The League of Minnesota Cities President’s award provides the opportunity for the outgoing President, at his or her discretion, to recognize the efforts of an individual, group, or organization that has helped to achieve a current League goal or to advance the League’s overall mission to promote excellence in local government through effective advocacy, expert analysis, and trusted guidance for all Minnesota cities. For 2017, Outgoing President Rhonda Pownell, Mayor of Northfield, extended the award to the local government jurisdictions that made up the 2016 Advancing Racial Equity Cohort. The cohort work was a cooperative effort of the League and GARE.
Those local jurisdictions are Bloomington, Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Duluth, Hopkins, Mankato, Maplewood, Minneapolis, the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board, Red Wing, St. Louis Park, and Woodbury. The award was presented as a part of the League’s annual business meeting held during the annual conference on Thursday, June 15th, in Rochester. Pownell noted that racial equity had been one of the major themes of her Presidency. She commended the awardrecipients for their commitment and pioneering work to achieving racial equity in the policies, practices and procedures of their jurisdictions.
Shown in the picture, left to right, are:
Curt Boganey, City Manager, Brooklyn Center
Molly Cummings, Mayor, Hopkins
Mary Giuliani Stephens, Mayor, Woodbury
Clarence Anthony, Executive Director, National League of Cities
Nora Slawik, Mayor, Maplewood
Josie Shardlow, Community Engagement Coordinator, Brooklyn Park
Sean Dowse, Mayor, Red Wing
Mike Funk, Assistant City Manager, Maplewood
Rhonda Pownell, President, League of Minnesota Cities
Jake Spano, Mayor, St. Louis Park
Gordon Goodwin, Midwest Regional Project Director, GARE
Pat Hentges, City Manager, Mankato
Eric Anderson, Mayor, Mankato
Alison Zelms, Deputy City Manager, Mankato
Athelgra Williams, Community Outreach and Access Coordinator, Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board
Elizabeth Tolzmann, Assistant City Manager, Bloomington
Elizabeth Glidden, Councilmember, Minneapolis