Michigan Townships Association

2023 Township Focus Archive

Click on the cover image to read a PDF copy of that month’s issue of Township Focus.

January

This month’s cover story:  Public involvement in township decision-making

Additional articles include: 

February

This month’s cover story:   Water and sewer rate studies: What, why—and how

Additional articles include: 

  • Community unites around township library, helps it move (Feature)
  • Special assessments to pay for police and fire (Hello, MTA…)
  • Audit documentation (Financial Forum)
  • 2022 public acts that impact townships (Inside Lansing)

This month’s cover story:   Navigating Right to Farm

Additional articles include: 

  • A winter 2023 economic conditions and outlook report (Feature)
  • Civil infraction questions answered by MTA Legal Counsel (Hello, MTA…)
  • Inside the proposed State budget for Fiscal Year 2023-2024 (Inside Lansing)

April/may

This month’s cover story:   Breaking the Zoning Code

Additional articles include: 

Guidance issued, questions remain on Proposal 2022-2 implementation (Feature)

Township check signatures and authorized signers (Hello, MTA…)

EITC and pension changes, affordable housing, right-to-work (Inside Lansing)

2023 MTA Conference preview

June

This month’s cover story:  Meet 2023 MTA President Pauline Bennett, and a look back at our 2023 Conference

Additional articles include: 

  • Township flags inspire local pride, sense of history (Feature)
  • Tabling motions and the Open Meetings Act (Hello, MTA…)
  • MOVE ballots to counted up to six days after election (Inside Lansing)
  • 2023 keynoter urges officials to lead with ‘silver platter service’

July

This month’s cover story: Inside the Proposal 2 implementation laws

Additional articles include: 

  • Competitive bid process and considerations (Hello, MTA ?)
  • Budget measure approved for FY 2023-24 and supplemental funding for FY 2022-2023 (Inside Lansing)
  • Profiles in leadership: Michigan House and Senate leaders
  • Catching up with … township volunteer Violet Lentz (Feature)
  • 2023 MTA Professional Development Retreats registration details

This month’s cover story: Angry citizens, ‘constitutional auditors’ and more—When does free speech cross the line?

Additional articles include: 

  • Regular and special meetings, notices (Hello, MTA  ?)
  • County program helps preserve township farmland (Feature)
  • Insights into administering early voting (Feature)
  • 2023 MTA Vendor Directory 

Septemeber

This month’s cover story: Outdoor recreation
fosters quality of life, economic development

Additional articles include: 

  • The four Cs: Adapting to firefighter training
    requirement changes (Feature)
  • Record retention (Hello, MTA ?)
  • Property tax collections (Financial Forum) 
  • A look ahead to the fall legislative session (Inside Lansing)