2011 MTN Article Index

2011 Michigan Township News Article Index

Volume 53

Assessing

The township board's role in assessment administration...April, p. 16

STC reluctantly approves audit review pilot...June, p. 4

STC offers advice on joint tenancy/transfer of ownership court ruling...Sept., p. 5

Attorney General Opinions

AG opinion addresses sidewalks and bicycle paths....Jan/Feb, p. 5

AG issues opinions on medical marihuana, tax of foreclosed property...Aug., p. 5

AG: Smoking medical marihuana banned in public places...Nov., p. 6

Boardsmanship and Leadership

Effective leadership: What is it? What does it take? ...March, p. 28

Cemetery Management

Hello, MTA ... ? (township cemeteries) ...March, p. 12

Census

Revamped Census tool offers access to 2010 data...Jan/Feb, p. 7

Michigan population drops by 0.6 percent...March, p. 4

How will 2010 U.S. Census counts impact township revenue sharing? ...April, p. 12

Release of census numbers starts redistricting process in earnest...May, p. 14

Census 2010: Michigan townships see overall population increase of 6.2 percent...May, p. 27

Census Bureau offers free data research services...July, p. 4

Census Bureau accepting challenges to 2010 counts...Aug., p. 4

2012 Census of Governments begins in October...Sept., p. 5

Court Decisions

COA: School debt service tax subject to RZA tax exemptions...March, p. 30

COA: Special assessment must confer benefit to property...March, p. 30

Public road parallel to lake does not divest front-lot owners of riparian rights...March, p. 31

Courts hand down three MMMA decisions...April, p. 32

Zoning ordinance regulation of composting facility not preempted by state law...April, p. 33

Court briefs...Oct., p. 23

Court of Appeals: Township ordinance upheld as content-neutral regulation of signs...Nov., p. 29

Property does not need to be vacant to qualify for PRE... Dec., p. 36

Notes for personal use not subject to FOIA disclosure... Dec., p. 36

Absolute governmental immunity does not apply when police chief acting as ‘ordinary' officer... Dec., p. 36

Economic Development

Maintaining and creating attractive communities for a new Michigan...Jan/Feb, p. 16

Boosting your township's local economy...Sept., p.16

Environment

Renewable energy projects are growing in Michigan townships...April, p. 4

Septage management: Controlling your township's environmental and economic destiny...May, p. 29

Imported trash volume falls...Sept., p. 5

Financial Management

Reminder for tax collection office hours...Jan./Feb., p. 5

Township budget reminders...Jan./Feb., p. 6

Hello, MTA ... ? (township borrowing) ...Jan/Feb, p. 14

Financial Forum (GASB 54)...Jan./Feb., p. 27

Financial Forum (unemployment)...March, p. 22

Hello, MTA ... ? (budgeting) ...April, p. 10

Financial Forum (budgeting)...April, p. 24

Financial Forum (special assessments)...May, p. 24

Online F-65 filing system debuts...June, p. 5

Financial Forum (special assessments, FDIC limits)...June, p. 25

Financial Forum (deferred compensation plans)...July, p. 21

Financial Forum (GASB 54)...Aug., p. 19

Financial Forum (building funds)...Sept., p. 9

Hello, MTA ... ? (signing township checks and approving bills)...Sept., p. 10

Financial Forum (third-party payroll services)...Oct., p. 20

Hello, MTA ... ? (summer school property tax collections) ...Nov., p. 10

Financial Forum (electronic payments)...Nov., p. 23

Financial Forum (third-party payroll services)...Dec., p. 17

The long view: Budgeting best practices... Dec., p. 22

Grants, Programs & Resources

Four new communities selected for Partnerships for Change program...Jan/Feb, p. 6

New MichEEN website plants the seeds for energy efficiency...March, p. 4

Intro records management course available online...March, p. 6

Townships can sponsor summer food programs for kids...March, p. 7

Is your township an active community? ...March, p. 8

April is National Safe Digging Month...April, p. 5

Adopt-a-Forest program aims to clean up public lands...June, p. 6

Plan now to host a ‘Labor Day Community Walk'...June, p. 7

Townships can save on goods and services through federal GSA program...Sept., p. 6

Federal program can help townships recover emergency response costs...Nov., p. 4

Health care

How health care reform impacts municipalities...Jan/Feb, p. 32

The rising cost of health care...July, p. 16

Human Resources

Final rule issued on Employment Eligibility Verification Form...July, p. 4

Employee relations: Actions speak louder than words...July, p. 26

New background check rule now in effect...Aug., p. 6

Intergovernmental cooperation

Intergovernmental cooperation in Michigan's New Economy...May, p. 18

Partnering for parks: Cooperative options for providing recreation services...June, p. 18

Legislative Issues

MTA urges veto of ‘horrible' property tax change....Jan/Feb, p. 4

New developments on Sunday liquor sales....Jan/Feb, p. 4

MTA proposed policy platform...Jan/Feb, p. 26

Proposed budget eliminates statutory revenue sharing...March, p. 4

New law may help local budgets...March, p. 5

MTA policy platform...March, p. 34

Governor unveils plan for local government reforms...April, p. 4

Emergency financial manager bill becomes law...April, p. 4

Open burning ban in question...April, p. 4

U.S. Senate and House pass amendments to repeal 1099 requirement...April, p. 5

Changes to Michigan's Unclaimed Property Act go into effect...May, p. 4

Township employers much comply with ADA amendments...May, p. 4

MTA testifies on revenue sharing plan...May, p. 4

Governor signs land acquisition legislation...May, p. 4

President signs 1099 repeal ...May, p. 4

Governor's tax plan approved; budget bills moving...June, p. 4

Committee-approved bills change PILT funding source...June, p. 4

Bill would modify requires treasurer office hours...May, p. 4

Accepting resolutions for MTA's 2012 Annual Meeting...June, p. 5

Options needed to local government legal notices...June, p. 12

State budget completed in record time...July, p. 4

Hearing held on public employee health care...July, p. 4

The potential elimination of personal property taxes...July, p. 12

Flurry of activity before the Legislature's summer break...Aug., p. 4

New act follows county surplus fund for road projects...Sept., p. 4

Redistricting maps sent to governor...Sept., p. 4

New law impacts lake improvement dissolution...Sept., p. 4

Capitol activity: The first six months of the 2011-12 legislative session...Sept., p. 12

How Michigan's ‘Complete Streets' legislation impacts townships...Sept., p. 30

Under House-approved bill, fire chiefs compatible for smaller community...Oct., p. 4

Minimum staffing  bills signed by governor...Oct., p. 4

Traffic sign replacement requirement may be eliminated...Oct., p. 4

Flood insurance require passes U.S. House...Oct., p. 5

Senate Bill 7 has major impact on public employee health care...Oct., p. 10

Public health care legislation signed into law...Nov., p. 4

Bill would assure supervisor could administer oath of office...Nov., p. 4

Bills would move school board elections to November...Nov., p. 4

Federal issues impact township operations...Nov., p. 12

Road commission bills move in House... Dec., p. 4

Fireworks bill on the way to governor... Dec., p. 4

Joint endeavor sent to governor... Dec., p. 4

Confusion on township EVIP dashboard reporting... Dec., p. 5

Secretary of state proposes election reforms initiatives... Dec., p. 12

Legislative Profiles

House Speaker Jase Bolger ...March, p. 14

Sens. Arlan Meekof and Steven Bieda...April, p. 14-15

Reps. Mark Ouimet and Woodrow Stanley...May, p. 16-17

Sens. Mike Nofs and Hoon-Yung Hopgood...June, p. 14-15

Reps. Tom McMillin and Tim Bledsor...July, p. 14-15

Sen. Vincent Gregory...Sept., p. 15

Reps. John Walsh and Lisa Brown...Oct., p. 12-13

Sens. Tonya Schuitmaker and Virgil Smith...Nov., p. 14-15

Reps. Bob Constan and Jeff Farrington... Dec., p. 14-15

Allied Service Provider Business Solutions

Have you considered technology for your township? ...March, p. 27

Natural resources rarely recognize municipal boundaries...April, p. 30

Building a better retirement plan...June, p. 32

Business as usual is business at risk...July, p. 28

Big dig: Township authority over mining... Dec., p. 34

Annual Conference

The ABCs of Networking...Jan/Feb, p. 20

Tweeting about the  MTA Conference ...March, p. 9

MTA's 2011 Annual Conference & Expo scrapbook...March, p. 18

Parade of Flags offers inspirational Conference kick-off...March, p. 21

Keynoter Mort Crim to deliver uplifting message to township officials this January... Dec., p. 18

Board of Directors

Jack Randolph: Leading MTA with a strong voice...March, p. 16

2011 MTA Executive Committee...March, p. 17
Three new directors elected to MTA Board...March, p. 20

Governor urges townships to be integral part of reinventing Michigan...June, p. 30

MTA Board members honored during On the Road meetings...July, p. 7

MTA announces changes to Executive Committee...Aug., p. 8

County Chapters

MTA County Chapter brings township message to the Capitol...May, p. 7

National Association of Towns and Townships

The impact of the November 2010 elections...Jan/Feb, p. 31

Save the date for the 2011 America's Town Meeting...April, p. 4

A message from the NATaT president on this year's ‘America's Town Meeting'...Aug., p. 27

Programs and Services

MTA pilots online learning...Jan/Feb, p. 28

MTA launches program to offer assessing help...April, p. 22

Bringing together township managers, superintendents...June, p. 6

Focus group provides greater insight into trustees' role, needs...July, p. 6

Reform topics top MTA's Summer Conference discussion...Sept., p. 26

Robert R. Robinson Memorial Scholarship

Robinson Scholarship available to students in your township...March, p. 9

Robinson Scholarship recipient sets sights on enacting change, beginning at the local level...Sept., p. 7

Township Governance Academy

TGA scholarships available...Jan./Feb., p. 29

TGA Class of 2011 honored...March, p. 23

Procedural manual streamlines clerk's office...March, p. 26

Reports, Studies, Surveys and Papers

Survey: Public employee health coverage dips as local governments address shortfalls ....Jan/Feb, p. 4

MPSC report: More customers producing own power...Jan/Feb, p. 7

Broadband access increases, but ‘gap' remains...Jan/Feb, p. 8

Study provides townships with benchmarks, tools to promote economic development...Aug., p. 4

Survey offers insights into rural issues...Oct., p. 4

Study: Funding local government health care is getting tougher... Dec., p. 4

Michigan wins ‘Golden Shovel' award...June, p. 5

‘Dashboard' shows the big picture of Michigan's roads, bridges...July, p. 5

FEMA's new floodplain mapping process and the township's role...Aug., p. 12

Federal benefit checks go electronic...Nov., p. 5

State launches new business development program...Nov., p. 5

State launches online ‘Shared Services' community... Dec., p. 6

Technology

MI Locator tool offers quick, easy search for public services...April, p. 5

Township Administration & Management

Threshold for publishing minutes is $75 million for general law townships...Jan/Feb, p. 5

Employers must post MIOSHA form through April 30...March, p. 5

Demolishing a building? What townships need to know...May, p. 5

Townships are responsible for issuing fireworks permits...May, p. 6

Hello, MTA ... ? (establishing planning commission) ...May, p. 12

Hello, MTA ... ? (zoning boards of appeal) ...June, p. 10

Hello, MTA ... ? (technology policy) ...July, p. 10

Hello, MTA ... ? (becoming a charter township) ...Aug., p. 10

Capital improvements: What's in your plan? ...Aug., p. 14

Hello, MTA ... ? (FOIA requests) ...Sept., p. 10

Hello, MTA ... ? (township records) ...Oct., p. 8

Being a customer service-oriented township...Oct., p. 14

The case for mediation...Nov., p. 18

Hello, MTA ... ? (meeting notes/recordings) ... Dec., p. 10

Township creates ‘leaf exchange' program...Jan/Feb, p. 9

Officials put spotlight on township government in documentary...Jan/Feb, p. 9

Townships looking to entrepreneurs to grow local economies...Jan/Feb, p. 11

Union Charter Township adds turbines to township hall...March, p. 6

Township library receives high honors at White House ceremony...March, p. 8

Communities work together to garner communications grant for fire departments ...April, p. 6

U.P. township wins national contest, $40,000 to help save area harbor...April, p. 6

Township overhauls budgeting process to plan for future...April, p. 28

Townships honor 9/11 with WTC artifacts...May, p. 8

Township partners to offer free medical services to residents...July, p. 30

Townships team to bring 9/11 memorial to West Michigan...Aug., p. 7

Township takes over state campground slated for closure...Aug., p. 7

Rolland Township pays off 10-year debt seven years early...Aug., p. 28

Many township names trace roots to Native American past...Aug., p. 30

Innovative outreach helps township, residents partner in planning for future...Sept., p. 28

Trustee continues to serve community during deployment...Oct., p. 26

Supervisor to speak at Harvard about township veterans program...Nov., p. 7

Michigan townships in the national spotlight...Nov., p. 26

Township helps bring broadband to underserved area...Nov., p. 28

Townships offer office space to help ease MSP budget cuts... Dec., p. 7

Acme Township planning commissioner named ‘Distinguished Citizen Planner'... Dec., p. 8