Mary Sears, Franklin Township supervisor, has been appointed to serve on the Michigan Townships Association Board of Directors, as District 1 director, which encompasses Gogebic, Houghton, Keweenaw and Ontonagon counties. Serving Michigan’s 1,240 townships, MTA is the largest municipal association in the state and one of the largest in the nation.

Her service on the MTA Board will benefit the Upper Peninsula communities that she will represent on the board–as well as all of Michigan’s townships.

“My role as District 1 director will allow me to help guide changes needed to compete in the ever-changing landscape that is township government,” Sears said. “It will allow me to listen to the problems and concerns of townships across Michigan, and lobby for their solutions from our state lawmakers — or in some cases relay ideas from one township to another for solutions.”

Serving Michigan residents is nothing new for Sears, who was an intensive care unit nurse for more than 30 years until her retirement in 2012. She has been supervisor for seven years and previously served Franklin Township as trustee for four years. She was a member of the planning commission for two years. She is president of the Houghton County MTA Chapter and has been involved in many local, county and state organizations, including the Keweenaw National Park Advisory Commission, Houghton County Recreation Authority, Keweenaw Chamber of Commerce and Hancock Rotary, to name just a few. She is a founder and chair of the Upper Peninsula Conservative Political Action Committee (CPAC) and a board member of the Michigan CPAC.

“I have served on many committees and boards in Houghton County, and from each, I learn how to be an effective leader,” she said. “You must have patience, kindness of heart and a willingness to meet people where they are in order to move forward as a team.”

She brings that eagerness to learn to her role in her township. “Township government is my passion,” Sears said. “I am always learning in my role, and strive to make things better for my township board, our employees and our residents.”