MANISTIQUE, Mich. (WZMQ) – Community leaders in Schoolcraft County are working together to improve their communities.
On Thursday, a group of county officials, city and township administrators, and residents completed a four-part governance training program. The program, led by Michigan State University (MSU) Educators, was titled “I Do Solemnly Swear.”
“The Michigan Constitution includes only one requirement for local government officials, and that’s to uphold an oath of office,” said Senior Extension Educator Brad Neumann. “The purpose of our program is to really provide something more than just a stated oath of office for those officials, but a fundamentals training that gives local officials the knowledge, the skills, and the confidence to govern in a highly effective way.”
Participants learned about state and local government structures and practices, ethics and transparency surrounding statutes like the Open Meetings Act, and community development.
“Individuals are learning about the power of forming partnerships with other organizations and engaging the community in collaborative efforts to benefit the community,” Neumann explained. “Also, strategies to empower people, staff, and other organizations to do good work, and also a broad area of building trust in local government and throughout the community.”
The training is just one component of Schoolcraft County’s resiliency plan, which was developed last year. A collaboration between Schoolcraft Tourism & Commerce, CUPPAD, and other area organizations, the plan is designed to address challenges and opportunities within the county.
Paul Walker, Chair of the Schoolcraft County Board of Commissioners, says he wanted to join the “I Do Solemnly Swear” Governance Training program to better serve his constituents.
“We work for the people,” he said. “As elected officials in our community, they put us in office for a reason—to represent their best interest and quality of life—and they want to know we’re doing a good job for them.”
Each participant received a certificate of completion, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to keep their communities moving forward.
“We hope participants will come away with a better understanding of roles, responsibilities,” Neumann said, “but also best practices to advance the work of their organization, of their government, and the approach of opportunities for collaboration and leveraging the assets of an organization to incrementally improve the community over time.”
For more information on the MSU Extension’s “I Do Solemnly Swear” program, click here.
