Most of you are aware that Indiana is not the only state where local government has come Michigan townships also have been weathering the storm of calls for elimination and/or Association’s publication, “Reforming Michigan’s Local Government”, is a good reference since many of the arguments for keeping services local are very much the same.

For example: Township Fund Balances (p. 28 of the report) states, “Townships generally carry larger year-end fund balances than do other local units of governments, often exceeding the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) recommended minimum, an amount equal to two months’ worth of operating expenses.

The Elkhart County Commissioners invited the ITA Executive Director to speak to a group of county office holders, including township trustees, who are meeting on a regular basis to discuss ways to improve and retain local government in Elkhart County. Following is a press report from the May 26, 2010 meeting.

Officials want to offer ways to improve service ahead of moves to dissolve offices.

Published: Thursday, May 27, 2010 — The Truth, By Tim Vandenack, Truth Staff

The American Red Cross is in the disaster response business. However, we can’t do this job alone. Partnerships are critical, and I would like to take this opportunity to tell you about a working partnership between the Red Cross and the Jeffersonville Township Trustee’s Office.

The trustee’s office is unusual in that they take the initiative to contact our office to see if we need help in serving those affected by disaster, whether it be fire, flood, windstorm or other catastrophic event. Likewise, they are readily available to us when we call for help.

The 2010 ITA Conference Committee & Education Committee, Chaired by Linda Williams and Fred Barkes, have been working to make the September conference a success.

Last year, many evaluation forms were collected and the committees considered the comments in making plans for this year.

One of the questions in 2009 was “How would you rate the conference facility?”. Eighty five percent of the respondents answered “excellent” or “good”. Therefore, the ITA Board of Directors chose to once again have the conference at the Sheraton at Keystone Crossing in Indianapolis.

The Indiana Township Association’s Task Force, created last year for the purpose of analyzing current practices and proposing changes to enhance township government, is still at work. Dubbed “Best Practices for the 21st Century,” the goal of the task force to provide better service to the citizens of Indiana through the efficient use of tax dollars.

The 2010 Indiana General Assembly adjourned sine die on Saturday morning, March 13 without passing any reform measures for township government.  

This session marked the seventh in a row that the Indiana Township Association has fought  to maintain township government as we know it.  The first battle came in 2004 when then Representative Kuzman introduced House Bill 1155 to eliminate township government.

Since that time, each session of the General Assembly has heard bills to either reform or eradicate township government.  

The 2010 session included Senate Bill 240 - a measure that would have eliminated township boards and ended nepotism.  This bill left the senate and never received a hearing in the house.

House Bill 1181 (Crawford), which calls for a referendum to retain township government, was heard in the Senate Local Government committee, Chaired by Senator Connie Lawson, on Wednesday, February 17.

The bill was amended to remove all of the original language (calling for the referendum to retain township government) and replaced with the language from Senate Bill 240 (Lawson).  [Senate Bill 240 includes a provision to eliminate township boards, ends nepotism beginning in 2015, requirements that meetings be held in public places and includes a variety of new reporting requirements.]

As reported to you last week, this is what we had expected based on conversations with key legislators.  The amended bill passed out of committee along party lines 6-4.

The bill passed out of the Senate as did SB240.  It was then returned to the House where the author (Crawford) dissented, turning the bill to a conference committee.