The League of Wisconsin Municipalities Food for Thought Series is a free, monthly, noon-hour webinar for local government officials.  It covers diverse topics like cybersecurity, community, and civility to help city managers, village administrators, public safety officials, and clerks improve operations.

Join our monthly Food for Thought discussion with Amber Wichowsky, Associate Professor at the La Follette School of Public Affairs. We’re also pleased to welcome Jake Woodford, Mayor of Appleton, and Emily Berge from the Eau Claire City Council.

In this closing session of our series, we will focus on turning insight into action by exploring practical strategies for fostering civil dialogue in real municipal settings. Building on lessons from the La Follette School of Public Affairs, we’ll analyze how these lessons can be applied to the lived experience of our municipal leaders to navigate challenging conversations with civility.  

Join us for the monthly edition of our Food for Thought Series

Join fellow Wisconsin municipal clerks once a month for an hour of learning and conversation. Each meetup features focused education on a timely topic relevant to your role, followed by open discussion and the kind of peer connection that only comes from talking with people who truly get what you do. Whether you're looking for practical guidance, a fresh perspective, or simply a chance to compare notes with colleagues across the state, this is your space to show up, engage, and leave better equipped for the work ahead.

Join us for our inaugural Clerk Meet-Up. In this edition, we'll tackle: 

Public Records & Requests – Getting organized for the busy year ahead with our new calendar and sharing a little more about how and why we'll use this shared space to foster growth, learning and connection. 

The League of Wisconsin Municipalities hosts free monthly member roundtables for elected officials and staff on the second Tuesday of every month from noon to 1:00 p.m. CT via Zoom. These sessions allow municipal leaders to network, discuss issues, and share solutions. Registering for the Monthly Member Roundtable Package will register you for all Member Roundtable sessions throughout the year.

Join us for our virtual member roundtable — a collaborative forum for discussion, idea sharing, and connection among peers.

he League offers GrantFinder, a service for our member municipalities to source grant opportunities. This Grants database will identify state, federal, corporate and foundation grants available to local governments. Non city or village members may gain access through a Business membership.

Join us for our virtual member roundtable — a collaborative forum for discussion, idea sharing, and connection among peers.

People are currently still not driving as much, delivery trucks are zipping around the state, the Governor has introduced his budget and transportation aids are being talked about at the Capitol. Transportation is a critical infrastructure need for Wisconsin. Debby Jackson, Executive Director, Transportation Development Association of Wisconsin sits down with Jerry Deschane, Executive Director, League of Wisconsin Municipalities for the League's Local Perspective to talk about roads, investment and multimodal all contribute to a "safe, modern, interconnected transportation system." As Debby says, "we need to maintain our progress" that has been made recently, focus on telling our stories to demonstrate the need for additional funding, all while working toward a sustainable future.

Modeling and talking about other-centeredness with your team is part of what makes a good leader Pastor Chris says in this conversation with Todd on leading leading with humility. Todd Schmidt, the League's Board President and Village Administrator in Waunakee sat down with Chris Dolson, the Lead Pastor at Blackhawk Church in this Facebook Live conversation.
As community leaders, city and village officials are often at the center of criticism. As one tactic, Pastor Chris looks to President Lincoln's coping mechanism. As Doris Kearns Goodwin talks about in her book "Leadership in Turbulent Times," Lincoln would write "hot letters" that he would never send. Email drafts are a good tool, Pastor Chris says. Just don't hit send!

Food for Thought March 2024 - Broadening Your Candidate Pool

Food for Thought April 2024 - Resiliency and Sustainability

Food For Thought July 2024- What's New in Debt_

Food for Thought June 2024 - Back to Basics Effective Meetings