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.
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2019
Grassroots Leadership Award:
Township Officers of Roland Township - Mike Hall & Vern Jacobson
get Grassroots Leadership Award
For the first time the Grassroots Leadership
Award has been given to two officers because of their team efforts
to secure funding for a paving project at Lake Metigoshe, in
Bottineau County.
About 11 miles of road around Lake Metigoshe
were originally paved in 1998 and now needed extensive upkeep and
repaving at a cost of $2.6 million. Township Officers, Mike Hall
and Vern Jacobson worked to convince Bottineau County to pledge
$500,000 to the project. At their request, Representative Dick
Anderson introduced HB 1322 in the 2017 legislative session which
helped clear the way for the Township to bond for the project.
Between the county grant and the bonding ability they were able to
put together a proposal that could get the needed approval of 60%
of affected landowners.
Pictured left to right: Lt. Governor
Brett Sanford, Mike Hall and NDTOA President Roger Olafson. Not
pictured Vern Jacobson.
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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.
2019
Legislator
of the Year:
Senator Gerald Klein named NDTOA Legislator of the Year for
2019
Gerald (Jerry) Klein was first elected to the
ND Senate in 1997 and through the many sessions since he has been
a constant supporter of ND Townships. In recognition of his
dedication to rural issues Senator Klein was presented the NDTOA
Legislator of the Year Award for 2019.
Senator Klein represents District 14, he is the
chair of the Senate Industry, Business and Labor Committee, a
member of the Senate Agriculture Committee and he is the Assistant
Majority Leader of the Senate.
He and his wife Bev live in Fessenden where he
owned a grocery store for 35 years; they have four children and 10
grandchildren.
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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.
2019 President's Award:
Denise Brown receives the NDTOA President’s Award
"For exhibiting the highest standards of dedication, ability and
service as an Honorary Township Officer while serving North Dakota
Township Government for many years”, Denise Brown, Training
Coordinator for the ND Local Technical Assistance Program, was
given the North Dakota Township Officers Association’s
“President's Award”.
Denise has been a frequent presenter and exhibitor at NDTOA
conventions; she takes part in the NDTOA workshops; she does
presentations for county association meetings; she organizes and
takes part in NDLTAP training sessions for township and county
personnel. For her dedicated work providing training opportunities
for township officers across the state and all the miles she
traveled to deliver that training, she received the award which
recognizes the important contributions of someone other than an
elected township officer.
Pictured here with Denise are Lt. Governor Brett
Sanford on the left and NDTOA President Roger Olafson on the
right.
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