Committee: Communications & Policy

2026 Mission:

The mission of the Communications and Policy Committee is to provide policy recommendations to the Minnesota State Fire Chief’s Association (MSFCA) Board of Directors, with an emphasis on promoting goals, directions, and quality within the organization. The committee continuously monitors and updates the policy and procedure manual to ensure the MSFCA operates within state and federal laws and regulations it sets for itself. As the need arises, new policies are introduced to the Board of Directors for consideration.

The committee also assists the Board of Directors to coordinate all the MSFCA’s committees and communication channels. It oversees all facets of the MSFCA website, Minnesota Fire Chief magazine, and E-Newsletter operations that include but are not limited to, publishing, editing, and advertising. The committee also ensures that all informational content meets the needs of the MSFCA’s members.

2026 Report:

In 2026, the Policy and Communications Committee has focused on updating the association's policies, many of which have not been updated since their original adoption. In addition to the correction of spelling, grammar, and formatting errors in the document, the committee dedicated itself to updating the following policies:

104: Code of Ethics - Establishes the ethical standards and conflict of interest requirements for individuals serving the Minnesota State Fire Chiefs Association. Policy 104 was revised to modernize and streamline the Association's Code of Ethics by separating conflict-of-interest provisions into a standalone policy, thereby allowing the Association to focus primarily on ethical conduct and governance expectations. The revisions clarify the policy's scope, strengthen ethical standards and oversight, and improve organization, accountability, and consistency with current best practices in nonprofit governance.

110: Name and Logo Usage – Establishes the requirements for the use of the Minnesota State Fire Chiefs Association's name and logo. Policy 110 was reformatted to improve readability, organization, and consistency with the Association's current policy format.

200: Presumption for Compensation – Establishes the process the MSFCA uses to review and approve compensation decisions. Policy 200 was reviewed to improve clarity, organization, consistency, and alignment with current fire service best practices. The revisions are intended to make the policy easier to understand and administer while maintaining the original intent.

203: Travel and Expense Reimbursement – Establishes the process for reimbursing reasonable and necessary travel and business expenses while conducting MSFCA business. Policy 203 was revised to improve organization, clarity, and consistency while maintaining its original intent. Updates clarified travel approval, updated reimbursement guidelines for mileage, lodging, meals, airfare, and other expenses, strengthened documentation and reimbursement requirements, and modernized language and formatting. Redundant and outdated provisions were removed for clarity.

Communications & Policy Committee File Library