Clerk Statutory Duties

• Must appoint a Deputy
• Must post a surety bond
• Responsible for the drafting and maintenance of Township Board
  meeting minutes
• Publishes Board meeting minutes (if taxable value is $114 million
  in 2025, annually indexed, or a charter township)
• 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
• Monthly reconciles general ledger against Treasurer’s banking ledger, receipts and deposits (required by Michigan Treasury Accounting Procedures Manual; in a Charter Township, MCL 42.29 requires Supervisor or Superintendent to do)
• Prepares financial reports for the Township Board:
• At least monthly balance sheet by fund (best practice per Michigan Treasury Accounting Procedures Manual)
• At least monthly check report
• At least quarterly revenue and expenditure report (required per Michigan Treasury Accounting Procedures Manual)
• 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. ONLY Clerk or Deputy Clerk can sign payments (checks/electronic) 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.
• Unless records are assigned by law to another office, maintains or oversees maintenance of personnel, payroll and payables records.
• 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 local 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 if applicable)
• Closing the polls/precinct canvas

Deputy Clerk Statutory Duties

• The Deputy shall take an oath of office and file the oath with the Clerk.
• In case of the absence, sickness, death, or other disability of the Clerk, the Deputy shall possess the powers and perform the duties of the Clerk, except the Deputy shall not have a vote on the Township Board.
• The Deputy shall be paid by salary or otherwise as the Township Board determines.

With the approval of the Township Clerk, the Deputy may assist the Township Clerk in the performance of the Township Clerk’s duties at any additional times agreed upon between the Board and the Clerk, except the Deputy shall not have a vote on the Township Board.