Government

From the Michigan Township Association website:

"Townships are a product of Michigan’s early history. Historians believe American township government was modeled after the English system of government. Settlers in New England developed small communities that delivered local services, while a county served as the administrative arm of government. When the Erie Canal opened, many New Yorkers migrated to Michigan and brought their form of government with them.

"While you might hear local units in Michigan referred to as “cities and towns,” that’s actually incorrect. Michigan doesn’t have towns—it has townships, cities and villages, with townships governing 96 percent of Michigan’s land area outside of cities. In fact, in Michigan, if you don’t live in a city, you live in a township.

"Michigan is one of 20 states that currently has some form of township government. In Michigan, it is often difficult to discern the differences between townships, cities and villages.

"There are, however, significant differences that are important to the people charged with administering township affairs and deciding township policies. Townships and counties are statutory units of government, having only those powers expressly provided or fairly implied by state law. Cities and most villages are vested with home rule powers, meaning they can do almost anything not prohibited by law.

Two types of townships
"There are two types of townships in Michigan—general law and charter townships [e.g., "Parma Township" and "Sandstone Charter Township," respectively - GWB]. Charter township status is a special township classification created by the Michigan Legislature in 1947 to provide additional powers and streamlined administration for governing a growing community. A primary motivation for townships to adopt the charter form is to provide greater protection against annexation by a city. Currently, 146 Michigan townships have opted to become charter townships.

"The state of Michigan has 1,240 townships, which vary considerably in geographical size and population. Based on 2020 U.S. Census figures, township population in Michigan varies from 15 to nearly 100,500 people.

Who runs townships?
"Township government is conducted by a township board consisting of either five or seven members—a supervisor, clerk, treasurer, and two or four trustees. The number of trustees is determined by the desires of the township residents, and whether or not the township has a population of over 5,000, or 3,000 registered electors or is a charter township.

"The township board may also hire a manager, assessor, police or fire chief, superintendent, and other necessary personnel to properly and efficiently operate the township."

For more information from the Michigan Township Association about Michigan townships, what laws govern them, and where their revenue comes from, click here MTA info on townships