minnesota.

If you have any questions about RCLLG, your membership, or news listed above, please email RCLLG@fusionLP.org.

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Ramsey County League of Local Governments | www.fusionLP.org/rcllg