1899

The League of Michigan Municipalities is formed.

1899

William Baum, First President of the League of Michigan Municipalities

1899

The Original 44 founding members.

1900

George W. Perry, Second President of the League of Michigan Municipalities.

1907

Delegates to the 1907 Annual Convention, held in Detroit.

1916

Ann arbor Alderman Charles A. Sink is the first secretary-treasurer of the League.

1927

Harold D. Smith becomes the League’s first director of what would now be called the Michigan Municipal League.

1928

The Michigan Municipal Review magazine began publication.

1928

The Michigan Municipal League won its four-year fight to obtain for cities and villages a portion of the gasoline tax to be used in maintaining trunk lines through their corporate limits.

1930

City managers from around the state organize and form the Michigan City Managers Association.

1935

The League purchases its own headquarters that was located on State Street in Ann Arbor. The League remained there until 1971 when the location was moved to its current Ann Arbor location.

Mid 1930s

The League purchases its own headquarters that was located on State Street in Ann Arbor. The League remained there until 1971 when the location was moved to its current Ann Arbor location.

Mid 1930s

Training becomes a priority.

1935

Michigan Association of Municipal Attorneys Formed.

1936

The League’s first Upper Peninsula meeting was hosted by Mayor Arthur F. Jacques in Marquette.

1936

Michigan Association of Municipal Clerks Forms.

1938

The Michigan Municipal League celebrates is fortieth anniversary.

1939

The Municipal Clerks of Michigan form their own organziation to study mutual problems and encourage professional development.

1939

The Michigan Association of Mayors is formed.

1947

League existence affirmed as state supreme court ends ban on legislative program.

1948

The League celebrates its 50th Anniversary with convention delegates during a cruise in the Straits of Mackinac.

1951

When local officials were elected in the 1905’s or when a municipality joined the League, they would receive a copy of the “The Green Sheet.” In included a congratulatory letter and a summary of service available from the League, most of which are still offered today.

1957

The League opens its Lansing office and offers additional services.

1967

The first State Legislative Conference is hosted, and the League adds the State Affairs Division. The new division’s mission was to supplement the legislative work previously performed by the League director and general counsel.

1970

The new League headquarters open in Ann Arbor.

1971

The new League headquarters open in Ann Arbor.

1973

The League celebrates its seventy-fifth Anniversary.

1976

Michigan Women in Municipal Government organization is Formed.

1978

The Workers Compensation fund formed.

1982

Michigan Municipal Liability and Property Pool begin operations.

1983

City officials testify at a hearing to urge Congress to continue Federal Revenue Sharing.

1983

Legal Defense Fund formed 

1985

Public Act 193 of 1985 allowed General Law villages to set forth by ordinance the duties and responsibilities of their managers. Village managers and MML staff gathered to watch and celebrate the bill signed into law.

1991

Michigan Municipal League Foundation Formed

1993

President Ben Marks, councilmember from Farmington Hills, had a mission during his term to carry the League’s message around the state and visited more than 150 cities and villages.

1997

The Elected Officials Academy is established to expand educational opportunties for elected officials.

1997

The League’s website debuts with over 500 pages of information.

1998

At the 1998 Legislative Conference, as many as 15 business, agricultural, and environmental organizations came together in an unprecedented display of unity to deliver the message that land use policy needed to become a statewide priority.

2004

The Michigan Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials is formed.

2008

The League begins hosting Placemaking Policy Forums and educational workshops to engage local officials in the different strategies being utilized to create a sense of place in communities.

2011

The Economics of Place: The Value of Building Communities around People is published.

2014

The Economics of Place: The Art of Building Great Communities is published.

2016

SaveMICity campaign is launched to educate Michigan residents, decision makers, and business about how municipalities are funded in Michigan and why the system does not work for our communities.

2018

The 16/50 Project is formed to move the needle upward on the number of women serving at the most executive level of municipal government.

2018

ServeMICity is created as a strategic fund to support communities in a holistic way, addressing both near-term emergencies and longer-term issues and opportunities. Seeded with $100,000 from the League, ServeMICity created a $2 million fund to provide technical assistance to municipalities to access, obtain, and implement COVID-19 related funds; create regional teams of experts to augment city staff in dealing with post COVID-19 activities; and to provide regional grants to leverage other sources of support to pilot and test innovations and new methods of collaboration in the delivery of critical government services.

2020

The League started a DEI department as our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and born out of respect and admiration for the rich and vibrant composition of our members, the family of communities in Michigan.

2020-2021

The League offers webinars during the pandemic. The League responded to the crisis with a variety of actions throughout the next year and a half. Over 30 COVID-19-related webinars were conducted, from how-to sessions on virtual meetings and local enforcement of statewide emergency orders, to resources available to local governments and strategies for re-opening communities.

1935

Michigan Association of Municipal Attorneys Formed.