This 6-unit online course was created specifically for study commissioners to help them navigate the Local Government Review process. The course is a suplement to the regional in-person trainings. It begins Friday, December 13, 2024 and ends Friday, January 31, 2025.

 

 

The six units cover the following topics and more:

  • Basic purpose and role of the study commission
    • Statutory requirements, deadlines, creating the timetable, adopting bylaws, budgeting
  • History of the Voter Review
  • Building blocks of the Voter Review: Power, Form, & Plan
    • General and self-governing powers
    • Six alternative forms of government
    • The statutory basis of each form
    • Statutory suboptions for each form
  • What makes the Charter form unique and different from the other forms
  • Required elements of the Charter form
  • Suggestions for evaluating the current form of government
  • Suggestions for comparing forms of government
  • Suggestions for questions to ask and information to collect 
  • Educating and engaging with the public
  • Facilitation strategies and tips
  • Meetings
    • Montana's open meeting laws
    • Agendas, minutes, parliamentary procedure
  • The tentative and final reports
    • Requirements, certificates, minority and supplemental reports, ballot language, elections

 

Online Course Registration

Registration Deadline: Thursday, December 12, 2024

Register Here

eXtension Campus Account

Create an account to access the online course.

Create Account Here

Payment Portal

Coming Soon

Pay Here

Who should participate? 

Newly elected and appointed study commissioners are encouraged to participate in the online course. The course is intended to accompany the in-person training and provide greater depth and detail on each aspect of the process. 

What will participants gain?

In addition to the course guide, which covers every aspect of the review process, participants will have access to the Resource Library stocked with handouts, templates, guides, and in-depth explanation videos created specifically to help study commissions navigate each part of the review process.

Participants will also have access to a Study Commissioner Working Group discussion forum where they can easily connect with other study commissions throughout the state, ask questions, share information, and benefit from participants' collected knowledge as they work through the process beyond the timeframe of the online course.

What is the time commitment? 

The course is a six-week, semi-asynchronous format. Participants will complete one unit per week following posted deadlines and can expect to spend about 2 hours each week reading, taking a short quiz, and participating in the online discussion forums with one original post and one response post each of at least 50 words.

What is the cost and how many people will participate? 

The cost is $1450/study commission and all study commissioners for participating jursidictions are invited to attend. 

Participant Information

Training Information and Pre-Work

1) Complete the registration form

2) Create an eXtension Foundation Campus account. 

3) Submit payment for registration through the provided online payment portal (coming soon)

Cancellation Policy

All participant cancellation requests must be recieved in writing (email is acceptable) by the MSU Local Government Center and must be received by Friday, December 20, 2024. Requests received after the deadline will not be refunded the registration fee. 

 

Questions

Reach out to Lydia Maunz (lydia.maunz@montana.edu) with any questions about the online course.