HOUSE BILL No. 4780

 

May 17, 2007, Introduced by Rep. Condino and referred to the Committee on Intergovernmental, Urban and Regional Affairs.

 

     A bill to require that certain services provided by certain

 

township or charter township officials be provided by certain

 

county officials; to impose duties on certain county, township, and

 

charter township officials; and to provide for reimbursement to the

 

counties for certain services provided to the township or charter

 

township.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the

 

"township services consolidation act".

 

     Sec. 3. As used in this act, "rural township" means a township

 

or charter township in existence on the effective date of this act

 

that meets either of the following criteria as determined by the

 

department of treasury:

 

     (a) Has a population of less than 10,000.


 

     (b) Has a population of 10,000 or more but less than 20,000

 

and does not provide for and make available fire, police on a 24-

 

hour basis either through contracting for or directly employing

 

personnel, water to 50% or more of its residents, and sewer

 

services to 50% or more of its residents.

 

     Sec. 5. (1) After December 31, 2008, the clerk of a rural

 

township shall no longer conduct elections. Elections held in a

 

rural township shall be conducted by the county clerk of the county

 

where the rural township is located.

 

     (2) The clerk of a rural township shall provide to the county

 

clerk any documents and information necessary to allow the county

 

clerk to conduct elections for the rural township.

 

     (3) After December 31, 2008, if the clerk of a rural township

 

is required or has agreed to conduct school elections under the

 

Michigan election law, 1954 PA 116, MCL 168.1 to 168.992, the

 

county clerk shall conduct those school elections for the clerk of

 

the rural township.

 

     (4) A county clerk who conducts elections for a rural township

 

pursuant to this act shall comply with the provisions of the

 

Michigan election law, 1954 PA 116, MCL 168.1 to 168.992.

 

     (5) A rural township shall pay to the county that conducts a

 

regular or special election for the rural township an amount

 

determined in accordance with this section.

 

     (6) If a rural township's regular or special election is held

 

in conjunction with another election conducted by the county, the

 

rural township shall pay the county 100% of the actual additional

 

costs attributable to conducting the rural township's regular or


 

special election. If a rural township's regular or special election

 

is not held in conjunction with another election conducted by the

 

county, the rural township shall pay the county 100% of the actual

 

costs of conducting the rural township's regular or special

 

election.

 

     (7) The county shall present to the rural township a verified

 

account of actual costs of conducting the rural township's regular

 

or special election not later than 84 days after the date of the

 

election. The rural township shall pay or disapprove all or a

 

portion of the verified account within 28 days after the rural

 

township receives a verified account of actual costs under this

 

subsection.

 

     (8) If the rural township disapproves all or a portion of a

 

verified account of actual costs under subsection (7), the rural

 

township shall send a notice of disapproval along with the reasons

 

for the disapproval to the county. Upon request of the county whose

 

verified account or portion of a verified account was disapproved

 

under this section, the rural township shall review the disapproved

 

costs with the county.

 

     (9) If the county and the rural township cannot agree on the

 

actual costs of an election as prescribed by this section, the

 

secretary of state shall determine those actual costs.

 

     Sec. 7. (1) After December 31, 2008, the treasurer of a rural

 

township shall no longer collect taxes and the supervisor of a

 

rural township shall no longer assess property for the rural

 

township. Taxes for a rural township shall be collected by the

 

county treasurer of the county where the rural township is located.


 

Property shall be assessed by the county equalization department of

 

the county where the rural township is located.

 

     (2) The treasurer, supervisor, assessor, or other assessing

 

officer of a rural township shall provide to the county treasurer

 

and to the county equalization department any documents and

 

information necessary to allow the county treasurer to collect

 

taxes for the rural township and the county equalization department

 

to assess property for the rural township.

 

     (3) A county treasurer who collects taxes for a rural township

 

and a county equalization department that assesses property for a

 

rural township pursuant to this act shall comply with the

 

provisions of the general property tax act, 1893 PA 206, MCL 211.1

 

to 211.155.

 

     (4) If a rural township has authorized a property tax

 

administration fee under section 44 of the general property tax

 

act, 1893 PA 206, MCL 211.44, the county may retain that portion of

 

the property tax administration fee equal to the actual costs the

 

county incurs in collecting taxes and assessing property for the

 

rural township. If a rural township has not authorized a property

 

tax administration fee under section 44 of the general property tax

 

act, 1893 PA 206, MCL 211.44, or if the amount retained is less

 

than the actual costs incurred, the county shall present to the

 

rural township a verified account of actual costs of collecting

 

taxes and assessing property not later than 84 days after the date

 

of the return of delinquent taxes under section 56 of the general

 

property tax act, 1893 PA 206, MCL 211.56. The rural township shall

 

pay or disapprove all or a portion of the verified account within


 

28 days after the rural township receives a verified account of

 

actual costs under this subsection. If the rural township

 

disapproves all or a portion of a verified account of actual costs

 

under this subsection, the rural township shall send a notice of

 

disapproval along with the reasons for the disapproval to the

 

county. Upon request of the county whose verified account or

 

portion of a verified account was disapproved under this

 

subsection, the rural township shall review the disapproved costs

 

with the county. If the county and the rural township cannot agree

 

on the actual costs incurred, the department of treasury shall

 

determine those costs.

 

     Sec. 9. Except as otherwise provided in this act, a rural

 

township shall retain the same powers, duties, and functions that

 

the township or charter township currently has under either 1846 RS

 

16, MCL 41.1a to 41.110c, or the charter township act, 1947 PA 359,

 

MCL 42.1 to 42.34.

 

     Enacting section 1. This act does not take effect unless all

 

of the following bills of the 94th Legislature are enacted into

 

law:

 

     (a) Senate Bill No.____ or House Bill No. 4781(request no.

 

02329'07 a).

 

     (b) Senate Bill No.____ or House Bill No. 4782(request no.

 

02329'07 b).

 

     (c) Senate Bill No.____ or House Bill No. 4783(request no.

 

02329'07 c).

 

     (d) Senate Bill No.____ or House Bill No. 4784(request no.

 

02329'07 d).


 

     (e) Senate Bill No.____ or House Bill No. 4785(request no.

 

02329'07 e).

 

     (f) Senate Bill No.____ or House Bill No. 4786(request no.

 

02329'07 f).

 

     (g) Senate Bill No.____ or House Bill No. 4787(request no.

 

02329'07 g).

 

     (h) Senate Bill No.____ or House Bill No. 4788(request no.

 

02329'07 h).