league of minnesota cities

City leaders from all across Minnesota are in St. Cloud the next few days. The League of Minnesota Cities is holding their annual conference at the River's Edge Convention Center. Spokesman Kevin Frazell says cities and towns are in much better shape than they were a few years ago.

Starting next Saturday, St. Cloud residents will start seeing volunteers show up at their door to hand out a city survey.

The city of St. Cloud wants to hear from its residents and they will be handing out surveys later this winter to get some feedback. Mayor Dave Kleis says they got a grant from the League of Minnesota Cities to gauge the feelings of property owners.

Lower revenues and tighter budgets are forcing cities to struggle with how to pay for essential services. And, it's prompted the League of Minnesota Cities is asking the St. Cloud area to gather its residents for input.

Minnesota's cities are pushing to keep their state aid checks coming even if state government shuts down on July 1. The League of Minnesota Cities filed paperwork Wednesday arguing that the state should be required to keep paying aid to local governments. Cities have already built this year's budgets around the checks expected in July and December.