By Jim Hunt for the Harrison County News and Journal
Forty conferences in, I can say this with confidence: the National League of Cities still knows how to choose host cities that remind you why local government matters.
This year’s 2025 City Summit in Salt Lake City carried that kind of energy from the moment I arrived. It also marked a personal milestone I didn’t fully appreciate until I said it out loud—this was my 40th annual NLC conference. That number stopped me. Not because I’m counting years as much as I’m counting relationships, lessons learned, and the privilege of having a front-row seat to the evolving story of cities and towns across America.
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Salt Lake City was ready for us. The downtown area was decked out for the holidays, and banners throughout the city welcomed the 3,000 attendees of the National League of Cities. It was a simple but meaningful civic gesture—one that conveyed pride in hosting and an understanding of how much these gatherings matter. When a city visibly embraces a national conference, it sets the tone for everything that follows.
One of the highlights of my trip was attending the NLC Board of Directors dinner, held inside Salt Lake City Hall. I’ve been in over a thousand city halls over my lifetime, which means I’ve seen buildings that are historic, buildings that are practical, and a few that are overdue for a renovation plan. Salt Lake City Hall, however, is memorable. It is one of the most impressive city halls I’ve ever visited.
I enjoyed learning that the building served as the state capitol from the time statehood was granted in 1896 until the Utah State Capitol was completed in 1915. That history gives the space a sense of weight. You can feel it. The building carries a quiet reminder that our roles as leaders are temporary, but the work of serving the public is enduring.
The dinner itself added to the experience. It was held in the marbled hallway outside of the council chambers, where more than 200 invited guests sat at round tables to enjoy a delicious meal and good conversation. There’s something both elegant and grounding about sharing a dinner in a place where public decisions are made—where policy, budgets, and community expectations usually take center stage.
As a Past President of the National League of Cities, I was honored to attend alongside several past presidents from years gone by. There is a special camaraderie among those who have served in that capacity. It’s not about titles, it’s about shared memories of national challenges and the steady belief that the best solutions often rise from the local level.
Before dinner, I had the opportunity to speak with Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall, who graciously gave me a tour of the council chambers. That kind of personal welcome says a lot about a mayor and a city. It felt like civic hospitality at its best, warm, confident, and proud of the work happening within those walls.
The conference itself was exceptionally well situated. The Salt Palace Convention Center is the perfect size for an event like NLC, large enough to feel like a national gathering, but manageable enough that you can move between sessions without the exhaustion that sometimes comes with bigger venues. I stayed at the brand-new Hyatt Regency Hotel, connected to the convention center, which made the schedule feel seamless and the experience more enjoyable.
As always, the heart of City Summit wasn’t the building or the banners. It was the people. It was great seeing old friends and meeting many new elected officials attending their first conference.
There is something encouraging about watching experienced leaders and first-time attendees share the same space, exchanging ideas and stories about what’s working, what isn’t, and what might be possible next.
After forty conferences, what keeps me coming back is simple: NLC remains one of the best places to see experience and optimism sitting at the same table. Salt Lake City delivered a strong and welcoming Summit, and for me, a reminder that local government, done with heart and purpose, still has the power to bring people together and move communities forward.
