Grassroots Leadership Award
In 1987, NDTOA established the Mr. Township Award which was
dedicated to the founder of our organization - Hank Weber of
Casselton, North Dakota. The name of the award was later
changed to the Grassroots Leadership Award to recognize the many
female township officers in our state.
This award was presented to a township officer who, through his or
her actions, had served their township, their community and/or
their state with exceptional service.
The first recipient was Jim Braaten from Crary, Ramsey County, in
1987.
Click here to see all past
Mr. Township/Grassroots Leadership Award recipients.
2017
Grassroots Leadership Award:
Rodney Johnson receives Grassroots Government Leadership Award
Rodney Johnson of Epping, ND has served on the Brooklyn
Township board for over 40 years, many of those years as clerk and
treasurer. He has served the Williams County Township Association
as its secretary. He has been a faithful participant at the NDTOA
annual conventions for many years. He has been a dedicated
Township official for those many years, always an active advocate
for townships in North Dakota while participating in meetings at
the county and state level. When the oil boom hit western North
Dakota, Townships were faced with unique hardships with roads that
simply were not built to handle the heavy traffic and maintenance
was not possible with existing budgets. Rod worked tirelessly and
diligently to ensure that Brooklyn Township got qualified for all
possible grants to help them maintain safe and usable roads. He
has been an advocate for townships in northwest North Dakota
seeking to make sure that funding was allocated to help face the
hardships of deteriorating roads with minimal budgets through the
peak of the oil activity. Congratulations Rodney and thank you for
the many years of service to Brooklyn Township!
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Legislator of the Year Award
Legislative success requires friends in the legislative arena.
This award program was established to reward, on an annual basis,
one of those legislators who have been of great help to the NDTOA.
These awards are given at the annual meeting awards banquet. Each
winner has a chance to be recognized in the presence of as many
township officers as are assembled at the annual meeting and
convention. The award recipient is given a plaque and are invited
to address the NDTOA membership.
The qualifications to receive this award depend on if the
legislator has been a repeated sponsor, co-sponsor or defended in
committee or on the floor of their house, township endorsed bills.
Senator David O’Connell, a township officer from the Lansford
area, was the first award winner.
Click here to
see all past Legislator of the Year recipients.
2017 Senator Rich Wardner Legislator of the Year
Senator Rich Wardner of Dickinson was named NDTOA Legislator of
the Year for 2017 in recognition and appreciation of his long time
support of Townships. Senator Wardner served in the House from
1991 to 1998 and has been in the Senate since 1999; President Pro
Tempore of the Senate for the 62nd Session; Senate Majority Leader
since the 63rd Session. He is a retired educator with a BS from
DSU and a MS from Northern State University. He and his wife
Kayleen have two children.
Pictured left to right - Recipient
Senator Rich Wardner & Larry Syverson, NDTOA Executive Secretary
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NDTOA President's Award
In 2016, the NDTOA Board of Directors created the President's
Award as a way to recognize exemplary contribution by individuals
that are not elected officials. Willie Huot, Grand Forks, was the first award winner.
Click here to
see all past Presidents Award recipients.
President's Award:
2017: Mark Verke Receives President’s Award
Mark Verke, Risk Management Specialist with the North Dakota
Insurance Reserve Fund, was the recipient of the 2017 NDTOA
President’s Award. (Pictured with President Olafson.) The
President’s Award is given each year to someone that is not a
Township Officer in recognition of outstanding service to
Townships. Mark has been an indispensable part of our education
program, from the planning of the workshop tour to physically
hauling the updated handbooks into the workshops, lining up
meeting halls, helping set up our gear, making presentations to
the members at workshops and county meetings and answering
questions from individual townships. He helps Township Officers do
their job right, reduces the risk and keeps premiums down.
Pictured left to right - Recipient
Mark Verke and NDTOA President Roger Olafson |
