CGMC 2025 Fall Conference Sessions

All sessions are tentative and will be updated as the agenda is finalized. Join legislators from throughout Minnesota to hear their perspective on key Greater Minnesota issues as we prepare for the 2026 legislative session. Invited panelists include Rep. Bidal Duran, Rep. Dan Wolgamott, Sen. Grant Hauschild, and Sen. Robert Farnsworth.

All sessions are tentative and will be updated as the agenda is finalized. Flaherty & Hood's expert labor & employment team will lead a discussion and workshop preparing cities for the implementation of Minnesota's paid leave program.

Sessions are tentative and will be updated as the agenda is finalized. Since the CGMC's formation in the late 80's, our advocacy has remained laser-focused on the key policy issues that help rural communities thrive: property tax and LGA, environment and energy, annexation and land use, transportation, and economic development. During this interactive session, attendees will rotate through stations for each of the key CGMC policy areas, meet the lead CGMC staff on each issue, and have the chance to ask questions about your specific city's needs.

All sessions are tentative and will be updated as the agenda is finalized. Tom Fennell (Regulatory Officer, Mayo Clinic Ambulance), Mark Jones (Executive Director, Minnesota Rural Health Association) and Buck McAlpin (Lobbyist, Minnesota Ambulance Association) will discuss the changing landscape of rural health care and EMS and the potential implications for local governments.

All sessions are tentative and will be updated as the agenda is finalized. goMARTI (Minnesota's Advanced Rural Transit Innovations) is an expanded and ongoing service that combines autonomous vehicles (AVs), highway-speed electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), enhanced rider tools, and local economic and workforce development to create a scalable model for rural transportation innovation. The service covers 20 square miles in Northern Minnesota with 150+ pickup and drop off points.

All sessions are tentative and subject to change.

All sessions are tentative and will be updated as the agenda is finalized. The Grand Rapids Cannabis Park, located in a former lumber mill, features roughly 450,000 square feet of space being developed into separate cannabis cultivation and manufacturing facilities. Representatives from the City of Grand Rapids and HWY35 Cannabis will discuss how the city and investors partnered to facilitate the development of the cannabis park. The City of Grand Rapids will also share how they developed their cannabis ordinances in partnership with law enforcement and other local governments.

CGMC members will gather on Friday morning to review proposed legislative policies for 2026 and vote on the CGMC's policy platform as we prepare for the upcoming legislative session.