In fall 2011, local government officials and leaders from across Minnesota came together to discuss ways to continue to provide quality public services at a time of economic insecurity in the state budget. They shared best practices and connected with their colleagues at six regional Government Innovation Forums held in Bemidji, Hibbing, Eagan, Marshall, Rochester and Waite Park.

Meeting convenors have release a report that summarizes the outcomes of these discussions and a number of associated resources—Focus on Outcomes: Redesigning Minnesota's Local Government Services.

The report states participants left these meetings with three critical lessons:

• Redesign is facing some barriers to change. Changing the way services are managed or delivered is never easy, and it hasn't been for our local leaders working to redesign services in their communities. 
• Leaders agree that five essential elements are needed to redesign local governments. Barriers are not permanent obstacles, and many local leaders have moved past them. 
• Minnesota's local governments are ready to innovate. In fact, they're already doing it. In Beltrami County, local government leaders have redesigned dozens of services from natural resource management to workforce training and more. A consortium of schools in northeastern Minnesota is joining technology and sharing teachers to offer first-class electives in the state's most rural stretches. Cities in Dakota County collaborated with the county and consolidated the 911 public safety dispatch services. 

The Innovation Forums were hosted by the League of Minnesota Cities, the Association of Minnesota Counties and the Minnesota School Boards Association in partnership with the Minnesota House of Representatives Redesign Caucus and InCommons, with support from the Bush Foundation and the foundations (including Bush) responsible for creating Beyond the Bottom Line.

Learn more about the Local Government Innovation Forums:

• Read the full summary report: Focus on Outcomes: Redesigning Minnesota's Local Government Services
• Watch videos: The Case for Local Government Redesign and Redesigning Minnesota's Future
• Review fact sheets: Barriers to Redesign, Ideas for Redesign and Essential Elements of Change
• Read the press release.
• Read a blog post from Minnesota House Redesign Caucus Co-Chair Rep. Carol McFarlane: It doesn't have to be that way

Follow the Government Innovation Forums and related topics in the media:

• Local entities lead on redesign Pioneer Press, Saint Paul, MN (January 26, 2012)
• Local Leaders Ask State for More Flexibility Minnesota Public Radio (January 23, 2012)
• Thinking Locally as Legislature Returns Star Tribune, Minneapolis, MN (January 24, 2012)
• Local Government Officials, Lawmakers Call for Reform HometownSource.com (January 23, 2012)
• Local Governments Want More Flexibility, Report Looks at Minnesota Potential Pioneer, Bemidji, MN (January 24, 2012)
• Local Officials, Legislators Prepare for New State Session Daily News, Faribault, MN (January 24, 2012)
• Local Minnesota Governments Want More Flexibility Bulletin, Woodbury, MN (January 24, 2012)

Learn more about local government redesign:

• League of Minnesota Cities Innovation and Redesign Guide
• Association of Minnesota Counties Redesign
• Minnesota House Redesign Project and slides from the presentation used at the six local government redesign innovation sessions