President's Review
by Chuck Caverly, Council Member, Maryland Heights, and MML President
Partnerships Key In 2021 I am so honored to serve as your MML president for the coming year. 2020 has had so many challenges and yet I am continually impressed with the dedication and commitment from local officials and local government employees. You have remained diligent and found creative ways to keep serving citizens even under decreasing budgets and uncertain circumstances. I am thankful, too, for the leadership at MML over the past year. Mayor Debra Hickey has been an invaluable supporter of Missouri cities, and her leadership will be missed at MML. Thank you Debra! As we look to 2021, we are all hoping for a more settled year where we can get back to what we do best – shaping our communities and keeping them vibrant. One of the ways we will be able to recover will be through partnerships with state legislators. It is more important than ever that we work with our state legislators, as partners in governing and making Missouri a better place. It will be up to us to dispel the notion that we are just another special interest group, that we can truly work collaboratively to help communities get back on their feet.
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How do we do that?
City officials must
make even more of an effort this year to build those relationships with state legislators in meaningful ways.
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Partnerships mean strong relationships, and relationships are brought about by open and frequent communication. City officials must make even more of an effort this year to build those relationships with state legislators in meaningful ways. •
Reach out to them throughout the entire year, not just when an important issue is under discussion on the House or Senate floor.
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Keep them in the loop. Make sure they are receiving your city’s newsletter or other publications.
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Invite them to a council meeting and ask them to provide a short update.
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Invite them to your economic development meetings or the ribbon cutting of a new business.
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Are you meeting with an industrial prospect? Ask your legislator to attend and share their insight or keep them apprised of how the meeting progressed.
The overall goal is to help legislators realize they are vested in your community and your issues. Inviting them in to share with your community projects gives them buy-in for local matters and helps them see local government’s impact on improving the lives of their constituents. I can imagine the amount of one-sided information a state official receives about hundreds of issues just within a given week. Let’s work to draw them in as partners so that they have the whole picture and can help us achieve successful outcomes for our communities. While it is crucial to reach your legislator when they are in your city, it is also important for you to visit them in Jefferson City. One ideal time to do that is during the MML Legislative Conference in February. Not only can you visit with your local state representative or senator at the Missouri State Capitol, but you will meet with hundreds of other local officials and employees to network, share ideas and learn about the top issues affecting cities statewide. Watch for more details on this event coming up Feb. 9-10, 2021. MML Vice President Joe Garritano and I plan to spend time over the next year reaching out to the Governor, Senate leadership and House leadership to share more about MML, offer a municipal perspective and make sure they continue to see us as a trusted resource for hometowns across the state. To that end, Joe and I have committed to monthly trips to Jefferson City to meet at the Capitol to better represent our collective interests. I am so thankful to the MML for their advocacy during each legislative session, and I am confident they will serve as a strong unified voice again in 2021. If you are not receiving League communications, make sure to contact them with your email address so that you can be sure to receive the weekly Capitol Report as the session begins. In the same way that you can partner with state legislators, let MML be your partner to advocate when you cannot be in Jefferson City. Let us know your city’s challenges and how your relationships are going with state officials. Be sure to keep us in the loop! I look forward to serving you this year as your MML President and will do what I can to help communities recover and remain strong in 2021. 4
theReview November/December 2020
