Inside 208

If you are a regular reader of this Inside 208 blog, then you know how awesome the Michigan Municipal League’s legislative advocacy work is. But do you also know about some of the League’s other outstanding programs? For example, do you know about our risk management/insurance programs? It literally pays [...]

With the voting this week, the Legislature officially wrapped up their activity for the year and reached the halfway point of the 2019-2020 legislative term.  The House and Senate are now on recess until January 8th.  All bills introduced in 2019 continue to remain eligible for action until the end...

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) is holding three public hearings next month on its plans to regulate several types of fluorinated chemicals that may pose a health risk where they’re being found in public drinking water. Those levels (in parts-per-trillion, or ppt) for seven compounds are: PFNA...

The Michigan House and Senate returned to session this week and succeeded in finalizing a budget deal with the Governor to restore a number of the items the Governor had vetoed at the beginning of the fiscal year along with funding some of her top priorities. The roughly $500-plus million [...]

The state’s Office of Global Michigan under the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity has been working with non-profits organizations and local communities to provide guidance and sample documentation for any communities wishing to support the placement and resettlement of refugees.  This work is being done in light of [...]

The Local Community Stabilization Authority voted today to approve more than $27 million for nearly 60 municipalities that host state universities, prisons, or other large state buildings to help reimburse for costs related to fire protection services for those state facilities.  These grant distributions are scheduled to be delivered by [...]

The Michigan Chapter of APWA is now accepting award applications for the 2020 Public Works Project of the Year Awards competition. This prestigious award program gives Michigan communities an opportunity to highlight and celebrate their achievements in many facets of public works: Disaster or Emergency Construction/Repair Environment Governmental Cooperation Historical Restoration/Preservation [...]

Due to higher water levels in the Great Lakes, Michigan’s shoreline communities and residents are experiencing an increase in shoreline erosion. For homes or structures that are in danger, EGLE will be expediting permits for shoreline protection. In cases where homes or infrastructure are at risk, permits can be issued [...]

In recognition of October being National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, NLC just released their newest guide, “Protecting Our Data: What Cities Should Know About Cybersecurity.” This guide it’s been a much-awaited research project for the last several months.  NLC wrote this report for local elected and appointed officials, especially those who [...]

Michigan’s Local Community Stabilization Authority (LCSA) distributed over $170 million to more than 2100 local units of government and authorities today as reimbursement for eligible manufacturing personal property loss under the state’s new Personal Property Tax reimbursement system. Today’s reimbursement payments represent 100% of eligible losses for essential services and [...]