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Host: Matt Bach, Asst. Director, Strategic Communications, Michigan Municipal League On this episode of Live with the League we discuss the bipartisan federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act recently approved in D.C. and what it means for Michigan and our communities. We also will cover the latest on the short-term vacation rental issue and what to expect in the state legislature between now and the end of the year.

Host: Matt Bach, Asst. Director, Strategic Communications, Michigan Municipal League On this episode of Live with the League, discuss the latest on the short-term rental legislation passed in the House on Wednesday, 10/27, and the recent work by a coalition of organizations that has recommended a statewide plan to spend nearly $6 billion in American Rescue Plan funding.

Host: Herasanna Richards, Legislative Associate, Michigan Municipal League A new statewide group, called The Coalition for a Strong and Prosperous Michigan, recently unveiled a bold and comprehensive vision to invest nearly $6 billion in American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding to build our state's future. A news conference took place on Oct. 14 to release the plan, called “From Rescue to Prosperity: A Roadmap to Michigan's Future.”

Host: Matt Bach, Asst. Director, Strategic Communications, Michigan Municipal League On this episode of Live with the League, we're scheduled to have guests from the Michigan Attorney Generals office to talk about the Opioid case settlement and what it could mean for communities. We also will discuss in-depth the proposed Cannabis Safety Act that the League is supporting and the marijuana petition proposals appearing on local November ballots in many League member communities.

Host: Matt Bach, Asst. Director, Strategic Communications, Michigan Municipal League Get the latest news on the state budget, bills related to marijuana caregivers, and a package of legislation dealing with support for public safety personnel.

Host: Matt Bach, Asst. Director, Strategic Communications, Michigan Municipal League COVID Emergency Rental Program, Treasury Updates, CARES Act, ARPA, and more.

he Michigan Municipal League invites you to another installment of an ongoing webinar series with the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT). Get the latest updates on: • Staffing/Covid Updates • NEPA/SHPO Updates • 2020 MDOT Standard Specifications for Construction • New LAP Certification (Coming Soon) • Construction Manual Update/Project Closeouts • Upcoming Training • And much more! You'll also have an opportunity to ask questions or share concerns about issues affecting your community. Speakers: Kelly Crannell, Michigan Department of Transportation Ryan Doyle, Michigan Department of Transportation

Host: Matt Bach, Asst. Director, Strategic Communications, Michigan Municipal League On this episode we discuss the latest legislative trends, and Christy Welti will join us to discuss our upcoming Convention in Grand Rapids!

Safe & Just Michigan has been working in partnership with several organizations and municipalities to advocate for legislation that passes and implements automatic expungement in Michigan. Safe & Just Michigan's Executive Director John S. Cooper will be joined by Amanda O'Boyle, Assistant City Attorney of Lansing, and Frances Walters, Director of the Conviction Integrity and Expungement Unit of Washtenaw County Prosecutor's Office (WCPO). They will discuss how municipalities can support and benefit from expanded access to expungement and how they are implementing these programs throughout the state. Presenters: John S. Cooper, Executive Director, Safe & Just Michigan Frances Walters, Director of the Conviction Integrity and Expungement Unit, Washtenaw County Prosecutor's Office (WCPO) Amanda O'Boyle, Assistant City Attorney, City of Lansing

Host: Matt Bach, Asst. Director, Strategic Communications, Michigan Municipal League On today's episode we are joined by Eric Bussis from the Michigan Department of Treasury who can answer all of your questions about the American Rescue Plan, and we will hear the latest updates updates from our Lansing team.

Join us for a Facebook Live chat where we talk with communities about their experience filling out the application. 11:30 am, July 22, 2021

New possibility is coming to town and you are one of the first to greet it. Maximizing the benefits of the American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding requires more than a little planning. Greeting these new dollars with good government practices, some strategic blue-sky thinking, and broad community engagement can help you grow possibility into real, long lasting benefits for your community and its people. Join us for an information-packed webinar where you'll hear from experts on: -Strategies for coordination activities between different units of government -Leveraging state, private and philanthropic dollars to maximize your ARP funding -Navigating the Michigan Department of Treasury ARP application portal -Reporting and auditing requirements -How to access assistance in seeking, planning for, and utilizing your ARP dollars Presenters: Plante Moran, Michigan Municipal League, and the Michigan Association of Counties

Join the National Coalition for Community Capital (NC3) as they explore the use of Community Investment Funds (CIFs) as a way to strengthen local economies. The webinar, on July 14th from 12pm-1pm EST, will feature attorney Brian Beckon from Cutting Edge Capital; Janice Shade – founder of The Initiative for Local Capital; Deborah Frieze from the Boston Impact Initiative; and Helen Johnson – President of the Michigan Municipal League Foundation. Moderator Chris Miller, a founding board member of NC3, Michigan State University Economic Innovation Fellow, and initiator of MILE, Michigan's Investment Crowdfunding law, will lead the panel through a discussion of the existing CIF structures as well as a look at NC3's proposed 21st Century CIF. NC3's proposed CIF eliminates some of the challenges of the existing structures and opens up opportunities for consequential individual and community wealth-building through investment and ownership of community businesses, real estate, green energy and more.

Host: Matt Bach, Asst. Director, Strategic Communications, Michigan Municipal League On this episode of Live with the League, our staff will catch you up on short-term rental issue updates, state budget news, and the new American Rescue Plan portal https://bit.ly/2TWxyVR opening for Non-Entitlement Units of local government.

Host: Matt Bach, Asst. Director, Strategic Communications, Michigan Municipal League Hear the latest on the hotly debated short-term rental issue, Bridge Builders microgrant program, our Community Excellence Award finalists and an update on state budget talks.

Host: Matt Bach, Asst. Director, Strategic Communications, Michigan Municipal League On this episode hear the latest on the short-term rental and gravel mining pre-emption efforts, as well as a new package of bills on police reform.

Learn more about current state legislation that aims to restrict the power of our local communities and citizens to make decisions on short-term rentals. The League's Dan Gilmartin will be joined by guests including property owners, and local leaders to discuss the negative impact of these bills, resolutions and what you can do to keep local power local.

Host: Matt Bach, Asst. Director, Strategic Communications, Michigan Municipal League Special TUESDAY edition of Live with the League where we will discuss the hot topic of short-term rentals with bills pending in the state Legislature. Learn what you can do to help save our neighborhoods from being overrun with these vacation rentals. We also will cover the latest on recently-released American Rescue Plan guidance for small communities/non-entitlement communities, newly proposed MIOSHA COVID-19 emergency workplace rules and how online voting is getting underway for the MML’s Community Excellence Award competition. Vote until June 15 for your favorite project at http://cea.mml.org/.

Stop big government from taking away local control from your communities! Listen to the MML's virtual news conference about our opposition to the short-term rental bills pending in the state Legislature. https://bit.ly/3fzA8I9 Send a letter opposed to the bills using our Action Center! https://bit.ly/2T1cufW Contact your state lawmakers today and tell them to oppose HB 4722 and SB 446. Go to https://blogs.mml.org/wp/inside208/ for details.

Presenters: Rich Donley, President, Mort Crim Communications, Inc. Michelle Franzen Martin, Account Director, Mort Crim Communications, Inc. With: Tiffany Jones and Bryan Peckinpaugh, Detroit Water & Sewerage Department Trisha Bruzek, Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner's Office Michigan’s revised Lead and Copper Rule has renewed public interest in the dangers of lead -- and with it, it has raised questions from residents about water safety, lead line replacement and test results. But making a complicated issue such as the Lead and Copper Rule understandable requires proactive messaging and a solid communications plan. Michelle Franzen Martin and Rich Donley of Mort Crim Communications Inc. (MCCI), with their partners from the Detroit Water & Sewerage Department and Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner's Office, will provide you with the steps necessary for communicating complicated issues to residents -- and, most importantly, making sure you use clear, consistent messaging to make sure they understand.

Host: Matt Bach, Asst. Director, Strategic Communications, Michigan Municipal League Join Live with the League and special guest, Michael Wallace from the National League of Cities!   This special edition of Live with the League will cover the American Rescue Plan guidelines. Check out our blog on the ARP http://blogs.mml.org/wp/inside208

Host: Matt Bach, Asst. Director, Strategic Communications, Michigan Municipal League Thank you to our special guest - long-time journalist Rick Haglund - for joining us on Live with the League 5/3/2021 to talk about the recent issue of our MML Review magazine. The May-June issue of our magazine gets sent out this week and focuses on all the work of our communities in emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic. We also discussed with our Lansing team the state budget, a new bill promoting community solar, and a bill we're opposing about short-term rentals. In addition, we answered your questions about the latest on the American Rescue Plan.

Presenters: Ashley Blake, Regional Director, Mid-West, Center for Employment Opportunities Pamela Lachman, Director, Strategic State Initiatives, Center for Employment Opportunities Michelle Rafferty, Chief Strategy & Operating Officer, Detroit at Work Equity in our community relies on access to opportunity. Too often, our justice-involved neighbors experience immediate barriers to employment, housing, and the resources to assist them as they transition to a stable, safe, and consistent lifestyle. Leading the way for over four decades in employment-centered reentry is the Center for Employment Opportunities. CEO partners with localities to help the government meet its labor needs while increasing employment opportunities for individuals returning from incarceration to the community. This brings a two-fold economic and public safety impact - increasing employment prospects and reducing recidivism. Join the Michigan Municipal League for a conversation with the Center for Employment Opportunities on how their partnership assists those with the most significant barriers to employment and the highest risk of returning to the criminal justice system. You'll learn how CEO's program helps participants reduce their likelihood of returning to jail and prison, successfully reconnecting them to the workforce and community. Also, you'll hear from the City of Detroit on how the partnership has supported the city's needs and created meaningful employment and value for residents across Wayne County.

Host: Shanna Draheim, Director, Policy Research Labs Over the last month, our colleagues at The Wellbeing Lab headed out into the state of Michigan to measure the wellbeing of 1,500 people representative of Michiganders. They asked the question, “How are we doing?” and delved into how people were boosting their levels of thriving and reducing their levels of struggle at this time. The survey data shows valuable forms of wellbeing support that their families and community had been providing and what actions their workplaces and bosses were taking that were having a positive impact. The Wellbeing Lab will give highlights of the report. Discover the roles that struggle, psychological safety, families, allyship and vaccinations have played in helping people care for their wellbeing, and the practices you can implement in your own community. And we will discuss ways of intelligently applying these findings as a network.

Presenters: Danielle Beard, Associate Program Officer, Michigan Municipal League Foundation Helen D. Johnson, President, Michigan Municipal League Foundation   This webinar will provide details on how to apply for the Michigan Municipal League Foundation’s Bridge Builders Main Street Microgrants. Details on eligibility, timeline, and process will be provided. Time for questions and answers will take place at the end of the session. In 2020 the MML Foundation launched the Bridge Builder microgrants to support innovative work that intentionally & creatively brings people together, while socially distant, and repairs broken relationships in the community. In 2021, the program will offer two categories for funding: 1) The Neighborhood Microgrants will offer ten $500 grants across the state. 2) The Main Streets Microgrants will offer grants of $5,000 in four pilot communities in eligible regions (1 per region). These grants have been generously funded by the DTE Energy Foundation. The Bridge Builders Project began with a pilot in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The microgrant program launched was intended to encourage the acts of creativity, selflessness, and connection that we were seeing in Michigan in response to the isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, we have an opportunity to re-emerge from the pandemic as co-creators of the future we want to see. We invite Michigan residents to imagine a future for their communities where trust and belonging thrive, individuals’ well-being is valued, and diversity and culture are celebrated community assets.  

Presenters: Danielle Beard, Associate Program Officer, Michigan Municipal League Foundation Helen D. Johnson, President, Michigan Municipal League Foundation   This webinar will provide details on how to apply for the Michigan Municipal League Foundation’s Bridge Builders Neighborhood Microgrants. Details on eligibility, timeline, and process will be provided. Time for questions and answers will take place at the end of the session. In 2020 the MML Foundation launched the Bridge Builder microgrants to support innovative work that intentionally & creatively brings people together, while socially distant, and repairs broken relationships in the community. In 2021, the program will offer two categories for funding: 1) The Neighborhood Microgrants will offer ten $500 grants across the state. 2) The Main Streets Microgrants will offer grants of $5,000 in four pilot communities in eligible regions (1 per region). These grants have been generously funded by the DTE Energy Foundation. The Bridge Builders Project began with a pilot in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The microgrant program launched was intended to encourage the acts of creativity, selflessness, and connection that we were seeing in Michigan in response to the isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, we have an opportunity to re-emerge from the pandemic as co-creators of the future we want to see. We invite Michigan residents to imagine a future for their communities where trust and belonging thrive, individuals’ well-being is valued, and diversity and culture are celebrated community assets.

Host: Matt Bach, Asst. Director, Strategic Communications, Michigan Municipal League Very enlightening conversation today with the League's Lansing team on Live with the League. We covered the American Rescue Plan Act, the American Jobs Plan, proposed changes to election laws, and housing attainment work being done in our state. Plus, we answered multiple excellent questions from our members.

Host: Matt Bach, Asst. Director, Strategic Communications, Michigan Municipal League This Monday on Live with the League, we're joined by Emily Kieliszewski, highlighting the League's Community Excellence Awards, the latest updates out of Lansing, and the most recent information and guidelines for communities on the American Rescue Plan.

Host: Morgan Fabry, Hazard Mitigation Assistance Branch and Region V’s BRIC Coordinator, FEMA    Moderator: Emily Kieliszewski, Member Programs Lead, Michigan Municipal League   EMA has recently launched the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program to assist local communities as they undertake hazard mitigation projects, reducing the risks they face from disasters and natural hazards. The BRIC program aims to categorically shift the federal focus away from reactive disaster spending and towards research-supported, proactive investment in community resilience. Join the League as we host FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance Branch and Region V’s BRIC Coordinator, Morgan Fabry, for a program overview and to discuss the benefits and key elements of the newly developed BRIC Program.

Host: Michigan Department of Treasury In partnership with the Michigan Municipal League, Michigan Townships Association, Michigan Association of Counties, and the County Road Association of Michigan, the Michigan Department of Treasury is pleased to announce the 11th joint webinar, “Tools and Resources for Local Governments”, formerly known as “COVID-19 Updates and Resources for Local Governments.” Topics will include updates on the CARES Act grants, Financially Distressed Cities, Villages and Townships (FDCVT) grant, recreational marijuana payments, the American Rescue Act, and cybersecurity for local governments.

Host: Matt Bach, Asst. Director, Strategic Communications, Michigan Municipal League We fielded some excellent questions from our members on today's Live with the League conversation. League CEO and Executive Director Dan Gilmartin joined us to talk about the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act, Open Meetings Act, and more.  

Host: Matt Bach, Asst. Director, Strategic Communications, Michigan Municipal League Great discussion today with a lot of excellent questions from our members about the $1.9 trillion stimulus plan approved in the U.S. Senate recently. The stimulus includes $350 billion for local governments.

Host: Matt Bach, Asst. Director, Strategic Communications, Michigan Municipal League Guests: Westland Mayor William Wild, president of the Michigan Municipal League Board, Mike Wallace of the National League of Cities On this week's Live with the League we discuss the new $1.9 trillion stimulus package proposed in Washington D.C. This proposal, which could be approved within the next week or two, includes about $4.3 billion in direct, flexible funding to Michigan cities and counties.  Our special guests - Westland Mayor William Wild, president of the Michigan Municipal League Board, and Mike Wallace of the National League of Cities - break it all down for us in this enlightening discussion.  Plus, we hear from the League's Lansing team about the latest state budget talks.

Host: Matt Bach, Asst. Director, Strategic Communications, Michigan Municipal League Guests: Christy Welti, Events Coordinator, MML Great time today chatting about CapCon 2021 with Christy Welti in our events department and our Lansing team about the latest legislative activity in Lansing and stimulus proposals in DC. Hope you watch!  

Host: Anthony Minghine, Deputy Executive Director & COO, Michigan Municipal League   Moderator: Emily Kieliszewski, Member Programs Lead, Michigan Municipal League   No matter what your role in local government, you are impacted by numerous budget and finance issues every day.  The goal of this session is to help non-finance professionals better understand the complicated world of municipal finance. We will cover many of the finance-related issues that local officials face in any local government.  Participants will gain a deeper understanding that will help them be more effective no matter what their role.    

Host: Matt Bach, Asst. Director, Strategic Communications, Michigan Municipal League Guests: Chad Livengood, Crain's Detroit Business Great conversation today with Chad Livengood of Crain's Detroit Business and the League's legislative team. We covered the upcoming State of the State Speech by Governor Whitmer and other issues related to COVID-19 and the state budget.

Host: Michigan Department of Treasury   In partnership with the Michigan Municipal League, Michigan Townships Association and Michigan Association of Counties, the Michigan Department of Treasury presented the tenth joint webinar, “COVID-19 Updates and Resources for Local Governments.”  Topics include an overview of the Michigan Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference and information regarding the requirements for single audits. 

Host: Matt Bach, Asst. Director, Strategic Communications, Michigan Municipal League Guests:Dr. Bobby Mukkamala, president, Michigan State Medical SocietyBrandon Fournier, partner, Fournier On the first episode of Live with the League (formerly Monday Morning Live), we welcomed  two special guests with expertise in different aspects of the COVID-19 vaccine. Dr. Bobby Mukkamala, current president of the Michigan State Medical Society (MSMS), discusses the vaccine and people's concerns about its general safety and side effects. Attorney Brandon Fournier talks about best practices in approaching and encouraging vaccination among employees. Then our legislative team covers the recently concluded Lame Duck session in the Michigan legislature, our legislative priorities for 2021, the latest federal stimulus package, and more.

Michigan Municipal League is pleased to present Jacqueline K. Noonan, former mayor of Utica, with the Honorary Life Membership Award. Among Noonan's many accomplishments, she was the first female and longest serving mayor in Utica's history. She was also known as the "architect of Utica's rebirth." Congratulations, Jacqueline!

Michigan Municipal League is pleased to honor Dr. Sheryl L. Mitchell Theriot, Lathrup Village city administrator, with the Community Builder Award. Among Dr. Mitchell Theriot's many accomplishments, she was the city manager for Albion, worked for the Detroit City Council for over a decade, and serves as president of the Women Officials Network Foundation.Congratulations, Dr. Mitchell Theriot!    To learn more about the MML's Community Builder Award http://www.mml.org/awardsView our other award winners here https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD10nOddWHuaW0siRuWuvAw

Host: Matt Bach, Asst. Director of Strategic Communications, Michigan Municipal League Guests:Chris Hackbarth, Director, State & Federal Affairs, Michigan Municipal LeagueJohn LaMacchia, Asst. Director, State & Federal Affairs, Michigan Municipal LeagueJennifer Rigterink, Legislative Associate, Michigan Municipal LeagueHerasanna Richards, Legislative Associate, Michigan Municipal League Our legislative team shared details of the Pure Michigan Small Business Relief Initiative grants, which went live on Dec. 15. The Michigan Municipal League Foundation has been notified of its selection as the program administrator. The program will provide $10 million in grants to support small businesses disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 crisis and the recent DHHS epidemic orders. Our legislative team also covered the latest developments during Lame Duck, potential changes to the Open Meetings Act, the status of a new federal coronavirus stimulus package, and more.

In partnership with the Michigan Municipal League, Michigan Townships Association, and Michigan Association of Counties, the Michigan Department of Treasury presented the ninth joint webinar, “COVID-19 Updates and Resources for Local Governments.”  Topics include Economic Forecasting and an update from Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s (MEDC) on their Winter Strategies Resource Guide.

Host: Matt Bach, Asst. Director of Strategic Communications, Michigan Municipal League Guests:Chris Hackbarth, Director, State & Federal Affairs, Michigan Municipal LeagueJohn LaMacchia, Asst. Director, State & Federal Affairs, Michigan Municipal LeagueJennifer Rigterink, Legislative Associate, Michigan Municipal LeagueHerasanna Richards, Legislative Associate, Michigan Municipal League On this episode of Monday Morning Live, our legislative team covers the latest on Lame Duck activity in the state Legislature, including the Michigan Municipal League's Community Stabilization Plan, gravel mining, historic preservation tax credits and more,

Michigan Municipal League is pleased to honor Bobby J. Hopewell with the 2020 Michael A. Guido Leadership and Public Service Award. Among Hopewell's many accomplishments, he was the longest serving mayor in the history of Kalamazoo and co-founded the Kalamazoo Foundation for Excellence. Congratulations, Bobby! Learn more about the Michael A. Guido Leadership and Public Service Award here: http://www.mml.org/awards

Host: Matt Bach, Asst. Director of Strategic Communications, Michigan Municipal League Guests:Chris Hackbarth, Director, State & Federal Affairs, Michigan Municipal LeagueJohn LaMacchia, Asst. Director, State & Federal Affairs, Michigan Municipal LeagueJennifer Rigterink, Legislative Associate, Michigan Municipal LeagueHerasanna Richards, Legislative Associate, Michigan Municipal League On Nov. 30, the Michigan Municipal League held a video news conference to urge state lawmakers to adopt a Community Stabilization Plan that addresses the dire fiscal situation facing Michigan communities across the state due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We followed that with a discussion on Monday Monday Morning LIve on what that plan means for municipalities.

Host: Emily Kieliszewsi, Member Programs Lead, Michigan Municipal League Guests:Kamil Robakiewicz, Principal, Miller Canfield Law FirmNhan Ho, Associate, Miller Canfield Law Firm Michigan is under a new three-week epidemic order issued by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and announced recently by Governor Whitmer. The order has multiple parts, which legal experts from the Miller Canfield law firm break down for our members.

Host: Emily Kieliszewski, Member Programs Lead, Michigan Municipal League Guests:Joe Frost, Main Street SpecialistLeigh Young, Main Street Specialist With winter rolling in and COVID-19 health concerns continuing, our main street businesses will be under even more pressure. Communities need new tools for keeping main street functioning through the cold months. In this webinar, you'll learn about the Michigan Main Street Center's new Winter Strategies guide, which is full of short-term tactics and longer-term strategies.  

Speakers:Heather Frick, Bureau of Local Government and School Services, Michigan Department of TreasuryPenny Burger, Grants and Financial Management Section Manager, Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division, Michigan State PoliceEric Bussis, Chief Economist and Director of the Office of Revenue and Tax Analysis, Michigan Department of TreasuryKyle Jen, Chief Deputy Director, Michigan State Budget Office This webinar covers updates on FEMA, Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) programs, and the State of Michigan budget.

Host: Matt Bach, Assistant Director of Strategic Communications, Michigan Municipal League Guests:Chris Hackbarth, Director, State & Federal Affairs, Michigan Municipal LeagueJohn LaMacchia, Asst. Director, State & Federal Affairs, Michigan Municipal LeagueJennifer Rigterink, Legislative Associate, State & Federal Affairs, Michigan Municipal League On this episode of Monday Morning Live, our legislative team covered the latest on election results. They also delved into our Lame Duck priorities - municipal finance reform, short-term rentals, and gravel mining.    

Host: Matt Bach, Assistant Director of Strategic Communications, Michigan Municipal League Guests:Kelly Warren, Director of Membership & Affiliate Engagement, Michigan Municipal LeagueChris Hackbarth, Director of State & Federal Affairs, Michigan Municipal LeagueJohn LaMacchia, Asst. Director of State & Federal Affairs, Michigan Municipal LeagueJennifer Rigterink, Legislative Associate, Michigan Municipal League Hear the latest on the success of the 2020 Census, legislative actions to replace COVID-19 Executive Orders, Lame Duck schedule in the Michigan legislature, and more.

Host: Matt Bach, Assistant Director of Strategic Communications, Michigan Municipal League Guests:Michigan Senator Lana Theis, 22nd DistrictChris Johnson, General Counsel, Michigan Municipal LeagueJennifer Rigterink, Legislative Associate, Michigan Municipal League On Oct. 16, Governor Whitmer signed legislation that will allow local governments to continue to meet virtually during this pandemic. In this podcast, we discuss these changes and what they mean for communities.