What does the township clerk do?
The Township Clerk’s Office is a frontline point of contact for the public. Customers contact the Clerk’s Office to obtain general information and access historical documents, as well as to exercise their right to vote, obtain business licenses, and receive notary services. Below you will find details on a selection of the varied duties and responsibilities of the Clerk's Office.
Official Archive Administration: The Clerk’s Office is responsible for the retention of all official records of the Township. This includes, for example, township policies and procedures, ordinances, resolutions, publication records and affidavits, meeting minutes, forms, and personnel records Records are kept in accordance with the official Records Retention Policy developed by the State of Michigan.
Requests for information submitted under the Freedom of Information Act should be directed to: Kimberly M. Britten, FOIA Coordinator, 7940 County Farm Rd, Parma MI 49269. More information regarding FOIA requests can be found on our FOIA page.
Accounting: The Township Clerk is the Fiscal Officer for Sandstone Township. The Clerk handles initial payroll administration for township employees - documenting hours worked, hourly rates, per diem payments for meeting attendance, inspection fees - with actual payment of salaries and wages, and tax withholding remittances, handled by a contracted payroll service. The Clerk prepares the warrants for payables each month, presents them to the Board of Trustees for approval, writes the checks, and coordinates with the Township Treasurer to co-sign and send out the checks in payment of township expenses. At each month's Board of Trustees meeting, the Clerk, as required by the Sandstone Charter Township General Appropriations Act, provides a budget report to the Board which includes a summary statement showing the revenues and expenditures - budgeted and actual - for the previous month, for the current Fiscal Year, and for the same months during the previous Fiscal Year. The Clerk provides accounting reports and information that the Supervisor requires to fulfill his administrative duties to the Township and also provides the financial information that the Supervisor needs to develop the township annual budget. The Clerk works closely with the township's accountant and is the principal township contact person in connection with the state-required annual financial audit.
Elections: The Clerk’s Office is responsible for administering all elections held in the Township. The Township has approximately 3,330 registered voters assigned to 3 precincts. The Township Clerk hires, trains and supervises all election inspectors. The Township Clerk’s office works extensively with the State of Michigan Bureau of Elections, the Jackson County Clerk's Office. For more information including becoming an election inspector, absentee balloting, and election results please visit our Elections page.
Boards/Commissions: The Township Clerk is Secretary to the Township Board and the Chair/Secretary of the Election Commission. Communications or requests for these boards should be directed to the Clerk's Office.
Notary Services: The Township Clerk's office provides notary service to the general public. This service is currently free for Township residents and $5 for those residing outside of Sandstone Township. Customers interested in notary services should bring the document to be notarized and current picture ID. Please ensure the document is fully completed, but DO NOT sign the document prior to presenting it for notarization. The Sandstone Charter Township Clerk does not notarize affidavits (sworn testimony) or administer oaths (other than for township officials).