MAT Board of Directors

Steve answers legal questions for members, produces many of the published materials offered by MAT, represents township interests at the Legislature, and provides training for township officers at MAT events. He joined MAT in 2015, after serving several judges in Minnesota District Courts in the Counties of Martin, Jackson, Faribault, and Wright.

District 9 consists of five counties on the western central part of the state.  Counties include: Becker, Clay, Douglas, Otter Tail, and Wilkin.  There are 171 Townships in District 9.  Vance lives in Corliss Township in Otter Tail County and is a Supervisor.  Vance was elected as District 9 Director in 2019.

District 1 encompasses the southeast portion of the state which includes nine counties.  Counties include: Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Steele, Wabasha, and Winona.  There are 159 Townships in District 1.  Rex lives in Wasioja Township in Dodge County and is a Supervisor.  Rex was elected as District 1 Director in 2020.

Colleen grew up in St. Michael, MN, graduating from STMA High School and North Hennepin Community College. She’s been with the Association since 1996 as an Administrative Assistant. She’s involved at the ground level of many of the Associations projects, and you may see her at the registration desk of many of MAT’s events.

Please contact Colleen if you have questions regarding:

• MAT’s Scholarship program
• General questions about MAT events and training
• Compiling Milestones and Memorials for the Minnesota Township Insider

District 2 includes eight counties in the south central area of the state.  Counties include: Blue Earth, Brown, Cottonwood, Faribault, Jackson, Martin, Waseca, and Watonwan.  There are 141 Townships in District 2.  Sandy lives in Medo Townhip in Blue Earth County and is a Supervisor.  Sandy was elected as the District 2 Director in 1995.

Jon Mocol joined the organization on February 11, 2019 as the Manager of MAT Agency Operations.  Jon has served in various financial roles as well as sales roles in both the food and insurance business. Jon has worked with For Profit and Non-Profit Organizations.  Growing up in the Mankato Area, Jon has learned a lot about the local government and the struggles that that local governments face with regards to taxation and overseeing MATIT is an opportunity to help townships control their insurance expense, which is a direct expense to the taxpayers of the townships.

Jon lives in Shakopee with his wife Kathi and have two college age children and one elementary age child.  Jon likes to cook and bake as well as woodworking.

District 13 is the northwest corner of the state and includes five counties.  Counties include: Kittson, Marshall, Pennington, Red Lake, and Roseau.  There are 141 Townships in District 13.  Jill calls New Solem Township in Marshall County home and is their Clerk.  Jill was elected as the District 13 Director in 2009.

District 12 is part of the northwest corner of the state and includes six counties.  Counties include: Beltrami, Clearwater, Mahnomen, Norman, and Polk.  Lake of the Woods is also included, but there are no organized townships in that county.  There are 162 Townships in District 12.  Mel resides in Eckles Township in Beltrami County and is a Supervisor.  Mel was elected as the District 12 Director in 2013.

District 11 is the northern central part of the state and includes five counties.  Counties include: Aitkin, Cass, Hubbard, and Itasca.  Koochiching County is also a part of District 11, but there are currently no organized townships in that county.  There are 160 Townships in District 11.  Reno lives in Turtle Lake Township in Cass County and is the Chairman.  Reno was elected as the District 11 Director in 2002.

District 10 is the north eastern part of the state which includes the arrowhead of Minnesota.  There are four counties in District 10 and they include: Carlton, Cook, Lake, and St Louis.  There are 100 Townships in District 10.  Jim lives in McDavitt Township in St Louis County and is their Chairman.  Jim was elected as the District 10 Director in 2003.

District 7 in the eastern central portion of the state which includes ten counties.  Counties include: Anoka, Chisago, Hennepin, Isanti, Kanabec, Pine, Ramsey, Sherburne, Washington, and Wright.  There are no longer any townships in Hennepin County though.  There are 109 Townships in District 7.  Mike resides in Oxford Township in Isanti County and is a Supervisor.  Mike was elected as the District 7 Director in 2017.

District 6 is the western central part of Minnesota and includes seven counties.  Counties include: Big Stone, Chippewa, Grant, Lac Qui Parle, Stevens, Swift, and Traverse.  There are 120 Townships in District 6.  Lyle lives in Pillsbury Township in Swift County and is the Clerk.  Lyle was elected as the District 6 Director in 2014.

District 5 is the southern central part of the state which includes five counties. Counties include: Kandiyohi, Meeker, Pope, Renville, and Stearns.  There are 122 Townships in District 5.  Jane calls Lake Lillian Township in Kandiyohi County home and is the Treasurer.  Jane was elected as the District 5 Director in 2011.

District 4 is located at the southern side of the Twin Cities metro area with areas west of the metro and includes nine counties.  Counties include: Carver, Dakota, Goodhue, Le Sueur, McLeod, Nicollet, Rice, Scott, and Sibley.  There are 127 Townships in District 4.  Gary resides in Green Isle Township in Sibley County and is their Chairman.  Gary was elected as the District 4 Director in 2010.

District 3 covers the southwest corner of the state and includes eight counties. Counties include: Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Rock, and Yellow Medicine.  There are 146 Townships in District 3.  Tammy lives in Paxton Township in Redwood County and is the Clerk.  Tammy was elected as the District 3 Director in 2018.

District 8 covers and mid-central area of the state and includes six counties.  Counties include: Benton, Crow Wing, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Todd, and Wadena.  There are 130 Townships in District 8.  Lori’s home is in South Harbor Township in Mille Lacs County and is their Clerk.  Lori was elected as the District 8 Director in 2018.

Petra Hartness is a Treasurer from Osage Township in Becker County. Petra is a new training assistant for MAT. She has attended a few MAT Spring and Summer courses and has found them to be very knowledgeable with important and valuable information. Her role is to be available at different times throughout the year to answer questions from township officers, primarily clerks and treasurers, assisting in making their job easier. In addition, she will be providing direct training to town officers at identified MAT events and looks forward to meeting everyone.

Lori Stalker is the Clerk for South Harbor Township in Mille Lacs County located on the South end of beautiful Mille Lacs Lake in Central Minnesota. She was appointed the Deputy Clerk of her township in 2005 and was elected Clerk in 2006. She has attended many MAT training events over the years and is very excited to have the opportunity to work with township Clerks and Treasurers as a trainer. She is also looking forward to working with Lucinda and Petra in hopes that they will be able to learn from each other to help educate township Clerks and Treasurers across Minnesota.

Lucinda Messman is the clerk for Becker Township in Sherburne County. She has a degree in Business Administration from NDSU, and grew up working on the family farm in Central Illinois and helping manage several of the family businesses.
Lucinda has been a MAT trainer for three years. She does an outstanding job explaining to clerks and treasurers their various duties. She brings energy and enthusiasm to all her presentations.

Scott is the Association’s Event Coordinator and Managing Editor of the Minnesota Township Insider. He handles all the event logistics and the onsite registration for many MAT educational meetings. He works closely on the design of MAT’s magazine so when you see him with a camera aimed your way, be sure to smile! That picture just may end up in the next issue of the magazine.

Please contact Scott if you:

• Have a special dietary request for an event
• Are interested in Exhibiting at the Annual Conference
• Have suggestions for alternate venues for our events
• Would like a copy of the MAT Logo
• Have interest in hosting a MAT event
• Have a suggestion regarding the MAT magazine

Julie has been with the Association since 1981. Being involved in many aspects of the Association over the years has led to her current position of Financial Director; the main duties relating to the finances and human resources of the Association.

Julie has lived in the St. Michael-Albertville area nearly all her life. She and her husband, Eugene, have 3 children and 10 grandchildren. Spending time with family and friends and attending family events is what she enjoys most.

Debbie grew up on a hobby farm in Kewaunee, Wisconsin. She graduated from Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin, and then attended Washington University in St. Louis where she earned a Masters in Teaching. Debbie began handling insurance claims at Northland Insurance in 1996. She’s worked on Minnesota of Township claims as a claims examiner at Northland, as primary claims examiner at MATIT’s inception in 2003, and continued her affiliation with the townships as the Claims Administrator for MATIT.

Debbie handles all non-work claims presented to or by Minnesota Townships who are insured by MATIT. Please contact the MAT Agency directly for claims. If your township is sued, please email or fax the complaint directly to the MAT Agency. The claims are then forwarded to her attention for coverage review and investigation.

Dawn grew up in Monticello Township/Wright County and graduated from Monticello High School and the St. Cloud Beauty College. She currently resides in Silver Creek Township/Wright County. She has worked in the insurance industry for the past 18 years and joined MAT Agency in 2015.

Dawn has three primary duties at MAT:

• Agency Assistant: Answering questions township officers may have regarding the township’s Consolidated Liability and/or Worker’s Compensation coverage.
• Property Valuations: Ordering property surveys and/or recalculations
• Work Comp Audits: Answering questions pertaining to the work comp audit form and certificates of insurance

Please contact Dawn if you:

• Are a township officer and have an insurance coverage question
• Are a township officer and need to file a claim
• Are a township officer and have a work comp audit question

Angela has been at the Minnesota Association of Townships since February of 2015. She has had previous office jobs before coming to MAT. Angela attended and graduated from Elk River Senior High. She lives in Zimmerman with her husband and 2 children.

Angela’s primary duty as an Agency Assistant is to assist the Insurance Trust with Policy Renewals and Endorsements. She is also the back-up for the accounting duties when Christa Sellner is out.

If you need to make an Inland Marine change or have a question about your policy, you will contact Angela.

Sherry Elleraas grew up on a farm in Isanti County and graduated from St. Francis High School and then the Minneapolis Area Vocational Technical Institute. She joined the Association in 2003.

Her primary duties are:

• Answering and directing telephone calls to staff in MAT and MATIT and answering miscellaneous questions such as IRS mileage rates, terms of officers or where the record retention schedule on the website, etc.
• Refers members to State Auditor’s office, MBA office, or other agencies.
• Updating database of all 9,000+ township officers after March and November elections, and miscellaneous changes throughout the year.
• Maintains list of vendors for CTAS checks and envelopes, 3-part numbered receipts, large ledger sheets, loose-leaf systems, etc.

Contact Sherry if:

• You are updating your address
• Need to report changes in township officers because of resignation or death

Jesi was born in Brainerd, MN. She graduated from Elk River Senior High School in 2003. She currently resides in Otsego, MN with her husband and 2 children (ages 5 & 3). She enjoys spending time outdoors in the summer months and relaxing with her family and friends. Jesi joined MAT in early 2016.

Jesi’s primary duties at MAT are:

1. Payroll
2. Accounts payable and Accounts receivable
3. Event Registration (both online and on-site)
4. Event preparation, i.e. name badges, tickets, etc.
5. Membership

Contact Jesi if you want to:

• Cancel your registration (must be in writing)
• Purchase training materials
• Order requests for MAT items, i.e. Manual, directory, etc.