MSUE Trainings and Resources for Local Government Officials
May 2, 2024
Michigan State University Extension is offering trainings and resources for local government officials. Some are online webinars while others are in person events. Please see their website for full details.
Local Government Leadership Intensive
Date: May 16, 10am-4pm ET
Location: Lansing, MI @ the Michigan Municipal League Capitol Office
Register: https://events.anr.msu.edu/leadlocal
Are you seeking a transformative experience in your local government career? Are you ready for a fresh perspective and eager to connect with other public servants making a difference in their communities? The Great Lakes Leadership Academy and MSU Extension Center for Local Government Finance and Policy are partnering to offer a 1-day leadership intensive for local government staff and elected or appointed officials.
Join us for a 1-day Leadership Intensive to learn more about the Great Lakes Leadership Academy (GLLA) way! We believe in leading from any chair. Whether you’re an elected or appointed official, department head, or staff, you have leadership potential to nurture.
In this unique accelerated learning opportunity, you will better understand the core values of GLLA, explore your unique leadership path, and discover what it means to be a value-guided leader. You will identify a relevant leadership challenge and set a strategic goal for your future with the help of our trained professional coaching staff. Through this highly interactive workshop, participants work their way through their leadership challenge in a way that is aligned with personal and shared values using a group-coaching model of applied learning.
Short-Term Rental Policy Options for Local Communities
Presented in partnership with the Western Upper Peninsula Planning and Development Region.
Dates & Locations:
May 14, 6-8pm ET @ Ontonagon
May 15, 5:30-7:30pm ET @ Houghton
May 29, 6-8pm CT @ Iron River
May 30, 6-8pm ET @ Ironwood
Register: https://events.anr.msu.edu/STRwestUP
Michigan communities are facing challenges in meeting their housing needs and goals as shown by Michigan’s Statewide Housing Plan. For many communities, solving the housing puzzle includes policies to address short-term rentals (STRs). STRs can fill a local or regional gap in visitor housing and offer an alternative type of lodging that is in demand to leisure and business travelers alike. According to the STR data and analytics provider AirDNA, the supply of STRs in the US saw large increases in 2022 and more modest increases in 2023. These increases in the number of dwellings being used for STRs have caused some Michigan communities to review their plans and policies around STRs to ensure they reflect the community’s vision and needs.
This 2-hour program will begin by exploring trends and research related to STRs as well as where local communities can find data to examine their own local situation. This will be followed by an overview of policy approaches, regulatory tools, enforcement, and key STR court cases. The program will highlight several Michigan examples of community regulatory approaches to STRs.
The cost of the program is $30 ($20 for Master Citizen Planners).
Sustainability Speaker Series: Sustainable Tourism Strategies
Date: May 14, 12-1pm ET
Explore topics related to renewable energy, innovative composting practices, methods to reduce ecological footprints, effective recycling strategies, and fostering sustainability in the tourism industry. This program equips participants with the knowledge to make a positive environmental impact.
The May 14th session in the series will focus on environmentally conscious approaches in the tourism industry for a sustainable future.
Time: noon - 1:00pm (Eastern)
Cost: Free
Fiscally Ready Communities Webinar Series
Dates: May 9, 3-4:30pm ET
June 3, 10-11:30pm ET
The Fiscally Ready Communities program was created to assist communities that want to establish, measure, and maintain policies to increase operational and financial effectiveness and safeguards.
This partnership between MSU Extension and the Michigan Department of Treasury helps local governments work towards fiscal health by sharing best practices in fiscal sustainability. These trainings help local governments work towards long-term fiscal sustainability, helping them to support thriving communities. Below you’ll find a description of each webinar and dates for the programs in the first half of 2024.
Internal Controls – May 9, 3-4:30 p.m. ET:
This training will include a deep dive into internal controls. It will cover what internal controls are, why you need them, how they help your community, how to implement them, and where to start.
Nuts and Bolts: Fees, Fines, Purchasing, and Receipting – June 3, 10-11:30 a.m. ET:
Building a culture of fiscal sustainability is essential to local government fiscal health. Well-thought-out policies on fees, fines, purchasing, and receipting lead to clear rules and fair treatment, which are essential pillars to that culture of fiscal sustainability. This webinar will include a deep dive into best practices related to fees, fines, purchasing, receipting, and more. It will cover what they are, why such policies are necessary, how they contribute to local fiscal health, and how to get started on implementation.
Governing Essentials Webinar Series
Time/Date: All webinars in the series run noon to 1 pm ET
Register: https://events.anr.msu.edu/goodgov
The Governing Essentials Series is designed for local elected and appointed officials looking to sharpen their skills and promote good governance practices. The webinars can be taken individually or as a 3-part series.
Open Meetings Act – Aug. 1
The Michigan Open Meetings Act (OMA) furthers government transparency by requiring elected and appointed boards to provide notice and make decisions in an open public meeting. Participants will learn the requirements of the Act as well as answers to frequently asked questions.
Introduction to Parliamentary Procedure – Aug. 8
Parliamentary Procedure based on Roberts’ Rules of Order, is the most widely used parliamentary authority. This session will focus on parliamentary principles, motions, and debate and decorum during meetings. Participants will explore scenarios and practice skills.
Components of Extraordinary Governance – Aug. 15
The Components of Extraordinary Governance draws the best ideas together for a thorough overview of board governance. This session will help your board apply the components to impact in your community. Better board governance, leading to more effective organizations, that improve our communities. That’s a goal we can all share!
Cost: $20 per session, $50 for the 3-course series. The webinars can be taken individually or as a 3-part series. For the $50 series rate, applicants must register for either the summer or winter series.
Master Citizen Planner Webinar Series
The 2024 Master Citizen Planner (MCP) Webinar Series is designed to offer participants the latest updates and information on current topics. MSU Extension educators will provide an overview of topics of interest to planning and zoning officials. Webinars take place from 6:30-7:30 p.m. ET. Each session is available individually or participants can register for all six at once. All webinars will be recorded, and the recordings and presentation materials sent to registrants.
2024 Topics:
- Zoning Enforcement: Policies, Property Rights, and Politics - May 16
- Site Plan Review for Planning Commissioners - June 20
- Plumbing the Depths: Ethics in Community Planning and Zoning - September 19
- A Guide to Land Use Resources: Where was that again? - October 17
- 3rd Annual 'Master Citizen Planner Showcase - November 21
Citizen Planner Online
Register: http://citizenplanner.msu.edu/
Citizen Planner Online includes similar content to the classroom program, but is offered in a flexible, self-paced, online format. Citizen Planner Online is different from other courses – the concepts are conveyed through stories about issues unfolding in a fictitious community called Spartyville. The situations Spartyville planning officials face are similar to those many communities must address. The online series of seasons and episodes follows a creative storyline that all learners will enjoy. All you need is a broadband internet connection and a computer, laptop, tablet, or mobile device. The online version of the program includes:
- Access to resources similar to the classroom program.
- Access to relevant web resources, decision-making tools, and online exercises.
Watch the Citizen Planner Online promotional video.
ZBA Online Certificate Course
Register: http://extension.msu.edu/zbaonline
Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) members have a new opportunity to gain in-depth training in roles, responsibilities, and best practices with the recent launch of MSU Extension’s ZBA Online Certificate Course - a unique and comprehensive training consisting of six self-paced modules engaging learners with videos, readings, and activities. ZBA Online includes detailed content on:
- Understanding Basic ZBA Roles & Responsibilities
- Effective Decisions and Ordinance Interpretations
- Hearing Appeals of Administrative Decisions
- Issuing Variances from Ordinance Standards
- Other Responsibilities of the ZBA: Nonconformities
- Circuit Court Review and Standards
The course is intended to fill a void in ZBA education where suddenly a board that hasn’t met for some time is called to decide a case with just a few weeks’ notice. The course is based in MSU’s Desire to Learn (D2L) learning management system and can be accessed 24/7 by computer, tablet, or mobile device. Participants that complete all six modules earn an MSU Extension course certificate.
Watch the ZBA Online promotional video.