For more than 30 years, Dowagiac’s Linda Preston has made it her mission to improve the lives of her neighbors in Pokagon Township from her office inside the township hall.

For the next 12 months, Preston will have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of people throughout the state of Michigan.

The Pokagon Township supervisor was recently elected to serve as president of the Michigan Townships Association Board of Directors during their annual educational conference, held from Jan. 27-30 in Grand Rapids. As head of the board, Preston and the other directors will lead organization’s efforts to promote May’s road funding ballot initiative, with Michigan voters deciding whether or not to increase the sales tax to 7 percent to help fund the repair of the state’s ailing roadways.

“We’re all concerned about that,” Preston said. “We all want good roads for our residents and to encourage economic development in our townships.”

For the lifelong resident of Dowagiac and Pokagon Township, working on behalf of her constituents is old hat.

Preston, whose uncle John Keller served as township supervisor for 30 years, earned her first seat in public office back in 1984, when her 4-H leader, Victor Wyant, suggested that she run for the township clerk position. After serving 20 years in that role, she was elected supervisor, serving her first term in 2004.

“I really enjoy it,” Preston said. “It’s grassroots level government. You can look [constituents] in the eye and tell them how you can help them and what you can do for them.”

Throughout the last 10 years, the leader has overseen a time of great growth within the township, strengthening their relationship with the neighboring Pokagon Band of Potawatomi, Preston said. The township board has worked over the past couple years with the Michigan Transportation Department to bring a historic bridge, currently located in Centerville, to the Dowagiac River crossing on Crystal Springs Street.

“There’s a lot of hidden treasures in Pokagon Township,” Preston said. “We want to make more people in the area aware of what’s going on here.”

In addition to service to the township, Preston has been involved with other regional organizations such as of the Southwest Michigan Regional Planning Commission, Michigan Association of Regions, 4-H, Silver Creek United Methodist Church and Cass County Habitat for Humanity.

Unlike many township officials who enter public service after retirement, Preston was first elected to office at 24-years-old. She has spent the last three decades juggling her responsibilities to the township as a whole, while also raising three kids, the last of which just graduated high school in June.

“The [MTA] presidency came at the perfect time,” Preston said. “I’m finally done with soccer games and high school activities.”

Preston has been involved with the leadership of the MTA since 2005, when she was elected as the District 22 director, where she represented township officials in Berrien, Cass and Van Buren counties. She was elected to the executive board in 2010, serving as secretary, treasurer and vice president before being named president this year.

The first MTA president hailing from Cass County, Preston said she is eager to do the best she can in both her position in Lansing and back home. Despite the increase workload outside the township, she and the rest of the board will continue to see their current set of projects through over the next year, she said.

“I’m real excited to take the helm of the MTA,” Preston said. “It’s a wonderful organization. I just feel really proud to representing them.”