Dan Clark, director of the Local Government Center for Montana State University Extension, will be the keynote speaker at this year’s “State of the Community” County-Wide Conference, held Jan. 21 and 22.

Clark will speak during lunch on the first day to set the tone for the rest of the conference sessions. Last year, Clark presented attendees with a series of statements that typify a strong community and asked them where Richland County needed work. This year, he will follow up on the results and facilitate a discussion about how to improve local communities.

One area of concern was the county’s “willingness to invest in the future.” By an overwhelming majority, community members thought Richland County needs work in this area. This can include investing in education, infrastructure and other long-term returns. Similarly, many thought Richland County needed to “creatively build new economic opportunities,” which can encompass a wide array of possibilities, from the potential for new businesses in the area, to beautification of downtowns and increasing employment opportunities. Attendees also saw a need to “support local businesses.” Finally, conference attendees thought “deliberate transition of power to new leaders” was another area that could be improved. This includes smooth transitions between elected officials as well as between changes in leadership in various agencies and organizations and the acceptance of a different generation of leaders. As Marcy Hamburg of the County Planner office said, “community involvement is imperative not only for the success of the conference, but for the future growth of our community’s in Richland County.” At the “State of the Community” County-Wide Conference, everyone will have the chance to make their voice a part of the community’s plans and actions.

To register, please contact Hamburg at the Richland County Planner Office at 433-6886 or e-mail her at mhamburg@richland.org. Online registration is available on the planning Web site at http://www.richland.org/planning.