The Meridian Township Clerk is the Department Head of the Clerk’s Office. A Township Clerk is an elected member of the Township Board every four (4) years with an equal vote as the other members of the Board.

The Clerk also has statutory duties and functions as set forth and detailed by state law; including appointing the Deputy Clerk. The mission of the Clerk’s Office is to provide a safe and welcoming sustainable prime community in line with the Township’s vision to achieve and maintain a welcoming community with the highest quality of life for our residents.

The Township Clerk’s Statutory Duties maintained by the Clerk’s Office:

Records:

• Maintains custody of all Township records.
• Maintains the general ledger.
• Records and maintains Township meeting minutes.
• Keeps Township ordinance book.

Notices:

• Keeps the Township book of oaths.
• Responsible for special meeting notices.
• Publishes board meeting minutes.

Financials:

• Prepares warrants for Township checks.
• Prepares financial statements.
• Delivers tax certificates to supervisor and county clerk by September 30.
• Must post a surety bond.

Elections:

• Administers elections according to state law.
• Keeps voter registration file.
• Registers voters.
• Maintains Permanent absentee ballot list.

Township clerks are certified by the State of Michigan under the Election Officials’ Accreditation Program mandated by Michigan election law to maintain voter registration records for their township, and are responsible for administering all federal, state, county, township and, in some cases, village elections. Township clerks who have a school district wholly contained within their township are also responsible for the administration of the school district’s elections. Election administration consists of:

• Receiving nominating petitions and Affidavits of Identity.

• Managing voter registration using the QVF system: Accepting voter registrations, maintaining voter registration files, transferring voter registrations in compliance with federal and state record keeping requirements and oversees the use of the electronic poll book.

• Administering absentee voting (AV) and conducting elections: Receiving AV applications and records, tracks and mails AV ballots.

• Election responsibilities include controlling campaign materials, handling recounts, conducting special and recall elections.

• Posting and publishing state-required election notices.

• Township Election Commissions are chaired by the Township Clerk and are responsible for designating precincts and polling places, selecting voting machines, testing equipment and conducting public accuracy tests, printing and proofreading ballots and appointing election inspectors.

The FOIA Act regulates and sets requirements for the disclosure of public records by all public bodies in the state. FOIA states that all persons, except those in prison, upon written request have a reasonable opportunity to inspect, copy, or receive copies of the requested public record of the public body.

Township Clerk Deborah Guthrie is the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Coordinator for Meridian Township.

FOIA’s can be requested in person, via mail, or through our JustFOIA online request portal.

Record retention including the Code of Ordinances. 

• The Clerk is required by state law to maintain an ordinance book, and from time to time a municipality may compile or codify all of its current ordinances and publish that compilation or code.

• Minutes are recorded to provide an accurate written history of the proceedings of a board, commission, or committee meeting. The Open Meetings Act (OMA) contains the legal requirements for minutes of public body meetings. Minutes must be kept for all meetings and are retained by the Clerk’s Office. Minutes of closed meetings are also recorded and kept by the Clerk.

• When the Township Board wishes to adopt a resolution, they become part of the permanent record of the municipality retained by the Clerk’s Office.

• The Clerk’s Office follows Michigan law (MCL 399.5 and 750.491) requiring that all public records be listed on an approved Retention and Disposal Schedule that identifies the minimum amount of time that records must be kept to satisfy administrative, legal, fiscal and historical needs.

• The Deputy Clerk is the records manager of Glendale Cemetery and Riverside Cemetery. 

• The Deputy Clerk oversees the operations and management of, and improvements to Township-owned Cemeteries.

• Only Glendale Cemetery is available to purchase a plot. For more information on Glendale Cemetery or purchasing a plot, please contact the Deputy Clerk at 517.853.4328.

• The “Cemetery Find a Grave” website is a helpful website to find burial locations.

• Find out more about Glendale Cemetery and search our database.

Notary Services by Appointment Only:

The Clerk’s Office provides free notary services to Township residents only. If you have Notary business to conduct with the Clerk’s Office, please email to make an appointment. If you need to make an appointment, you must email Township Clerk Deborah Guthrie at clerksoffice@meridian.mi.us.

• The Open Meetings Act requires a public body to give the public notice prior to holding a meeting. The Clerk’s Office oversees proper notice is given for regular meetings, public hearings, special meetings, election notices, police auctions and bids.

• The Clerk’s Office maintains affidavits of publication and other proof of publication for notices.

Meridian Township Public Notices