Understanding the unique challenges and barriers to public service careers across Minnesota

Minnesotans rely on core public services provided by local governments across our state – from emergency services to transportation, schools to social services and everything in between. Public servants play an essential role in our communities, and these careers offer meaningful work and rewarding benefits.

Increasingly, however – at nearly every level of government – Minnesota is facing a crisis: fewer people interested in and/or applying for job opportunities is creating significant challenges for local governments to continue delivering the high-quality services that their residents need and deserve.

In 2022, the Citizens League completed a report examining why people run, decline to run, remain serving, or step down from local elected office. Building on this work — and in partnership with the Association of Minnesota Counties and the League of Minnesota Cities — the Citizens League is embarking on a new project to dig deeper and explore the unique challenges and barriers to public service, with a particular emphasis on non-elected roles and people who make our state’s local governments work.

This research will include a series of community engagement meetings and convenings across Minnesota, engaging a broad range of stakeholders and residents, including small group discussions, individual interviews, larger community meetings, and an anonymous online public survey.

Project Timeline

September 2024: Project launch, including an anonymous public survey.

October – December 2024: Community engagement meetings across the state, including virtual opportunities that will be open to the public. Citizens League will collaborate with local and statewide partner organizations to hear from city and county leadership; current and former staff in public service roles; and local business community and economic development representatives.

January 2025: Anticipated release of final report that will outline the problem and provide practical, community-led solutions to strengthen and support a robust public service sector in Minnesota.