Michigan Townships Association
Upcoming Training
Last chance to register:
Planning & Zoning Primer
Get the fundamentals at this evening class!
MTA is teaming up with its legal counsel from Bauckham, Thall, Seeber, Kaufman & Koches, PC to bring you a Planning & Zoning Primer, an evening class—thoughtfully designed as intermediate-level training with a beginner-friendly foundation. Whether you’re new to the process or looking for a refresher, this class provides a clear, practical roadmap for anyone involved in your township’s planning and zoning process.
You won’t want to miss this deep dive into the “step by step” of both a special land use permit at the planning commission and a variance request at the zoning board of appeals (ZBA).
Registration and dinner are from 4-5 p.m.; class is held from 5-8 p.m.
May 18 – Harbor Springs, The Highlands. (ONLINE REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED. Contact 517-492-6467, ext. 226 for info.)
For more details or to download a registration form, click here.
Election Ready: The Township Toolkit
Choose from four in-person locations in June or join us online for this afternoon class!
Is Your Township Election Ready?! Township clerks and deputies have plenty of hurdles to navigate when it comes to running elections. MTA can help! Spend an afternoon with us this June as we take a deep dive into election requirements and explore practical ways to manage your upcoming elections. So, grab your deputy and join MTA’s election experts and former township clerks Cindy Dodge and Judy Bigney as we explore the latest in elections.
Lunch & registration from noon to 1 p.m.; class is held from 1 to 5 p.m.
June 4 – Kalamazoo, Fetzer Center at WMU
June 16 – Marquette, Northern Center at NMU
June 17 – Gaylord, Treetops Resort Conference Center
June 23 – Frankenmuth, Bavarian Inn Lodge Conference Center
June 25 – Online, 1-5 PM
Click here to learn more or register online now!
Lunchtime webinar, June 10 at noon:
Meeting Misconceptions
Township board meetings, annual meetings, special meetings, public hearings, workshops, joint meetings…the list goes on. Do you know the differences—and when each applies? If the variety of meetings has you second-guessing the rules, you’re not alone.
Join MTA Member Information Services Director Michael Selden on June 10 for a clear, practical breakdown of meeting types and requirements. He’ll share strategies for managing public comment, techniques for handling complaints and other board etiquette tips, all in just one hour!
Save the dates! Registration opens soon for Summer Academy, July 14-15 in Bay City:
Have you heard about MTA Online?
Is your township considering purchasing an annual subscription to MTA’s Online Learning Center? Click here to read all about it OR Click here to see a list of what’s included in each of the three levels.
Ready to log in and start learning, but need a little guidance? For a written approach, download or print this Getting Started with MTA Online document.
Still have questions? Email education@michigantownships.org to learn more about how your entire township team can get unlimited access today.
To subscribe (or continue your subscription), click here.
This free, self-paced learning journey takes you through MTA’s “little red book” 
(Authorities & Responsibilities of Michigan Townships) chapter by chapter. Earn credits by completing courses that take you deeper into the topics covered within each chapter. These courses will help you develop broad awareness of township roles and responsibilities, and ensure you are equipped for any challenge facing your community. Click here to learn more!
MTA’s Township Governance Academy (TGA) was created to give township board members and other local leaders the in-depth knowledge and skills needed to make effective decisions for the benefit of their township. It’s designed to professionally 
challenge you and enhance your experience serving as an elected official. Click here for more info!
Love the Now You Know monthly lunchtime webinars?
Check out the complete schedule of topics for 2026!
CONTINUE THE LEARNING
- What Your Township Needs to Know about Franchises MTA’s legal counsel breaks down everything from contracts to fees to what’s negotiable in your township’s franchise agreements.
- Squeaky Wheel Maintenance: Using Policies to Turn Complaints into Constructive Input Learn how to evaluate complaints, distinguish problems from noise and proactively channel the “squeaks” into constructive input before they become distractions.
- The Compliance Countdown FREE webcast now available on-demand! As the deadline approaches for ADA-compliant websites, MTA teamed up with Kyle Shumaker of Schumaker Technologies to explain what “accessible” means, how to tell if your website is compliant and how to keep it that way.
- Cloud Control: Navigating Data Center Impacts (for MTA-member township officials & staff only). Get timely insights into the complex topic of data centers and how to prepare your township before a proposal lands on your agenda.
- P&Z: NIMBY is Not an Option, Now What? MTA’s staff attorney gives a quick history of why zoning exists, along with an intro to how your team can be prepared for (and respond to!) the next new thing.
The Now You Know one-hour webinars feature a new topic every month. We record every episode for on-demand access. Click here to see what’s available and get a sneak peek of what’s coming up next.
Need to register new members of your township team for an MTA training?
Individuals must first be added to your township roster in our database in order to be registered.
All clerks and treasurers from member townships have authorization to make changes to other individuals on the township roster from the MTA website. For detailed instructions, click here.
Please complete this form or email a list of your updates to database@michigantownships.org. Be sure to include township/county, as well as name, title and email address for each new individual. An email address is required to access any live or on-demand online training, or to receive event or purchase confirmations. Email addresses must be unique, and may not be used for more than one individual at a time.
For tips on navigating a live streamed class, visit www.mta.events.
For help getting started with an on-demand webcast visit our Online Learning Center’s Getting Started page, or check out our FAQs page.