Four members of the Edina City Council joined more than 2,000 mayors, council members and other delegates from cities, towns and villages across the country in Washington, D.C., last month for the National League of Cities’ annual Congressional City Conference. At the conference, delegates met with senior White House officials, members of Congress, and other national experts to discuss how strong federal-local partnerships are critical to addressing top priorities for local leaders.

“This conference enables us to learn from experts on many topics that affect our city, and ample opportunity to learn best practices from the broad spectrum of elected officials we meet,” said Mike Fischer, one of the Edina Council Members in attendance.

The city council also met with Edina Reps. Ilhan Omar (Congressional District 5) and Dean Phillips (Congressional District 3) in their new offices on Capitol Hill. Fischer acknowledged out of all the conference activities, “what is most important is the time we spend building relationships with our [federal] legislators.”

The Congressional City Conference’s central theme was NLC’s “Rebuild With Us” campaign, which urges Congress to develop and pass comprehensive legislation that rebuilds and reimagines America’s infrastructure in partnership with local governments that will serve local communities for the next 100 years.

Conference delegates took that message to Capitol Hill, calling for a long-term plan that improves the nation’s water, broadband and transportation systems; prepares communities for extreme weather and natural disasters; and invests in the skills training and education that prepares our workforce to build and maintain our infrastructure.

Conference highlights include the Opening General Session, which featured a deep-dive infrastructure conversation moderated by Politico and welcome remarks from host city Mayor Muriel Bowser. Other notable speakers included U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, Assistant to the President and Senior Counselor Kellyanne Conway, Sen. Todd Young, Chief Deputy Whip of the House Democratic Caucus Rep. Dan Kildee and others.

Rep. Phillips to host opioid crisis conversation

U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips, who represents Minnesota’s 3rd Congressional District, will host a free community conversation focused on the opioid crisis on Monday, April 22, at Shorewood Community & Event Center, 5735 Country Club Road. Doors will open at 6 p.m. and the event starts at 6:30 p.m.

Phillips, along with state Sen. Chris Eaton (D-Brooklyn Center) and a panel of health care providers, community advocates and government officials, will discuss how Minnesotans are innovating and organizing towards a solution for the epidemic.