Township Clerk Duties and Responsibilities
Michigan State Law designates the duties of a township clerk, although township boards may require additional responsibilities or delegate certain duties.
Some of the duties and responsibilities of the Comstock Township Clerk include:
- Must appoint a deputy
- Must post a surety bond
- Responsible for the drafting and maintenance of township board meeting minutes
- Publishes board meeting minutes
- Notifies township board members of special township board meetings
- Responsible for township board meeting notices
- Maintains custody of all township records not assigned by law to another board office
- Keeps the township “oath book” (oath slips must be filed with clerk)
- Responsible for maintenance of township “ordinance book” (ordinances, including the zoning ordinance, must be filed with clerk)
- Receives and delivers tax certificates (often L-4029) of taxing entities to supervisor for summer and winter tax bills
- Accounts for all township funds
- Prepares financial reports for the township board:
- Balance sheet by fund (at least monthly)
- Check report (at least monthly)
- Revenue and expenditure report (at least quarterly)
- Provides information to assist in development of budget, at least for clerk’s area of responsibility (clerk’s department, elections department)
- Initiates and signs all payments leaving township (except for current-year tax collection disbursement account). ONLY clerk or deputy clerk can sign payments for the “clerk’s side”. ONLY treasurer or deputy treasurer can sign payments for the “treasurer’s side”. Someone else can do preparation of payments.
- Township “department head” for elections (budgeting and preparation for equipment, software, training, internal staffing, etc.)
- Chairs the township election commission, which appoints election inspectors and conducts specific other pre-election functions
- Voter registration (done year ’round, including specific hours during 14 days prior to an election, early voting days and Election Day)
- Qualified Voter File maintenance and updating
- Candidate and proposal petition filings
- Publishing and posting election notices
- Absent voter process–list, applications, and ballots
- Military and overseas voters
- Ballot proofing
- Preparation and programming of election equipment (electronic pollbook, working with election commission on equipment for preliminary and public accuracy tabulation tests)
- Election day issues (including early voting days)
- Closing the polls/precinct canvass
READ! ENSURING AND SECURING YOUR VOTE
We are currently accepting applications for Election Inspectors. Please click here for further details.
Campaign Signs
All about safety: Temporary Campaign Signs must be placed properly in the Right-of-Way
Road Commission of Kalamazoo County (RCKC):
The placement of temporary wire campaign signs within the right-of-way (county road right-of-way is typically 33 feet from the centerline) must not obstruct vision, especially at intersections. The placement of a large temporary sign supported more permanently in the ground is not allowed. Campaign signs that do not meet these criteria will be removed. Candidates are responsible for obtaining approval from adjacent property owners before placing signs, If the placement of a tempoary sign is in the right-of-way and the property owner does not prefer that the sign be palced there, they should be immediately removed. Signs must be removed after the election.
Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT):
Signs must be placed more than 30 feet from the edge of the roadway (or from the white line along the edge on highways) without barrier-type curbs. On highways that do have barrier curbs, the signs must be more than 3 feet from the back of the curb. Signs are not allowed within clear vision areas at intersections or commercial driveways, or within limited access rights of way. Campaign signs that do not meet these criteria will be removed. Candidates are responsible for obtaining approval from adjacent property owners before placing signs. Signs must be removed within 10 days after the election.
Courtesy of MDOT Press Release
For more information on campaign sign placement standards, visit the Michigan.Gov Web site at https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/travel/safety/road-users/road-signs/political-signs
