Hartley council members attend municipal training

A pair of Hartley council members recently attended a conference to learn about a vast array of issues affecting Iowa municipalities.

Jerry Olson and Mary Westphalen participated in the Iowa League of Cities 2022 Annual Conference & Exhibit in Waterloo Sept. 28-30. The duo sat in on discussions covering topics like economic development, water and wastewater, disaster recovery and more.

"It is a great opportunity to collaborate with other cities who share the same struggles as us," said Westphalen. "Learning from each other is valuable."

Hartley is a member of the League of Cities. Additional seminars of interest covered annual employee evaluations, providing funds to private entities for a public purpose, solar power, utility rates and managing debt for community growth.

The conference theme was "Connections" and the event was attended by more than 450 city officials. It focused on providing opportunities for elected and appointed officials from across Iowa to attend workshops that addressed current municipal opportunities to connect and learn from other cities.