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Facing Forward Series – Addressing Racial Equity and Disparate Impacts from a Municipality’s Point of View
Treating Code Violators Like Your In-Laws: Embarrassing, yes, but they need Tough Love
Beyond the Basics: Difficult Data Practices Issues Confronting Minnesota Cities
Prosecuting Driving While Impaired Offenses from a City Attorney’s Perspective
Building a Better AIA Contract
Rules of Procedure: What does Robert Really Want??
An Evidence-Based Approach to Domestic Violence Prosecution
How to Pay for it – Public Finance Tools for Every Occasion
Charter Chatter: Emergent and Vexing Charter City Challenges
Criminal Justice System and Offenders with Mental Illness
PERA Continued Health Insurance Coverage Update
Gender Inclusion and Local Government: Problems, Policy, and Practical Guidance
The Practical Implications for Park Dedication Requirements and Fees Following Puce v. Burnsville
The Common-Interest Doctrine and the Attorney-Client Privilege
Addressing Racial Equity and Disparate Impacts from a Municipality’s Point of View
Jennifer Cross, Assistant City Attorney, City of Bloomington
The City of Bloomington directed and empowered its employees to create action teams tasked with effectuating change geared towards racial equity, inclusion and disparate impacts which resulted in the creation of racial equity action teams (REATs) in each City department. This presentation will discuss the experiences of the City of Bloomington Legal Department’s REAT; the formation of our team, getting over the hurdle of intent versus impact, triaging goals, bringing others to the collaborative table, maintaining the council’s goals and our results thus far. Our team experienced hurdles – some we were able to overcome while others remain roadblocks – and successes which include adoption of equitable contracting by the City (a collaboration with the Finance REAT) a Bloomington Restorative Court, and expanded diversion opportunities for Bloomington city criminal cases. *Elimination of Bias Credit
Treating Code Violators Like Your In-Laws: Embarrassing, Yes, But They Need Tough Love
Tom Jacobson, Attorney, Swenson Lervick; Korine Land, Attorney, LeVander, Gillen & Miller; Charlie Ramstad, Attorney, Ramstad, Skoyles & Winters; and Jared Shepherd, Attorney, Campbell Knutson
Exterior Code violations are an embarrassment to the community so approaching these properties with the right solution is key to the ultimate resolution, which is cleaning it up efficiently and effectively. These battle-tested speakers will discuss ordinance-driven abatements, court-ordered abatements, and the hazardous building statute to help you navigate from simple to the more complex nuisance properties. *Real Property Law Credit
Treating Code Violators Like Your In Laws Presentation part one
Treating Code Violators Like Your In Laws Part one samples
Treating Code Violators Like Your In Laws Presentation part two
Treating Code Violators Like Your In Laws part two handouts
Treating Code Violators Like Your In Laws Presentation part three
Treating Code Violators Like Your In Laws part three handouts
POT-pourri
Christina Benson, Attorney, Eckberg Lammers; Alex Hassel, Intergovernmental Relations Representative, League of Minnesota Cities; Leah Koch, Attorney, Campbell Knutson; and Kari O’Leary, Attorney, Eckberg Lammers
Panelists will share their expertise on how cities are WEEDing out issues with prosecution, employment, licensing, and more surrounding the legalization of THC in May of 2022 along with providing an outlook on cannabis at the Capital. The session will equip attendees with tools, including applicable federal and state regulation, for addressing cannabinoids in their cities.
Beyond the Basics: Difficult Data Practices Issues Confronting Minnesota Cities
Casey Carmody, Sr. Policy Analyst, Minnesota Data Practices Office
The Data Practices Office will highlight several difficult data practices issues it has been hearing about from Minnesota cities that go beyond the day-to-day requirements of responding to regular requests. Topics will include receiving and processing large data requests, persistent requesters, redacting criminal investigative data, government data on employees’ personal devices, and more. DPO will offer its guidance and tips for how city attorneys can best approach these issues as well as answer questions about the current challenges you are facing.
Prosecuting Driving While Impaired Offenses from a City Attorney’s Perspective
Meagan Kelley, Associate Attorney, Campbell Knutson
A discussion of common issues and challenges arising from the prosecution of driving while impaired offenses. Topics will include the basics of DWI prosecution, best practices to give law enforcement agencies regarding DWI investigations, and changes to DWI-related forfeiture laws.
Building a Better AIA Contract
Elisa Hatlevig, Attorney, Jardine, Logan & O’Brien and Michelle Weinberg, Attorney, Kennedy & Graven
This session will discuss AIA contracts, transferring risk, and other tips for a more owner-friendly agreement.
Building a Better AIA Contract Presentation
Building a Better AIA Contract Handouts
Rules of Procedure: What does Robert Really Want??
Roger Reinert, Attorney, Reinert & Associates
Robert’s Rules is intended to make public meetings more productive, and more efficient. But more often than not, the rules are mysterious, misused, and too often – abused. A very basic look at Robert’s Rules of Order. Four main types of motions, and most frequently used motions within a public business setting. Will also cover context, guiding principles, and suggested language for clarity and better public transparency.
Rules of Procedure Presentation
An Evidence-Based Approach to Domestic Violence Prosecution
Anna Christie, Assistant Ramsey County Attorney
In this session, we will discuss taking an evidence-based approach when analyzing domestic violence cases in order to build strong prosecutions. We will also discuss motions and trial strategies to utilize in cases with unavailable and recanting victims.
An Evidence Based Approach to Domestic Violence Prosecution Presentation
An Evidence Based Approach to Domestic Violence Prosecution Handouts
How to Pay for it – Public Finance Tools for Every Occasion
Julie Eddington, Attorney, Kennedy & Graven and Libby Kantner, Attorney, Kennedy & Graven
What tools do cities have to finance basic infrastructure or big dreams? Find out in this speed round-style public finance presentation that covers bonds, tax increment financing, abatements, special assessments, special service districts and more.
How to Pay for It Public Finance Tools Presentation
How to Pay for It Public Finance Tools Handout
Charter Chatter: Emergent and Vexing Charter City Challenges
Corrine Heine, City Attorney, City of Minnetonka; Melissa Manderschied, City Attorney, City of Bloomington; and Mark Rahrick, Attorney, Smith Tollefson, Rahrick & Cass
This panel will discuss various topics relevant to charter cities, include challenges to the charter amendment process, council member salary setting, making structural changes, and time to take questions from the audience.
Criminal Justice System and Offenders with Mental Illness
Dr. Jacqueline Buffington, Consultant, Minnesota Sixth Judicial District Court
It has long been recognized that offenders with mental illnesses pose unique challenges for all stages of the legal system. It is only recently, however, that viable “solutions” have been discovered. This session will briefly highlight some of the biggest challenges and how offenders with mental illness have traditionally been handled. Then, innovative strategies and programs that have been developed and implemented, both nationally and in the state of Minnesota, will be discussed.
Criminal Justice System and Offenders with Mental Illness Presentation
PERA Continued Health Insurance Coverage Update
Robert Alsop, Attorney, Kennedy & Graven and Mary Tietjen, Attorney, Kennedy & Graven
This session will cover the basics of the continuing health insurance benefit under Minnesota Statutes, Section 299A.465 including eligibility criteria, an overview of the appeal process, recent trends facing cities with such claims and tips for employers in evaluating and handling claims for such benefits.
PERA Continued Health Insurance Presentation
Gender Inclusion and Local Government: Problems, Policy, and Practical Guidance
Jess Braverman, Legal Director, Gender Justice and Peter Zuniga, Deputy City Attorney, City of Bloomington
A discussion surrounding gender inclusion issues in local government, including the applicable law, common issues that arise for City staff and legal counsel, and pro-active approaches that Cities may take toward gender-inclusivity. *Elimination of Bias Credit
Flag on the Play? The Supreme Court’s Latest Revisions to the 1st Amendment Rule Book: Austin v. Reagan Nat’l Adverting of Austin and Shurtleff v. City of Boston
Peter Mikhail, Attorney, LeVander, Gillen & Miller
In this session we will review the Supreme Court’s 1st Amendment decisions in Austin v. Reagan Nat’l Adverting of Austin and Shurtleff v. City of Boston. In Austin, the Supreme Court revisited the 1st Amendment rules around regulating signage. Does it pull us back from the proverbial cliff that cities faced under Reed v. Town of Gilbert? In Shurtleff, a decision about what constitutes government speech, the Court adopted a “holistic inquiry” to determine whether speech was government-sponsored or government-censored. A minority of concurring justices would more narrowly define government speech. We will discuss how these decisions might impact our advice to councils on issues like public art, public festivals, murals, and sign regulations.
Flag on the Play Presentation Part Two
The Practical Implications for Park Dedication Requirements and Fees Following Puce v. Burnsville
Soren Mattick, Attorney, Campbell Knutson and Paul D. Reuvers, Attorney, Iverson Reuvers
The authority for the imposition of park dedication requirements and fees for residential and commercial property is set forth at Minnesota Statutes Section 462.358. This session will discuss the practical implications of this process following Puce v. Burnsville. *Real Property Law Credit
The Common-Interest Doctrine and the Attorney-Client Privilege
Oliver Larson, Assistant Attorney General for the State of Minnesota and Jim Thomson, Attorney, Kennedy & Graven
When can Inter-Attorney Communications be protected by the Attorney-Client Privilege? In Energy Policy Advocates v. Ellison, 980 N.W.2d 146 (Minn. 2022), the Minnesota Supreme Court officially recognized the “Common-Interest Doctrine,” holding parties with common legal interests do not waive the attorney-client privilege or attorney work-product doctrines when they communicate with each other. In this one-hour session, hear about the decision, its scope and impact, and potential areas of uncertainty. *Ethics Credit
Common Interest Doctrine Presentation
