Township Talk Michigan Townships Association

With the upcoming primary and general elections, there are a lot of questions about elections administration and safety—both for election workers and voters—during the COVID-19 pandemic. Get your questions answered at our upcoming live MTA Q&A with the state Bureau of Elections, featuring director Jonathan Brater. Held at noon on July 22, this free hour-long event is designed for the entire township board, to help you understand how the new requirements are impacting your township, your budget and the role of your clerk.

COVID-19 was a game-changer for many things, MTA's Member Information Services team—Director Michael Selden and MIS Liaison Cindy Dodge—joined by Shila Kiander Director, Mecosta County Equalization Department and President, Michigan Association of Equalization Directors and Rob Thall, MTA Legal Counsel, Bauckham, Sparks, Thall, Seeber & Kaufman, P.C. discuss how Executive Order 2020-87, granting a temporary extension of March BOR appeals, impacts your township. Find out how the challenges leftover from March Boards of Review spills into July and gain insights into the guidance offered by the Governor’s office as well as the State Tax Commission.
Web Resources:  

EO 2020-87
STC Guidance Bulletin Dated June 9, 2020
July/December BOR Bulletin

As Michigan begins a phased re-opening, townships across the state are focused on the economy. Getting back to work, and back to business, is crucial for all of us, learn steps your township can take to help stimulate your local economy and facilitate Michigan’s successful grand reopening. MTA Executive Director Neil Sheridan hosted this recorded webinar, and discussion with the Small Business Association of Michigan, Meridian Charter Township (Ingham Co.) and Green Lake Township (Grand Traverse Co.). A vital summer season is still within reach, but a key driver to speedy recovery includes healthy local business. Webinar Resources:
Small Business Association of Michigan
Michigan Township Association Recovery/Re-opening resources
Michigan Economic Development Corporation
Michigan Small Business Development Center
U.S. Small Business Administration 

Find out how the most current executive orders and regional lifting of restrictions impact your township. MTA’s entire Member Information Services team—Director Michael Selden, Staff Attorney Catherine Mullhaupt and MIS Liaison Cindy Dodge—joined by Seth Koches, legal counsel from Bauckham, Sparks, Thall, Seeber & Kaufman P.C., offer insights into the evolving impact of the COVID-19 crisis on your township operations. We tackled a wide variety of topics, from meetings to campgrounds, to help you understand where we are now.
Webinar Resources:
UPDATED! MTA Guidance on Township Employees Working from Home (Updated May 27, 2020)
UPDATED! Return to Work Planning during COVID-19 (Updated May 27, 2020)
UPDATED! MTA Tips on Township Operations after EO 2020-92 (Updated May 27, 2020)
UPDATED! MTA Guidelines for Conducting Meetings under Executive Order 2020-75 and the Open Meetings Act (Updated May 27, 2020)
UPDATED! COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Plan Sample (.doc) (Updated May 27, 2020)
MTA Examples of Electronic Public Meeting Notices (.doc) (May 27, 2020)
Michigan Townships Association COVID-19 resources
MI Safe Start Map

COVID-19 drove us all into remote workplaces creating a target-rich environment and exposing our data to new vulnerabilities, from ransomware to phishing attacks. Listen in as the experts review security measures and recommend controls to help protect your township network and the data stored there. Finally, gain insights into what to do if you do have a data security breach.
Webinar Resources:
Cyber Security PowerPoint
Telework Policy and Procedure
Cyber Security E Book
COVID-19 Guidance
State of Michigan Cyber Security
Michigan Townships Association COVID-19 resource
Dept. of Homeland Security's Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
FBI
FCC Publishes Pandemic Scam List/Website
Next Gov
Stay Safe Online