Enhancing Local Government Project

The Five Modules of ELG
The Enhancing Local Government project is composed of five distinct learning modules that start with the candidate for public office and provide a source of education as long as the official holds office.

Module I - Candidate Information Kit
A Candidate Information Kit will be distributed to those who inquire about running for a local office. The kit is a folder to hold the brochure, candidate petitions, and any information the municipality wishes to provide. The brochure provides information on election procedures and requirements, roles and responsibilities of elected offices, organization of cities and villages, an overview of municipal issues and services, and some frequently asked questions with answers. The kit will be distributed through the local Clerk's office in each municipality.

Module II - Newly Elected Officials Orientation Kit
A newly elected officials' orientation kit will introduce the new office holder to resources immediately needed to function in office.

• Copies of state laws regulating city or village zoning, planning and finance.
• A place for the municipality to insert or highlight provisions of their municipal charter.
• A copy of the MML Handbook for Municipal Officials.
• A description of MML's Elected Officials Academy Core Curriculum and training schedule.

These materials will be distributed through the offices of the Michigan Municipal League.

Module III - Core Curriculum Weekenders
The Elected Officials Academy Core Curriculum "Weekender" intensive training seminars will be presented in locations close to many municipalities. Each weekend offers intensive training in four core areas: a)roles and responsibilities of office; b) municipal ethics; c) planning and zoning; and d) council-appointee relationships. During the four-year pilot project, we will be experimenting with pricing structures to determine what officials will pay for this training in subsequent years.

Module IV - Distance Learning Resources
ELG will use distance learning technologies to give elected officials complete access to timely, relevant, in-depth information on a wide array of issues and concerns facing modern municipalities. The existing curriculum of workshops and seminars will be re-formulated and adapted to the new technologies of Internet, CD-ROM, audio- and video-conferencing and self-study videos. In addition, an entirely new series of educational resources will be produced in these formats and media.

Using a platform made up of a combination of CD-ROM instruction materials and Internet access to continuously updated information, this module will provide the greatest continuing impact of all the educational modules in the ELG project.

The CD-ROM format can provide the basic or essential content; the Internet will provide original documents and ongoing links to municipal governments around the world, as well as the ability to continuously update the information presented. The Internet will also provide the capability for streaming video seminars and give the advantage of self-assessment combined with interaction with professionals in the various specialty areas.

Module V - Frequently Asked Questions on Key Issues
Using an existing database of questions asked by municipal officials calling the MML over the past ten years, the ELG project will create a CD-ROM and web-based randomly searchable database of questions and answers that will aid candidates, elected officials and municipal employees in their work. This information will be adapted to the Internet so that an elected official, municipal employee or citizen can access any question and its answer on key issues and concerns facing municipalities at any time.