NEW THIS YEAR!

The popular League's Directory of Cities and Villages is available as a PDF.

BONUS

The not-to-miss League's 2021 Product and Services Guide is available now!
Both are searchable PDFs.
Just download and save the document to your computer and then use Adobe search.
Putting the Responsible in Public Bids
New public bidding resource!
October, The Municipality, pg. 4
Cindy Buchko, General Counsel, Construction Business Group and Curt Witynski, Deputy Executive Director, League of Wisconsin Municipalities

The League of Wisconsin Municipalities and Construction Business Group (CBG) entered into a Memorandum of Agreement that will make the CBG bidder database, with over 6,000 contractors, a powerful tool for local governments. 

Local government officials will have exclusive access to a project evaluation form that may be completed for your public works projects. The project evaluations will be connected to the contractor (or subcontractor) that was evaluated and available to view by other local governments. The project evaluation survey form allows local government staff and officials to weigh in on whether the project was completed on time, within budget, and whether the quality of the work was satisfactory. Taking 10 minutes to complete a survey could save a fellow local government from awarding work to a contractor that is not responsible.

Read the article (PDF).
To register for and access the database, go to responsiblewisconsin.com

Bonus -
  • The League's Annual Conference Workshop: Cynthia L. Buchko, Construction Business Group and Kail Decker, City of West Allis Presentation (PDF)
  • Click here to start a conversation about this new public bidding resource and connect to Cindy and Kail and each other on the League's LinkedIn page.
Marathon City’s Alternative Phosphorus Compliance Strategy
October, The Municipality, pg. 10
Andy Kurtz, Administrator, Clerk, Treasurer, Director of Economic Development, Director of Public Works, Zoning Administrator, and Human Resources Director, Village of Marathon City

The Village of Marathon City has been in the forefront of trying to find ways its wastewater treatment plant can affordably comply with the state’s phosphorus water quality standards. In the article, Marathon City Administrator Andy Kurtz described the village’s Multi-Discharger Variance (MDV) and a creative biosolids management approach the village is seeking to implement.

Read the article (PDF).

Bonus -
  • Andrew R. Kurtz, Village of Marathon City, Presentation (PDF) and Adrian Stocks, DNR, Presentation (PDF) Adrian Stocks, Director of DNR’s Water Quality Program, will discuss adaptive management, water quality trading, and other innovative ways communities are complying with phosphorus standards around the state.
  • Click here to start the conversation and connect to Andy and Adrian on the League's LinkedIn page to talk about phosphorus compliance.
Three Feisty Clerks: Candid Feedback for Municipal Leaders
October, The Municipality, pg. 7
Jerry Deschane, Executive Director, League of Wisconsin Municipalities 

Recently, we surveyed city and village clerks throughout Wisconsin, asking them what they would tell a new alder or trustee who came into their office and said, “How can I do this job better?” Do your homework, ask questions, listen, don’t be the Lone Ranger, and think “community.” Those are the most important pieces of advice municipal clerks have for elected leaders. 

Read the article (PDF).

Bonus
  • The League's Annual Conference Workshop: Bradley Hanson, MPA, CFM, City Administrator/Clerk, Mondovi; Kathy Morse, MMC/CMTW/WCPC, Clerk-Treasurer, Rice Lake and Diane Coenen, WCMC/CMC, City Clerk, Oconomowoc, WMCA President. Click here to start the conversation and connect to the three clerks who presented on the League's LinkedIn page.
Wisconsin Policy Forum Releases Updated 2020 Municipal DataTool
Shows tax and spending trends over the last six years for Wisconsin’s 600 municipalities
October, The Municipality, pg. 14
The Wisconsin Policy Forum

Access the Wisconsin Policy Forum's Municipal DataTool
Reminder >> New Quarterly Column!
It’s Time for Ethical Communication
September, The Municipality, pg. 14
Eric Giordano, Ph.D., Executive Director, Wisconsin Institute for Public Policy and Service, University of Wisconsin System

Bookmark the League's new Conflict Management page.

Eric will be writing a quarterly column as part of the new resource the League and League Mutual are providing to League members in partnership with the Wisconsin Institute for Public Policy and Service (WIPPS). WIPPS will provide one-on-one consultation where a community has a complex or longstanding conflict management challenge. The cost of this consultation will be negotiated between WIPPS and the individual municipality, except in cases where League Insurance deems it advisable to support one of its insured municipalities. Learn more "League Conflict Management Resource" (PDF)

To access this service, contact Matt Becker, CEO of League Mutual (LWMMI) at email if your municipality is insured by LWMMI. If you are not insured by League Mutual, contact Eric Giordano at email to seek an initial consultation and discuss fees. List of League Mutual Insureds
Todd in front of the ONLY Waunakee in the world sign
Welcome! The League's New President and Executive Committee
October, The Municipality, pg. 12

  • President, Todd Schmidt, Administrator, Village of Waunakee
  • 1st Vice President, Justin Nickels, Mayor, Manitowoc
  • 2nd Vice President, Maureen Murphy, Administrator, Mount Pleasant
  • Past President: Zach Vruwink, Rhinelander
ALL THE WORKSHOPS!
The League's 122nd Annual Conference Presentations have been posted to each individual day for all six days of the Conference. Click here to access the experts.

The Positive Power of Servant Leadership with Tom Thibodeau | Unpacking 2020: Lessons Learned in Crisis Communications | Racial Equity Local Government Action Steps | Tax Incremental Financing Basics | Roundtable: Small Communities | How Secure is your Municipality's Network? Assessing Cyber Risk | Best Practices for Recruiting & Interviewing Your Next Hire | Finding Lowest Responsible Bidders for your Construction Projects | Roundtable: Large Communities | Ask the Attorneys |
Innovative and Affordable Ways to Comply with Phosphorus Standards | Locally Sourced Downtowns: Supporting and Cultivating a Thriving District | Useful Tools for Environmental Cleanup and Property Redevelopment | Managing Conflict in Local Government | How Some Rural Communities Thrive while Shedding Population: 
Learning to Shrink Smart | Budget Strategies for Surviving the Recession and Thriving Post-Pandemic | Three Feisty Clerks: Candid Feedback for Municipal Leaders
Thank you!

The League thanks all of the 2020 Annual Conference Sponsors including League Mutual for the Scholarship Program and WEA Trust for the Virtual Run/Walk.

We couldn't do it
without you!
Legal Articles
Supervisors Matter 
October, The Municipality, pg. 25
By Lisa Bergersen, Principal Attorney at EngageHR Law, Former HR Director, City of Pewaukee 

Employees 366: HR Matters column by Attorney Lisa Bergersen highlighting the importance of supervisory responsibilities and the training supervisors should receive. Supervisors should understand employment laws, must regularly document workplace issues, and must adequately coach staff and manage employee performance. Supervisory training in these, and other areas, is key to risk management. Read the column. (PDF)

All HR Matters columns are posted to their own page on the League's website for reference.
Subsidiary Motions Continued
October, The Municipality, pg. 18
Daniel Foth, JD, Local Government Specialist, Local Government Center, UW-Madison, Division of Extension

A member can use subsidiary motions to help the body determine and decide the main motion. A subsidiary motion is in order from the moment the chair restates the main motion until the chair begins to take a vote on that main motion. Also, the order of precedence determines which motion outranks the other. Read the column (PDF)

Access all of the "For the Good of the Order" columns on Parliamentary Procedure on the League's website here.
BONUS
 Note   - if you work for a League member municipality and previously shared a magazine with colleagues but would now like your own, please send an email with your mailing address to league@lwm-info.org   There is no additional cost.
Are you wondering what other municipalities have planned for Halloween? Take a look and add your own plans to this spreadsheet created by Sarah Millard from the City of Beloit: Halloween Plans Google Spreadsheet

We've also created a Holiday Parade Google Spreadsheet
Join Us!
The League's Police and Fire Commission Workshop
November 13, 2020 via Zoom

The Role of the Police & Fire Commission (PFC): Duties, Powers and Responsibilities 
  • Why We Have a Commission
  • PFC Composition & Structure
  • Powers & Duties of the Commission
  • Disciplinary Hearings
  • Overview of Open Meeting & Public Records Laws
Selecting Police and Fire Personnel
  • Hiring Entry Level-Personnel 
  • Promotion
  • Hiring Chiefs
Redistricting
For League Member Officials and Staff
Hosted by the League
Tuesday, December 1,12:00 pm
No Cost and No Need to RSVP

This webinar will focus on preparing for Local Redistricting in Wisconsin in April 2021. The Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau (LRB) and Legislative Technology Services Bureau (LTSB) will provide information on the legal process of redistricting and the software utilized for local redistricting in the State of Wisconsin.
 
The first portion will focus on local redistricting timelines and information on current redistricting statutes. This will include an overview of the ‘how and why’ of redistricting for municipalities, as well as discussions of procedures, guidelines, and the laws that shape redistricting in Wisconsin.
 
The second portion will be a demonstration of the WISE-LR software, which will be used for local redistricting. WISE-LR is a web application developed by the LTSB specifically for the state statutes of Wisconsin and local redistricting laws. WISE-LR will allow local officials, or their delegates, to create, analyze, and share county supervisory plans, ward plans, and alder plans with accurate demographic data.

Presenters:
 
Legislative Reference Bureau
Joe Kreye: Senior Coordinating Attorney
Michael Gallagher: Senior Coordinating Attorney
Staci Duros: Research & Policy Analyst
 
Legislative Technology Services Bureau
Ryan Squires: GIS Team Manager & Applications Developer

Please click the link below to join the webinar:
Passcode: 174311

Dial In: 312 626 6799
Webinar ID: 872 1101 4863
Passcode: 174311