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

 

 

The course also has an extensive Resource Library that includes:

Templates 

  • Bylaws Template 
  • Meeting Minutes Template 
  • Meeting Agenda Template 
  • Timetable Template 
  • Budget Template 

 Guides 

  • The Study Commissioner’s Guide to Meeting Minutes 
  • Standards of Conduct: A Guide for Local Governments to Montana’s Code of Ethics 
  • Study Commission Community Engagement Facilitation Guide 
  • Guide for Simplified Parliamentary Procedure 

Handouts & Short Articles 

  • Public Meetings & Public Hearings 
  • Red Light, Green Light: Are These Issues Within the Scope of the Voter Review? 
  • Local Government Review statutes, Study Commission statutes, & other relevant statutes 
  • Statutes, Organization Charts, & Decision Trees for each of the 6 alternative forms of government
  • 4-part“MisconceptionsAbout the Voter Review” article series  

Samples & Examples 

  • County & Municipal Study Commission Timetable Examples 
  • County & Municipal Study Commission Deadlines Examples 
  • Citizen Input Form Example/Template 
  • Sample Reports & Final Report Components & Certificates Examples

Short Videos 

  • The Study Commission’s Roles and Responsibilities 
  • Altering the Plan of Government: Structural Suboptions & the Statutory Basis 
  • What’s Unique About the Charter Form? 
  • Commission Form vs. ECOF—How They’re Different and Why it Matters 

And more!

 

Each individual course participant must complete the first two steps to register for the course.

The course fee, either à la carte or by bundle, is per study commission, not per person.

Payment can be made through the link below or via the payment links on the in-person training page: Study Commission In-Person Trainings - Local Government Center | Montana State University.

Online Course Registration

Registration Deadline: Thursday, December 12, 2024 by 4:00 pm

Register Here

eXtension Campus Account

Create an account to access the online course.

Create Account Here

Payment Portal

 

Pay Here

Once you're registered, we'll enroll you in the course and send you a course access link.

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

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.