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The Louisiana Municipal Leadership Academy (LMLA) is a program that we have envisioned for several years and is the result of research and collaboration with state municipal leagues throughout the country. Executive and legislative officials in municipal government are at the front lines for policy decisions that affect the daily lives of Louisiana citizens. Mayors and governing body members must ensure that municipalities fulfill their legal obligations, effectively provide community services, and safeguard taxpayer dollars. In short, service to the people is not just an element of officeholding; it is their jobs. So, it is vital for executive and legislative officials to understand the essentials of municipal government operations.  Elected municipal leaders faithfully attend LMA events. The academy is a means of rewarding that attendance while also incentivizing continued engagement in these important educational opportunities.

By attending the suite of educational options and training sessions offered by the LMA, municipal officials will gain fluency in critical aspects of municipal governance, including duties of elected and appointed officials; transparency through public records, open meetings, and budgeting; utility system management; sound fiscal practices; enactment and enforcement of ordinances; court operations; physical and cybersecurity; workforce management; and much, much more. Participation in the LMLA provides the added benefit of networking at events with municipal government peers, statewide elected officials, state legislators, and congressional delegation members, not to mention exchanging ideas with the dedicated staff of the LMA.

By streamlining the processes of enrollment, credit application, and credit accrual, the LMA seeks to make participation in the LMLA as easy and efficient as possible. Executive and legislative municipal officials are the backbone of the association and your engagement in LMA events is a huge part of what makes our organization a success. This academy is one way of rewarding your participation in LMA-hosted events, providing mutual benefit to everyone involved.

LEADERSHIP ACADEMY BROCHURE

Whether you are a new mayor, alderman, or council member, or have been serving your community for years, the LMLA is for you. There is no need to apply to enroll in the academy, as all mayors and members of municipal governing bodies have been automatically enrolled in the LMLA. We do ask, however, that each LMLA participant complete a Member Profile form to provide the best contact information for LMLA correspondence and confirm their municipal service record.  Further, the academy does not require any application fee or admission – it is free to all eligible officials.

MEMBER PROFILE FORM

Credits will accrue year-over-year, resulting in LMLA participants obtaining increasing levels of achievement throughout their careers in municipal public service:  Level 1 – MERIT; Level 2 – LEADERSHIP; Level 3 – EXCELLENCE; Level 4 – GRADUATE; and Level 5 - MASTER.  The more LMA events that officials attend, the faster they will accrue LMLA credits and obtain their next level of academy mastery.  Officials will be able to log into their profile in the LMA’s membership database to track their progress toward the next achievement level by reviewing their current number of LMLA credits.

Officials who have attained an achievement level by July 1 of each year will be recognized at the LMA Annual Convention and will receive:

• Recognition in the LMA e-newsletter
• Invitation to wear a ribbon displaying their achievement at the Annual Convention
• Presentation of a Certificate of Achievement and an award at the Annual Convention
• Recognition in the Louisiana Municipal Review magazine
• A press release for media use

Every LMA-hosted event – conferences, district meetings, regional trainings, and webinars – will be assigned a point value. Mayors, aldermen, and council members who attend such events are eligible to request LMLA credit by submitting the online Credit Application form following their attendance. LMLA staff will review each credit application to verify attendance and will then award the appropriate credits to each applicant.

CREDIT APPLICATION FORM

For questions regarding the LMLA, please contact Erin Walker at ewalker@lma.org.