Two Hayes Township (Clare Co.) leaders have taken the next step to further enhance the effectiveness of their township by completing the Michigan Townships Association’s (MTA) Township Governance Academy (TGA). Clerk Debra Hoyt and Deputy Treasurer Erin Cottrell were the two members of the Academy “Graduating Class of 2026,” and were recently honored during a recognition ceremony before nearly 1,000 of their township peers at the Association’s Annual Conference.
Through their participation in the intensive education program, Hoyt and Cottrell learned enhanced tools and decision-making processes that can help positively impact Hayes Township for years to come. They join township Treasurer Savannah Cavanaugh, who completed the program in 2025, as well as former Treasurer Maye Rood, who has also graduated from the Township Governance Academy. According to MTA records, Hayes Township has the highest number of Academy graduates of any of Michigan’s 1,240 townships.
TGA helps to provide a strong foundation of the government closest to the people and the critical services that townships offer to residents. “TGA offered me the opportunity to understand all the aspects of township government to better serve my community,” Hoyt said. “I am proud to be a TGA graduate, where I gained knowledge of all township officials’ responsibilities and township governance. Along with the knowledge, I also gained a new respect for each township official’s roles.”
Cottrell echoed the sentiments, saying that the credentialing program allowed her to “keep learning how to help our community,” adding that it allows leaders “to better understand their role” serving as public servants.
“MTA’s Township Governance Academy empowers township leaders with foundational information, guidance and confidence as they serve their community—and allows participants to bring that knowledge back to their township,” said MTA First Vice President Malinda Cole-Crocker, Buchanan Charter Township (Berrien Co.) supervisor and a 2016 TGA graduate, who helped present Hoyt and Cottrell with their graduation certificates. “On behalf of MTA and our Board of Directors, congratulations to this year’s TGA graduates as they join more than 300 of their township peers in completing this invaluable program.”
Hoyt noted that completing the program and “crossing the stage with Erin Cottrell, and acknowledging her accomplishments was very rewarding.” Cottrell joined the township as deputy treasurer in January 2025. She is also a trustee for the Harrison Community Schools All Sports Boosters. Hoyt has been clerk since 2016, but has worked with the township as an account manager since 2014. A past secretary of the Clare County MTA Chapter, she is also a member of the Clare County Art Council, Harrison District Library, and a previous member of Big Brothers Big Sisters. Hoyt received a 30-year recognition from the Mid-Michigan Community Action Agency in 2014.
Hoyt was also recognized at the MTA Annual Conference as part of the inaugural class to complete MTA’s “Red Book Ready” program, a self-paced curriculum based on its widely used MTA guide Authorities & Responsibilities of Michigan Townships (long referred to as the “little red book” due to its initial size and design when the first edition was authored in 1976). “Red Book Ready” is a series of classes that take participants beyond the page, pairing practical guidance with real-world scenarios that help officials apply what they learn directly to their communities.
TGA is a voluntary credentialing program intended to provide township officials and leaders with knowledge and expanded skills needed to assist in making more effective decisions for the benefit of their township. The Academy, which challenges candidates to tie together learning and practical experience, consists of 11 courses and includes a requirement for elective credits. Created and administered by MTA, this program is designed to professionally challenge township leaders by offering new ideas, sharing best practices and providing a hands-on approach to dealing more effectively with everyday issues that the township may face.
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The Michigan Townships Association advances local democracy by fostering township leadership and public policy essential for a strong and vibrant Michigan.