One of the oldest traditions in the history of Minnesota carries on Tuesday in the annual township meetings. The township system of government was established as part of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, which included the northeast portion of today's Minnesota as a territory. Areas of land were divided into 36-square-mile units called congressional townships.

Today, the term "township" refers to organized but unincorporated areas of the state usually governed by a three-person board of supervisors and a clerk and a treasurer.

The chief responsibility for the boards lies in the upkeep of to...