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MTA Member Programs and Services

Health Coverage

Member rates and administration of group health insurance underwritten by Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Michigan. This program is administered by Municipal Benefit Services - (800) 748-0166.

Legal Services

Access to the Legal Defense Fund for assistance in litigation deemed by the MTA Board of Directors to have a statewide impact.

• Click here to visit the Legal Defense Fund Web page, which includes a Legal Defense Fund brochure and Request for Assistance Form.

Member townships can obtain written legal opinions from MTA's legal counsel at a discounted rate.

Legislative Affairs

Represented before the Michigan Legislature, executive office and state agencies by an experienced team of MTA lobbyists. MTA initiates and monitors legislation that is in the best interest of townships and follows it through the legislative process.

Member townships are kept informed of the status of legislation through the monthly publication, Capitol Currents.

Members can sign up for the Weekly Legislative Report, and Grassroots Alerts are sent to enrolled members when immediate legislative action is needed.

Each year, MTA members have an opportunity to form the Association’s legislative goals for the year by introducing and voting on resolutions during the Association’s Annual Meeting, held in conjunction with the Annual Educational Conference.

Capitol Conference (March) and the Summer Legislative Forum (August), held every other year, allow MTA members to gather and meet with their state legislators and get up-to-date information on issues affecting townships in Michigan.

Membership Information Services

MTA provides information on all facets of township operations and responds to requests for information from members by forwarding appropriate materials, researching questions, sending written letters or answering telephone queries, and making presentations.

Numerous sample documents are available from MTA, including ordinances, job descriptions, contracts and agreements.

Resource toolkits provide members with the information needed to implement new laws.

Salary surveys provided to members free-of–charge, upon request.

MTA provides county chapter visits and communications, including County Chapter Update, a newsletter mailed to county chapter officials.

National Link

Your MTA membership automatically makes you a member of the National Association of Towns and Townships (NATaT).

NATaT is the only lobbying group in Washington, D.C. devoted exclusively to grassroots government.

NATaT holds an annual educational conference, affording members the opportunity to meet with key lawmakers and knowledgeable officials from federal agencies with program responsibilities important to townships.

Publications

The official MTA publication, the Michigan Township News is sent 11 times a year to all members to keep them informed of township issues, state and federal legislative news, workshops, and township activities and achievements.

MTA produces a membership directory every two years and provides one copy to each member township.

Numerous publications are also available at a member rate on a variety of topics, such as the authorities and responsibilities of township officials, on-call fire departments, planning and zoning, municipal civil infractions, budgeting, special assessments and more.

Members can sign-up to receive mt@-newswire, an electronic newsletter published twice a monthly.

Professional Development and Recognition Programs

From accounting to zoning, MTA offers a variety of educational programs to help township officials provide more efficient services to their residents. More than 50 educational programs are offered each year at a discounted rate to members.

Members can also take part in the Annual Educational Conference & Expo held annually in January, which provides three full days of professional development. This event features more than 50 different workshop sessions and an exhibit hall with over 120 booths displaying products and services addressing township needs. The Association’s Annual Meeting is held in conjunction with the Conference.

MTA also offers to its members the Township Governance Academy, a voluntary credentialing program intended to give township board members and other local leaders the knowledge and skills needed to make effective decisions for the benefit of their township.

The Township of Excellence program honors those townships that embrace best practices in a variety of program and governance areas.

This page last updated on 4/13/2010.

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