CONTINUED....
operations of the township.
The township board of a charter township is authorized to hire a superintendent. [[MCL
42.11) If the township board appoints a superintendent, the board may delegate any or
all of the following statutory duties to that official:
❑ Oversee enforcement of township ordinances and laws;
❑ Manage public improvement projects; oversee construction, repair, maintenance,
lighting and cleaning of township property, including streets, sidewalks, bridges,
and sewers;

General Law or Charter Township? / MTA, February 2005 Page 1 of 13
❑ Manage construction, repair, maintenance of sidewalks, streets, bridges,
sewers, pavements of all public buildings and other township property;
❑ Oversee operation of township utilities and maintenance of township property,
tools and appliances;
❑ Oversee terms and conditions of township contracts;
❑ Attend township board meetings and take part in discussions, but without the
right to vote;
❑ Serve as ex-officio member of all township board committees;
❑ Prepare and administer the annual budget under township board direction and
apprise the township board of the township’s financial status;
❑ Make recommendations to the township board as necessary;
❑ Administer all township departments;
❑ Serve as the purchasing agent for the township or delegate this responsibility to
some other officer or employee;
❑ Conduct authorized sales of township personal property;
❑ Serve as personnel director or delegate this duty to some other officer or
employee, and
❑ Perform any other duties delegated to him/her which are not assigned to some
other official. [[MCL 42.10)
If these duties are not delegated to the superintendent, they become the responsibility
of the township supervisor. In effect, this provides additional authority to a charter
township supervisor beyond that accorded a supervisor of a general law township.
If a board appoints a superintendent, he or she serves at the pleasure of the township
board. State law provides that the township board determines the superintendent’s
salary, and the appointee must become a township resident within 90 days of assuming
the position, unless the board waives the requirement by resolution adopted by 2/3 of
the members of the board. The act also provides that the appointee must be selected
on the basis of training and ability without regard to political or religious preferences.
[[MCL 42.11)
If a township has not appointed a township superintendent under MCL 42.10, the township
board may employ a township manager to perform duties lawfully delegated to the
manager by the township board. The duties may include those that are delegated by
law to another township official if written consent has been granted by that official.
MCL42.10a)
State law does not specify the duties of a township manager. MTA’s position is that a township manager can be delegated the same duties as a superintendent.
Page 2 of 13 General Law or Charter Township? / MTA, February 2005

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