Clinton Rogers acknowledged by League of Minnesota Cities

Janesville city administrator Clinton Rogers was greeted by a pleasant surprise when two leaders of the League of Minnesota Cities (LMC) arrived during the April 14 meeting of the Janesville city council.

Those two were Luke Fischer, president of the LMC board of directors, and Justin Miller, LMC board member and city administrator for Lakeville.

According to Fischer, the LMC provides support, training and advocacy for the elected and appointed leaders of cities across the state, ranging from small to large and located both in and outside the metropolitan complex.

The organization works under the leadership of 17 board members who typically serve three-year terms; Rogers was visited and publicly thanked because he will be finishing his four-year service as a board member this July

Fischer explains the lengthened term occurred because Rogers was ‘‘willing to step up and take a leadership role” when another board member had to leave prematurely.

Rogers has been the Janesville city administrator since 2001; the city has been a member of LMC all that time. He tells of always having valued the useful services and support the League provides, including offering training to help bring city employees in nearly every department up to speed on procedures, policies and practices.

He describes how the LMC allows city leaders opportunities for collaboration and how the organization helps guide new initiatives. As a light-hearted example, he offers that a city looking to implement new policies concerning animals kept within city limits can contact the League for examples in use elsewhere. “That way we get an idea of what has worked for others and can consider whether it will work for us,” Rogers explains.

He says he is also grateful for the work of the organization’s lobbyists–staff members who keep an eye on trends and actions at the state legislature and make certain state leaders know how municipal governments will be affected by various proposed laws and decisions.

He mentions there are organizations similar to the LMC in every state, and Minnesota’s is regarded nationwide as being one of the best organized and run.

Thanks to the value of the organization, Rogers says he was glad to be of help when a “replacement” board member was needed. When that term was completed, he was glad to continue in a new one awarded to him through more typical procedures including an application and interview.

As a board member, Rogers says he has attended monthly board meetings in St. Paul as well as occasional committee sessions and conferences across the state. He says his own leadership skills have been expanded thanks to all the opportunities to mingle with and learn from other leaders.

Among initiatives he is proud of helping accomplish for the LMC are a change in the fiscal year, some facility reevaluations and upgrades, and helping implement the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust–an organization which consolidates and simplifies insurance processes for LMC members.

Said Fischer, “For four years, Clint has shown himself to be ready to show up and do the work. He’s found ways to improve nearly everything we do.” 

Fischer names some of Rogers’ biggest strengths as building relationships while simultaneously “seeing the big picture and understanding the details.” The executive director mentions Rogers’ work on the LMC “Grant Navigator” has been pivotal. 

“Cities all across the state are working to augment their budgets by applying for grants,” Fischer explains. “The Grant Navigator is a system that helps make the process smoother and easier.

“It’s been wildly successful, helping cities get more than $30 million in funding so far. Clint helped make that happen.