house resolution no.111

Reps. Paquette, Bollin, Ellison, Miller, Yaroch, Cherry, Crawford, Garza, Haadsma, Hope, Jones, Kuppa, Liberati, Sabo, Shannon, Sneller, Warren, Webber, Wittenberg and Witwer offered the following resolution:

A resolution to commemorate the 120th anniversary of the founding of the Michigan Municipal League.

Whereas, May 23, 2019, marks 120 years of the Michigan Municipal League’s presence in the state of Michigan; and

Whereas, The origins of the Michigan Municipal League were initiated in 1899 when a group of mayors sought to collaborate with one another and form an organization to focus on ‘good government’ and strengthen the concept of home rule. The original bylaws envisioned an organization whose purpose was “the affiliation of municipal officials and the general improvement of every branch of municipal administration…”; and

Whereas, Michigan organized a state municipal league in 1899, following California, Indiana, Iowa, and Wisconsin. The organization was known as the League of Michigan Municipalities, and its founding members were: Adrian, Albion, Alpena, Ann Arbor, Battle Creek, Bay City, Benton Harbor, Big Rapids, Cadillac, Charlevoix, Charlotte, Coldwater, Detroit, Dowagiac, Eaton Rapids, Flint, Grand Haven, Grand Ledge, Grand Rapids, Hillsdale, Holly, Hudson, Ionia, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Ludington, Manistee, Marshall, Mason, Monroe, Muskegon, Niles, Owosso, Pontiac, Port Huron, Rochester, Saginaw, St. Louis, Stanton, St. Joseph, Traverse City, Wyandotte, and Ypsilanti; and

Whereas, The League’s continuity was secured in 1928 by creating a permanent home in Ann Arbor, hiring a full-time employee, publishing a periodical, and establishing a clearinghouse of information. Harold D. Smith was the first director and built the League into a statewide organization by doubling membership his first year and doubling it again in his second year; and

Whereas, In 1957, the League expanded its presence by establishing an additional consultation and research office in Lansing and ten years later held its first legislative conference bolstering its advocacy and coverage of municipal issues at the state level; and

Whereas, One hundred and twenty years later, the mission statement reads: “The Michigan Municipal League is dedicated to making Michigan’s communities better by thoughtfully innovating programs, energetically connecting ideas and people, actively serving members with resources and services, and passionately inspiring positive change for Michigan’s greatest centers of potential: its communities”; and

Whereas, The League continues its legacy of service to meet the challenges of 515 of Michigan’s cities and villages; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives, That the members of this legislative body commemorate the 120th anniversary of the founding of the Michigan Municipal League; and be it further

Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the Michigan Municipal League as evidence of our esteem for being Michigan’s voice for local government over the last 120 years.