Group X – State Government Seminar

State Government Seminar, July 23-26, 2002

Group X started their two-year journey with the State Government Seminar, July 23-26 in Madison. Seminar Co-Chairs were Mike Koles, Community Resource Development Educator, Winnebago County Extension and Assistant Professor, Department of Community Resource Development; Brian Ohm, Extension Land Use Law Specialist and Associate Professor at the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, UW-Madison.

The goal of the seminar was focused on increasing participants’ understanding of the fundamentals of state government and how it functions. To facilitate this, participants explored land use issues. They studied the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of state government and how they deal with important public policy issues. They explored how facts, perspectives, values, and beliefs about fundamental issues are incorporated in state policy development. Group X broke into smaller groups and visited different interest groups in the Madison area to better understand the role they play in shaping state policy. And finally, they examined Wisconsin’s comprehensive planning and “Smart Growth” law.

The Greater Madison alumni organized a pig roast on Wednesday evening to welcome Group X. The pig roast was sponsored by Cottage Grove Cooperative and Norwalk Community State Bank. The event was well attended–70 people including 20 alumni, board members, seminar chairs, and Extension Chancellor Kevin Reilly.