The Municipal Leadership Academy (MLA) provides city officials with education to help them effectively meet the requirements of office. The program features in-person workshops held at locations around the state as well as several online training components.
Attendees will receive a comprehensive overview of Iowa municipal government presented by the Iowa League of Cities and the Office of State and Local Government Programs at Iowa State University Extension. Register for the event using the online registration system or print off a paper registration form and send in payment.
Stay tuned for details on the 2019-2020 MLA schedule and online registration!
Topics covered during the series include:
• city finance and budgeting
• meeting procedures
• municipal law
• economic development
• ethics and fraud prevention
• nuisance abatement
• personnel issues
• land use and zoning
Running a campaign can be a great way to get to know the people and issues in your community, but to be successful in governance city officials must quickly learn the responsibilities of their new positions. MLA Part One was offered at seven separate in-person locations in November and December of 2017. The course is now offered as an online training.
Budget and Finance: Shortly after taking office the new council will be heavily involved in budget preparation. This portion of the training will provide an overview of city budgets including timelines, possible revenue streams and typical expenditures.
Effective City Councils: Additionally, part of being a mayor or council member is learning to work as a team to accomplish the city’s goals. Learn strategies to conduct more efficient and effective meetings.
Top 10 Things to Know: Running a city presents numerous concerns on several legal fronts. Learn about state and federal laws that impact and affect day-to-day city business.
MLA Part Two | Purchased online access? Login to watch videos
MLA Part Two can be viewed all at once or separately in order to fit within a city’s orientation program for new officials. Topics for this training: The City Budget, Basics of Planning and Zoning and an orientation session titled “You Got Elected, Now What? This session covers strategies for success in office, dealing with major personnel issues, meeting basics and a brief overview of roles and responsibilities. Cost of this training is $60.
MLA Part Three
This training occurred at six locations in April 2018. There is no online version of this training. The program included the latest information and policy guidance on the following topics: Economic Development, Community Betterment (Including Nuisance Abatement), Strategic Planning and Goal Setting.
MLA Part Four: League Conference
The Final part of MLA is attendance at the League’s Annual Conference & Exhibit. This event occurred September 12-14, 2018 in Council Bluffs.