Wisconsin's Creative Economy - Museums
Wisconsin's Museums and the Creative Economy
May, The Municipality, pg. 7

As Greg Vadney, President of the Wisconsin Federation of Museums and Executive Director of the Rahr-West Art Museum, talks about in his article on page 8 of the May, The Municipality magazine, "Museums throughout Wisconsin illustrate why people are so enthusiastic about them." We captured only a few of the many museums in Wisconsin that enrich our communities. Want to learn more?

<< Watch the Creative Economy Week Road Trip video recorded live at the Rahr-West Museum, owned by the City of Manitowoc with Mayor Justin Nickels, the Rahr-West Assistant Director Diana Bolander and Executive Director of Arts Wisconsin Anne Katz.

Resources:

Upcoming Creative Economy Opportunity!
MAKE MUSIC DAY: WORLD’S LARGEST ANNUAL MUSIC EVENT SPREADS ACROSS WISCONSIN ON FRIDAY, JUNE 21. Over 500 free outdoor music making events to be held across the state as part of Annual Global Celebration. Learn more and think about bringing Make Music Day to your community in 2020.
It all started with sidewalks. The City of Sheboygan's Economic Development Director, Chad Pelishek and the Curator for Public Programs at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center's Ann Brusky partner on many projects together, to the benefit of the city and the region. Learn more about how they grew their partnership as Anne Katz, Executive Director of Arts Wisconsin and Gail Sumi, Communications Director of the League of Wisconsin Municipalities talk with them on the League's Local Perspective.  

Wisconsin celebrated the fourth annual Creative Economy Week May 11-18th thanks to a partnership between the League and Arts Wisconsin. This year Wisconsin's museums were the focus.  

Thanks to WSCS, Sheboygan's Community Media station for hosting us! 
WE NEED YOUR IDEAS FOR CREATIVE ECONOMY WEEK 2020!

The annual Creative Economy Week is a partnership between the League of Wisconsin Municipalities and Arts Wisconsin. We'll celebrate our fifth annual Creative Economy Week in May, 2020 and have so many rich, creative resources in our communities. Each year, the Creative Economy Week focuses on an artistic theme - in 2017 it was murals, in 2018 arts centers, and in 2019 museums. 

Provide your ideas for a 2020 Creative Economy Week theme by responding to this one question Survey Monkey survey...
Community & Economic Development Awards (CEDA) program is brought to you by the Wisconsin Economic Development Association (WEDA) and others, including the League, to recognize economic development best practices of businesses and organizations that are making their community a better place to live and work. The CEDA Award program celebrates the dedicated efforts of local, county, regional, state, and private organizations that are advancing Wisconsin’s economy.

Nominations are due June 1! Nominate an innovative project or forward-thinking business today! Get the details....
Summertime and (Pre-Mosquitos) the Living is Easy
May, The Municipality , pg. 18

In this legal article, Claire Silverman, the League's Legal Counsel touches on a number of issues that tend to arise more frequently during this season of outdoor activity including:

Temporary Street Closures - Temporary Beer and Wine Licenses and Temporary Operator Licenses - Temporary Amendment of Licensed Premises - Fireworks Permits - Summertime Recreational Employees. Read the article (PDF)
Business Purposes Unnecessary for "Agricultural" Classification
May, The Municipality , pg. 23

In a recent decision, the Wisconsin Supreme Court held that a business purpose is not required for land to be classified as “agricultural land” for property tax assessment purposes; rather, the land’s primary use must be agricultural. State of Wisconsin ex rel. The Peter Ogden Family Trust of 2008 and The Therese A. Mahoney-Ogden Family Trust of 2008 v. Board of Review for the Town of Delafield. [1] Read Maria Davis, the League's Assistant Legal Counsel's article (PDF)

[1] State ex rel. Peter Ogden Family Trust of 2008 v. Bd. of Review, 2019 WI 23.
COOL FIND: CLIO
Connect to your community...

Clio is a website and an app that connects people to their communities. It's crowd-sourced so you can contribute! Want to add the history of the park down the street or the house around the corner to Clio? You can do that. All information is fact checked and then added to the growing database that allows people to learn more about your city or village. Check out what's already been added where you are and then add your community's history.

HOW DOES IT WORK? Clio picks up a user's location and connects them to a growing database of entries about museums, libraries, and historical sites. Clio provides information about each entry, along with interactive maps that guide users to each site they select. Entries provide a concise summary and history of each site, along with links to primary and secondary sources for those who want to learn more.
Join Us!
The League's Local Government 101 Workshop

Municipal officials and staff with years of experience attending Local Government 101 may find themselves sitting next to elected officials and staff who are brand-new to government. In this popular one-day workshop you’ll learn about city and village powers including municipal home rule, hear about how to recognize and avoid conflicts of interest, go home with a quick tutorial on municipal budgeting as well as how to run a meeting and finish with an overview on managing public works projects. In addition, you’ll have that age-old question answered: “What is a walking quorum anyway?”

Four of the six one-day Workshops are coming up however Madison is SOLD OUT:

May 31 - Madison: Holiday Inn at the American Center SOLD OUT!
June 21 - Appleton: Red Lion Paper Valley
June 28 - Ashland: Best Western Chequamegon Hotel
September 13 - Waupaca: Par 4 Resort. 

Details and registration here !
The League's Clerks, Treasurers and Finance Officers Institute

You can Register now here . (Registration closes May 29.)

June 5-7, 2019
The Lismore Hotel
Eau Claire, WI

Thanks to our sponsors!
The League's Municipal Attorneys Institute
Thanks to Crivello Carlson S.C. and Stafford Rosenbaum LLP for sponsoring the Institute!

June 12-14, 2019
​The Abbey Resort
Fontana, WI

Save the Date for one of the four Small Community Forums

If you live in, work in, or help shape your small community and/or region, please attend this Forum. You'll connect, network & talk with representatives from a variety of statewide resources and discuss with your regional neighborhood what your community needs and can do to grow and thrive into the future.

  • Crivitz, August 8
  • Independence, August 21
  • Pardeeville, August 28
  • Nekoosa, September 11 

Brought to you in partnership by the League of Wisconsin Municipalities, Wisconsin Rural Partners, USDA, UW-Extension, Wisconsin Downtown Action Council and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation.

Registration goes live on June 3 here... (Space is limited in some of the venues.)
Gwyn was on location at the League's Lobby Day on May 22 and talked with several city and village leaders, plus she has a fun conversation on Creative Economy Week with Anne Katz of Arts Wisconsin for the latest #LocalGovMatters podcasts. Listen to them here .

The #LocalGovMatters Podcast is a partnership between the League, the Wheeler Report, Inc. and the Wisconsin Counties Association. You can listen on your PC or smartphone.