MAA President's Message
July/August Message
Dear MAA Membership;
Can you believe it’s already July? Where does the time go? I want to take a moment to acknowledge the many demands each of you are balancing—both personally and professionally—as we have been experiencing the end of the school year/beginning of Summer. I know firsthand how intense this season can be, especially in the context of government and public service, where our professional responsibilities often stretch beyond the office and into broader community obligations. At the same time, we all have personal lives, families, and commitments that need our attention and care. Please know that I see and understand the weight of that dual responsibility, and I appreciate everyone’s continued engagement and dedication even in the midst of such a busy time.
I wanted to be sure to mention some important items happening in the upcoming months!
We’re thrilled to announce a lineup of our next professional development sessions designed to support your personal and professional growth. These opportunities include “Summer School” options at Treetops Resort in Gaylord from August 20-22, and our Annual Conference on Mackinac Island from October 19-22. Summer School options include sessions focused on Special Assessments, Income Approach, Excel spreadsheets, Statistics, Apartment Markets, Transfers of Ownership, and Land Values, just to name a few.
We’re excited to announce our Annual Conference theme is “Bridging Connections”! This year’s conference will focus on building your network, learning how others “do what they do”, and strengthening your professional relationships. Educational sessions will include a Discussion Panel of Best Practices. WE NEED YOU to please email me in any discussion topics or tough or confusing situations that you’d like to learn more about how others are experiencing and handling. In addition to the Monday’s Group Panel, on Tuesday we have sessions on Preparing for an MTT Small Claims Appeal, Parliamentary Procedures, Apex Basic AND Advanced Sessions, as well as courses on Mini Storage and Highest & Best Use issues. Lastly there are also options about Leadership lessons taken from the Mackinac Bridge and Building the Bridge of Balance, which discusses the importance of self-care during hectic times in an Assessor’s life. We’ll finish out the Conference with the 2025 mandatory STC Updates on Wednesday morning.
Our annual elections for district representatives will take place during September 1-20. This year we have openings for District 2 and District 3 Representatives and Board Secretary (Must serve as District Rep before eligible for Executive Board position). Candidate nominations are OPEN NOW. Please visit our website at https://www.maa-usa.org/Membership/Elections/MAA_Elections to review the responsibilities of a District Representative and find the Nomination Form. Nomination Forms and Resumes can be emailed to me at liz.tobias@delhitownshipmi.gov. Election results will be announced on September 22, and the newly elected reps will begin their service at the January 2026 Board Meeting. Feel free to email with any questions about the position requirements!
The Michigan Assessors Association’s next Board meetings in July and August will be taking place in different venues. On July 16 we meet at 10:30am at the St. Clair Inn in the city of St. Clair at the 2025 MAED Annual Conference. On August 22 we will meet at 1:00pm at Treetops Resort in Gaylord at the conclusion of this year’s annual school sessions. Both meetings will have options for a Google Meet virtual option for those who cannot attend in person. Please know that EVERYONE is welcome to attend and hear the very important and useful information discussed between the Board itself as well as our affiliate attendees such as BS&A software, the Michigan Tax Tribunal, the State Tax Commission and Property Services Division, IAAO and others! Remember, you’re always welcome at our meetings and everyone’s input is valuable.
Looking forward to seeing you all at Summer School and our Annual Conference!
~Liz
President, Elizabeth A. Tobias, MAAO(3), MCPPE