The township board shall meet in special session at the call of the township clerk upon the written request of the supervisor or of two members of the township board. Notice of special meetings shall be given to each township board member at least 18 hours in advance of the special meeting. Such notice shall be served personally, left at the member’s usual place of residence by the township clerk or the clerk’s designee, or, at the direction of the individual member, either (a) sent by telefacsimile; (b) sent by Internet; (c) sent by E-Mail; (d) picked up by the member at the Township hall after telephone notification, or (e) by any other technological mode of communication available to the township and designated as preferable by the board member. If mailed, it must be postmarked at least 4 calendar days in advance of the scheduled meeting. The notice shall also contain the time, place, and purpose of the meeting. This does not preclude the calling of special meetings with less notice as defined by the Open Meeting Act. ( Revised 10/19/98.)

Regularly scheduled meetings shall be held in the meeting room in the township hall. Whenever the regular meeting room of the township board shall appear to be inadequate for members of the public to attend, the supervisor or clerk may change the meeting to a larger facility located in the township. A notice of such change shall be prominently posted on the door of the regular meeting room. At the clerk’s discretion, notice of change in location of the meeting may be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the township.

Regularly scheduled meetings shall begin at a time designated by the township board unless the board shall, by a majority vote of the Township Board (four or more affirmative votes), set a different starting time. The township board shall not begin considering any matter on the agenda, not presently under consideration, by the hour of 10:30 p.m., except by unanimous consent of the board members present. Matters on the agenda and not acted upon at the time of adjournment will be placed on the agenda of the next regular or special meeting.

Changes in the regularly scheduled meetings shall not be made except upon approval of a majority vote of the Township Board (four or more affirmative votes). In the event the board shall meet and a quorum is not present, the meeting will not be held.

The clerk shall post a notice on or before the first Monday in January in each calendar year, indicating the dates, times and places of the board’s regular meeting schedule.

Whenever the board shall change its regular schedule of meetings, the clerk shall post a notice of the change within 3 days following the meeting in which the change was made.

If the board shall reschedule a meeting or call a special meeting under rule 2.2, the clerk shall post a notice of such change immediately and no meeting except emergency meetings shall be held until the notice shall have been posted at least 18 hours. An emergency meeting shall be held only upon consent of two-thirds (5) of the members and only if a delay places the health, safety, or welfare of the public in severe and/or imminent danger.

The clerk shall notify, without charge, any newspaper, or radio or television station of such meeting schedule, schedule changes, or special meetings, whenever such newspaper, radio or television station shall have filed with the clerk, a written request for such notice. The clerk shall also notify other individuals or organizations of regular meeting schedules, changes in the schedule, or special meetings, but only upon written request and agreement to pay the township for printing and postage expenses. The clerk shall mail all such notices pursuant to this rule by first class mail.

Four Township Board members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at all meetings of the township board.

Regular attendance is expected and each board member is expected to notify the clerk or supervisor whenever absence is anticipated in a timely manner.

The township clerk shall prepare the agenda of business for all regularly scheduled township board meetings. Any other board member or representative of township committees, boards or commissions desiring to place a matter on the agenda shall notify the clerk of such item and deliver to the clerk any supporting documents by the close of business NOON on the Wednesday preceding the next regular meeting and shall be placed under the heading of "Pending Business" or "New Business" in an appropriate order. (Amended 1/19/06)

Items which require action and have not been submitted by the stated deadline to be included on the agenda, shall not be considered by the board, except upon unanimous consent of the members present.

Whenever the board shall be called into a special meeting, the matters to be considered shall be stated on the agenda for that meeting. No other action matters shall be considered except when all members are present and only upon unanimous consent of the board.

At least four (4) days prior to a regular scheduled meeting, the clerk shall prepare the agenda together with copies of reports, explanations, etc., that relate to the business matters coming to the board. Materials will be available to be picked up by the board members at the close of business on the Thursday preceding the regular meeting.

The agenda shall be arranged in the following order of business:

&#No Response Correspondence

Routine Bills

The chair person may change the order of the agenda to facilitate action on the business before the board or to accommodate those in attendance.

This item of the agenda is reserved for members of the public who do not wish to or cannot stay through the entire agenda and wish to speak on any item (agenda related or not). A time limit of 3 minutes will may be strictly enforced and the board shall respond as is appropriate. Each member of the public shall identify themselves before they speak. Also at this time, it will be considered appropriate to address questions to the County Commissioner when in attendance. NOTE: The public may also be provided an opportunity to add their comments after or during the discussion of each action on the agenda, after the board has discussed each item, but before a vote is taken.

The list of bills to date will be prepared and distributed according to Section 5.3. A totaled list of bills indicating the items which have been paid as a matter of policy will be presented at the meetings.

This item will contain any item which was on a previous agenda and which has not been concluded.

This agenda item will include any item which is placed before the board for the first time. For the purpose of this section, new business items will begin with their first appearance subsequent to the adoption of this policy.

Reports may be presented in written or verbal form. Written reports shall be submitted according to section 5.1 and distributed according to section 5.3.

This agenda item will allow for additional public comment. However, after 10:30 p.m. all speakers will be limited to one minute. The board shall respond to the public comments in an appropriate manner.

collectively by a single vote of the board. The consent agenda items shall be separately appended to the

minutes.

Board members wishing to speak shall first obtain the approval of the chair and each person who speaks shall address the chair. Other persons at the meeting shall not speak unless recognized by the chair.

The supervisor may call to order any person who is being disorderly by speaking or otherwise disrupting the proceedings, by failing to be germane, by speaking longer than the allotted time, or by speaking vulgarities. Such person shall thereupon be seated until the supervisor shall have determined whether the person is in order. If a person so engaged in presentation shall be called out of order, he or she shall not be permitted to continue to speak at the same meeting except on special leave by the township board. If the person shall continue to be disorderly and disrupt the meeting, the supervisor may recess in order to call the sheriff to have the person removed from the meeting. No person shall be removed from a public meeting except for an actual breech of the peace committed at the meeting.

As the official record keeper for the township, the township clerk shall be responsible for maintaining the official record (minutes) of each meeting of the board. The clerk shall maintain in the office of the clerk, copies of the agenda, and each resolution, ordinance or other matter acted upon by the board. The official minutes, however, may refer to those matters by an identifying number and title descriptive of the ordinance, resolution, or other matter.

The clerk or the clerk’s designee shall be responsible for transcribing a written record of the action taken on all items on the agenda. The minutes shall include the following:

a. The names of the members in attendance

c. The results of all votes including the names and the respective vote on roll call votes

d. The names of person representing reports

e. A notation of who made public comment and their subject

However, the clerk shall not be responsible for maintaining a written record or summary written record of the discussion or comments of the board members nor of comments made by members of the public. The clerk shall be responsible for making an electronic tape recording of each meeting of the board, and each such recording shall be maintained in the office of the clerk for a period not less than 30 days following the date of the meeting or until the meeting minutes have been approved. Thereafter, the recording may be erased, unless the recording shall be pertinent to any legal proceedings then underway, pending, or expected.

Any member of the board may request to have his or her comments printed as part of the record subject to the approval of the board. Such comments to be included as part of the official record shall be provided in writing by the member.

The clerk shall make available to members of the public the records and minutes of the board meeting in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act. Minutes prepared by the clerk, but not approved by the board, shall be available for public inspection not more than eight (8) business days following the meeting. Minutes approved by the board shall be available within five (5) business days of the meeting at which they were approved. The clerk shall also promptly send copies to persons who have subscribed and paid the fee as established by the township board.

Annually or at a regularly scheduled meeting within 30 days of the new fiscal year, the board shall recommend membership to the standing committees as listed under Rule 8.3, subject to the majority vote of the Township Board (four or more affirmative votes).

For a new committee appointment or for an appointment of an expiring term, the clerk shall advertise at least 14 days in advance of the meeting at which the board shall consider the appointment. The board may make recommendations from applications received whether advertised or not, to fill unexpired terms unless where state law prescribes otherwise. All appointments are subject to a majority vote of the Township Board (four or more affirmative votes).

The township board shall appoint a temporary chair for the purpose of calling the first meeting of new citizen committees. Established committees shall elect their own chair at their annual/organizational meeting or according to their own by-laws.

BOARD or COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT RESPONSIBILITY MEMBER(S) APPOINTING AUTHORITY

Cemetery Board Administration of Cemetery Twp. Clerk By Statute

Chair Pro Tem Chair Board Meetings in the absence Any Board Selected by

of the Twp. Supervisor #9; Member Twp. Board

Clinton County Twp. Officers Assoc. Represents Watertown in Assoc. 2 Members Board of Trustees

Election Board Oversees election process Clerk & 2 Trustees Board of Trustees

Emergency Services Appeal Hear Appeals for Emergency Charges Supervisor’s Office, Clerk, and Treasurer

Environmental Issues Reviews Twp Environmental Concerns 1 Member Board of Trustees

Granger Landfill Trust (GLIT) Chairs & Manages the Trust Fund Twp. Supervisor per Court Order in Settlement

Looking Glass Regional Fire Authority Represents the Twp. Interests @ LGRFA 2 Members Board of Trustees

Parks & Recreation Committee Assist Parks & Recreation Management 1 Member Board of Trustees

Planning Commission Represents the BOT on the Planning Comm. 1 Member Supervisor Recommends

Policy & Personnel Committee Recommends to the BOT Policies 4 Trustees Automatic Membership

Public Safety Committee Recommends to BOT on Public Safety Issues 1 Member Board of Trustees

Sewer Appeals Board Hear Appeals of REU determinations Supervisor’s Office presents; Clerk’s Office Records

BOARD or COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT RESPONSIBILITY MEMBER(S) APPOINTING AUTHORITY

Board of Review Reviews Assessment Appeals 3 members Board of Trustees

Capital Improvement Recommends CIP to Twp. Board 8 members Planning Commission

BOARD or COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT RESPONSIBILITY MEMBER(S) APPOINTING AUTHORITY

Cemetery Board Manages Cemetery Operations 4 Members Board of Trustees

Clinton County Solid Waste Council Represents Twp. Interests 1 Person Clinton County Commissioners

Twp. Board may recommend

Construction Board of Appeals Hears Appeals on the Construction Code 5 Members Board of Trustees

Emergency Preparedness Committee Recommends to BOT Preparedness Issues 5 Members Board of Trustees

Environmental Committee Recommends action regarding 5 Members Board of Trustees

Environmental Issues

Granger Landfill Trust (GLIT) Manages the GLIT 1 Member Board of Trustees

Groundwater Management Board & Represents Township on Regional Water Issues 1 Member Board of Trustees

Technical Committee

Parks & Recreation Board Manages Parks & Recreational Activities 7 Members Board of Trustees

Planning Commission Adopt/Recommend plans/zoning issues 9 Members Supervisor Recommends

Public Safety Committee Recommends to BOT on Public Safety Issues 5 Members Board of Trustees

Road Conditions Committee Reviews Road Conditions to BOT 5 Members Board of Trustees

Salary Compensation Commission Determines the Salary of Elected 5 Members Board of Trustees

Officials

SCCMUA Represents Twp @ Sewer Authority 2 Members Board of Trustees

Sewer Appeals Board Hear Appeals of REU determinations 5 Members Board of Trustees

Zoning Board of Appeals Hears P&Z appeals/variances 5 Members Board of Trustees

1 - Planning Commission

The committee shall consist of three (3) members selected annually directed by the Township Board at the recommendation of the Township Supervisor who will be responsible for the overall production and content of the Township Newsletter. Committee members shall serve without compensation.

The committee shall assure the Township Newsletter will comply with the requirements of MCL 41.110c authorizing the Township Board to appropriate money to expend funds to maintain and circulate a publication to disseminate information regarding township improvements, activities and functions.

The committee will also have the authority to budget costs, edit copy, establish a publishing schedule and select a newsletter coordinator. (Amended (added): 8/16/99, 12/10/02)

The township clerk shall be responsible for the preparation of a membership roster of all township boards, commissions, committees, and other appointments. The roster shall include the names, addresses, phone numbers, and respective term with expiration dates of all members. The roster shall be prepared and permanently posted within thirty days of any changes.

A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum. Each committee, commission, or board shall be posted according to the requirements of the Open Meetings Act, even though it may not be subject to the Act.

Each committee, commission, or board shall maintain a written record of its meetings and shall deliver such record to the township clerk. The record of each meeting shall include at least the following: the date and place of the meeting, members attending and any final recommendations that the committee has approved. Such meeting record shall constitute a public record in the meaning of the Freedom of Information Act, and shall be made available to any persons as required by the act.

No committee shall sit during a session of the township board, unless the board grants it leave to do so.

Whenever the board shall meet in "working meetings," the board shall meet as a committee of the whole and the supervisor shall preside. In the absence of the supervisor, the chairperson pro tempore shall preside.

Meetings of the committee of the whole shall conform to the requirements of the Open Meetings Act with respect to public notice, except when the board may devolve into a committee of the whole at one of its regular meetings.

The rules of the township board shall be observed in meetings of the committee of the whole as far as they are applicable, except with respect to limiting debate, moving to vote immediately, and taking a roll call vote.

Ordinances referred to the committee of the whole, unless otherwise ordered by the committee, shall be read through by the township clerk and then considered and adopted by sections. All amendments shall be offered in writing in duplicate and read by the clerk.

Whenever the committee of the whole shall have completed its deliberations, a member shall move that the committee rise and report to the township board. The motion to rise is always in order and shall be decided without debate. Motions recommending action by the township board shall take precedence in the same order as analogous motions in the township board. A motion to reconsider any matter of substance acted upon by the committee of the whole and made by a member of the voting majority shall always be in order.

Whenever the board directs a committee to study, write or review an issue, the committee shall report back to the board within 30 days, unless stated otherwise. The board shall have the discretion to accept or reject any or all of the committee’s report or to take action in the absence of the committee’s report.

The township may meet in closed session according to the provisions of the Open Meeting Act of 1976, as amended MCLA 15.267 & 15.268. The township board shall hold closed sessions without vote for purposes a and b below. A closed session may be held with a 2/3’s vote (5) of the board for purposes c, d, e, and f.

WITHOUT VOTE:

WITH VOTE:

To consider the purchase or lease of real property up to the time an option to lease or purchase that real property is obtained.

To consider material exempt from discussion or disclosure by state or federal statute.

At each closed session, the clerk shall keep a separate record. This record of minutes shall not be disclosed to the public, except upon court order. The clerk may destroy said minutes after one year and one day have passed following approval of the closed meeting.

Whenever a question is under debate, no motion shall be received except a motion to:

These motions shall take precedence in the order in which they are stated above.

The motion to adjourn, to clear the floor, to recess, to lay an item on the table, to vote immediately, and all questions relating to the priority of business, shall be ordered and voted upon without debate.

A decision to lay an item on the table shall carry with it all questions to which it is attached, except in the case of laying on the table an appeal of the decision of the chair.

A motion to vote immediately may be limited by the mover to one or more questions preceding the main question itself. A roll call vote may be demanded on the question to vote immediately. Whenever the question to vote immediately is ordered, any question, order, or appeal from the decision of the chair shall be decided without debate. If the board rejects the motion to vote immediately, the consideration of the matter shall be resumed as if no motion therefore had been made.

A motion to reconsider shall be in order on any question the board has decided, but no question shall be reconsidered more than once. The motion to reconsider shall be in order, however, on the same day as the vote to be reconsidered was taken and in the next regular meeting following. The motion to reconsider shall be moved only by a member who voted with the majority on the vote to be reconsidered. A motion to reconsider a motion to amend shall not be in order, if the main question has been voted upon. If the board has adopted the question of reconsideration, however, motions to amend shall be in order.

A vote to postpone indefinitely shall not be reconsidered. It shall not be in order to take from the table a motion to reconsider, nor shall the vote whereby any motion to reconsider was laid on the table be reconsidered.

A motion to clear the floor may be made by the chair at any time the chair believes that procedural matters have become sufficiently confused. If the motion to clear the floor is adopted, it shall clear the floor completely of all procedural motions and have the same effect as if all such matters have been withdrawn. The motion shall not be subject to debate nor, if adopted, to a motion to reconsider.

A motion to temporarily suspend the rules may be made at any time. A majority vote the Township Board (four or more affirmative votes), may temporarily suspend the rules to facilitate the accomplishment of any legal objective of the board in legal manner.

Any member of the board may appeal from any decision of the chair. On all appeals the question shall be, "Shall the decision of the chair stand as the judgment of the township board?" Appeals shall be debatable except when the township board is under operation of the order to vote immediately or the decision appealed from relates to the priority of business. Any such appeal may be laid on the table, but it shall not carry with it the matter before the township board at the time such appeal is taken.

Whenever a question is put by the chair, every member present shall vote on all questions to be decided by the township board. All questions shall be decided by a majority vote of the board. A majority vote of the Township Board is defined as four (4) or more affirmative votes.

A board member shall abstain from voting if the member might gain personal and/or financial benefits or if direct involvement exists which prevents objectivity. An abstention shall be granted by a unanimous vote of the members present.

On demand by any township board member, the vote on any pending question shall be taken by a roll call vote. Also, any action taken with a dissenting vote shall require that a second vote be taken on a roll call basis, or votes stated.

When a roll call vote is demanded on a question and after the chair has stated the question, the township clerk is directed to call the roll; no member of the township board is entitled to speak on the question, nor shall any motion be in order until such roll call vote is completed and the result is announced. The order of a roll call vote shall be varied during each meeting from one vote to the next in a random manner. The clerk shall have such random list of the board members available at each meeting for such purposes.

All questions of procedure shall be governed in the following order of priority:

a. State Law

b. Township Law, Ordinance or Policy

c. Robert’s Rules of Order, newly revised edition, 1970

The required order for consideration of proposed ordinances is as follows:

a. Introduction and / or first reading

b. Committee (s) review and report

c. Review by an attorney

d. Publication or posting

f. Publication or posting

Any township board member may introduce an ordinance at any regular meeting of the township board in the regular order of business. The introduction shall include a statement of the purpose and the outline of the proposed ordinance’s content. A motion will be required to send the proposed ordinance to the appropriate committee (s) for review and/or writing.

The township board may refer the proposed ordinance to a board, committee, commission or business manager for review and / or writing. In addition, the Board may refer the ordinance to the Policy Committee for review who shall make a written recommendation to the full board within two months. Special circumstances can allow for one 30 day extension to be granted upon request to and approval by the board.

The Board shall vote to refer an ordinance to an attorney for review as to legality, form and section numbers after the ordinance has been introduced and, if directed by the Board, reviewed by committee.

In accordance with MCL 42.8 and MCL 42.20, the clerk shall after the first reading do one of the following:

b. Post the ordinance at the township hall plus five other locations in the township. A notice

must be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the township that gives a

description and purpose of the ordinance and lists the 6 locations in which it has been posted.

The first reading shall include title, purpose and review in detail, including discussion of committee recommendations, if any, and all revisions.

The final reading of the full text of an ordinance is optional and may be ordered by a majority vote of the Township Board (four or more affirmative votes). Prior to the vote to adopt an ordinance, the Board shall provide sufficient time for public comment.

Each ordinance introduced shall be in writing. Any ordinance proposing to amend an existing ordinance shall contain those sections proposed for amendment in full. Proposed deletion of words and phrases shall be shown with lines drawn through them. Proposed addition of words shall be shown in capital letters and underlined. Each proposed ordinance shall have endorsed thereon the name of the board member (s) introducing it if appropriate. On each page of a proposed ordinance, each line may be consecutively numbered. After the ordinance has been introduced, the township clerk shall be responsible for reproducing proposed ordinances in quantity sufficient to meet demand for copies.

The township board meeting, as the committee of the whole, may consider each proposed ordinance and the committee’s written recommendation thereon. When the report of the committee is presented to the township board, the board shall order the matter placed on the agenda under adoption of ordinances. A hearing is not required for zoning ordinances and any ordinance imposing a penalty.

Following the second reading of a proposed ordinance, prior to final adoption, a motion to amend shall be in order. Adoption of such amendments shall require a majority vote of the Township Board (four or more affirmative votes).

On final adoption of all proposed ordinances, the votes shall be taken by a roll call vote. No motion shall be declared adopted without an affirmative vote of a majority vote of the Township Board (four or more affirmative votes).

No ordinance shall become effective until 30 days following the publication of the ordinance unless the board shall declare by a majority vote (four or more affirmative votes) that the ordinance shall have immediate effect upon publication of the ordinance. To comply with the publication requirement (MCL 12.8 and 42.20) the ordinance shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the township in the following manners:

a. A true copy of the ordinance.

b. A summary of the ordinance may be published and shall include the location in the township where

a true copy of the ordinance can be inspected or obtained. The summary of each section of an

ordinance or a summary of an ordinance shall be preceded by a catch line.

Any action regarding the operation or matters concerning the administration of township government or containing statements of policy applicable to internal operations of the township and which is not adopted as an ordinance shall be declared an administrative resolution.

The recommended order for consideration of proposed administrative resolutions will be:

- INTRODUCTION

- COMMITTEE REVIEW AND REPORT

- BOARD CONSIDERATION AND VOTE

Any township board member may introduce an administrative at any regular meeting of the township board in the regular order of business. The introduction shall include a statement of the purpose and an outline of the proposed resolution’s content. The Board may choose to refer the administrative resolution to a committee for review. A motion will be required to send the proposed resolution to committee.

The township board may refer all proposed resolutions to an appropriate board committee or commission. If no commission or committee exists which has jurisdiction over the subject matter, the trustees (4) shall become an Ad Hoc committee for the sole purposes of reviewing the resolution. The committee or commission to whom the resolution is referred shall review the proposal and make its written recommendation to the full board within one month. Special circumstances can allow for one extension to be granted upon request to and approval by the board.

The township board may consider the committee recommendation and proceed to adopt the administrative resolution, or it may refer the matter to the committee of the whole where further comment and objections may be heard. The board may then vote on final objections adoption. A motion to amend the administrative resolution shall be in order at any time prior to final adoption. On the final adoption of all proposed administrative resolutions, the vote shall be taken on a record call of the roll. No motion shall be declared adopted without a majority vote of the Township Board (four or more affirmative votes).

Each resolution introduced shall be in writing. Any resolution proposing to amend an existing resolution shall contain those sections proposed for amendment in full. Proposed deletion of words and phrases shall be shown with lines drawn through them. Proposed addition of words shall be shown in capital letters. The township clerk shall be responsible for reproducing proposed resolutions, after they have been introduced, in quantity sufficient to meet demand for copies.

The township board, meeting as the committee of the whole, may consider each proposed resolution and the committee’s written recommendation thereon.

When the report of the committee is presented to the township board, the board shall order the matter placed on the agenda under adoption of the resolutions. The board shall then determine whether to order the clerk to publish the proposed resolutions, to set dates for one or more public hearings, and to order the clerk to publish public notice of the hearing(s).

Upon the final adoption of an administrative resolution, the township clerk shall notify each township official and department head of the board’s action. Such notification shall be by title or summary. The clerk shall have available a copy of the full administrative resolution.

The clerk shall develop a system of numbering and titling such administrative resolutions and index of matters including in the total of such resolutions.

The primary purpose of the township property is to conduct the necessary business of the township. Secondarily, it is available for the convenience and recreation of the township residents or organizations. Any township building or grounds shall be available for rental principally to township residents or organizations for legal non-profit purposes. Such rental shall not be in conflict with any official township activity of any board, commission, committee or subcommittee. The rental fees shall be established by the Parks and Recreation Board, subject to Township Board approval, and in an amount expected to at least cover the township’s cost of operating and maintaining the facility to be rented.

Rental to Profit Making Groups – Profit making enterprises may be permitted to rent township facilities only upon recommendation of the Parks and Recreation Board, if appropriate, and with township board approval. The activities offered should not be of a nature as to compete or which might compete with commercial ventures. Also, the activities must provide a benefit to the township residents.

Board, commission, or committee use of the buildings have priority over all other scheduling of building use, if seven (7) days prior notice is given, except in the event of an emergency meeting. All committee or commission chairs shall be provided access to the board room or south room for the purpose of conducting meetings. Trustees and township officers shall be provided a key to access the township hall for the purpose of conducting or attending meetings, reviewing township correspondence and documents and to pick up mail and board materials. It is understood that all assessment or personnel records shall be appropriately secured and appropriately handled at all times, but made available upon the reasonable request of a board member during office hours and in compliance with all existing state laws covering their review.

The Freedom of Information Act requires that the township makes available copies of certain documents and records at a reasonable cost. Each township resident shall be entitled to up to ten (10) pages of copy annually of any such eligible records without charge. After 10 copies, a reasonable cost may be charged as determined by the township board.

In accordance with the Freedom of Information Act, upon request the township shall fax information and a reasonable cost may be charged as determined by the township board.

Any employee or elected official shall be reimbursed for expenses incurred for conducting any authorized township related activity outside of the township or for attending any authorized business meeting or educational conferences as a member of a commission, committee, or an employee.

Business expenses which will exceed $50.00 for a single purchase or event must be approved in advance by the township board.

Trustees shall only be paid for meetings that the Board of Trustees has directed them to attend.

A commission or committee member or a trustee will be compensated at the usual stipend for a meeting at the rate for each day in attendance at the meeting or educational conference authorized by the township board.

A meeting adjourned for lack of a quorum shall include a record of those members present and absent, as well as a record of the action to adjourn. Those members present shall be entitled to one-half the normal meeting stipend.

Where the activity attended is a day long event outside the township, the official, employee, commission or committee member may be reimbursed for meal expenditures according to the following requirements:

It is the policy of this township that a full and complete disclosure shall be made to the Board of Trustees by any person elected, appointed, contracted or hired by Watertown Charter Township, whenever such individuals have reason to believe that a possible conflict of interest may exist between the individual’s personal or business interests (including members of the individual’s immediate family) and the best interests of the township.

Conflicts of interest may be considered to exist in those instances where the actions, inaction or activities of an individual on behalf of the township involve (a) the obtaining of improper personal gain or advantage; (b) an adverse effect upon the township’s interest; (c) the obtaining by a third party of an improper gain or advantage. Areas relating to or involving conflict of interest in board terms are defined in the following items. 15.6.1; 15.6.2; 15.6.3; and 15.6.4. (Revised 3/16/98)

Any person elected, appointed, contracted, or hired by Watertown Charter Township, shall disclose any commercial interests which might influence their official decisions, actions or inaction. Among other things, this would include (1) any financial interest in an enterprise which has business relations with the township; (2) investments or purchases of or in businesses, in or outside the township; which have plans to locate or require services from the township; (3) an investment in, purchase of, or ownership of property or land located in the township which is used for anything other than the individual’s residence.

Any person elected, appointed, contracted, or hired by Watertown Charter Township, shall disclose all holding, either directly or indirectly (for example, by members of their family) of an investment in any business from which the township secures any goods or services or to which the township provides or is requested to provide a service or services.

No person elected, appointed, or hired by Watertown Charter Township, shall collect any fees or commissions on an individual basis in the course of conducting township business. All township related fees collected shall be approved by the township board and deposited in appropriate accounts for township purposes.

Any person elected, appointed, contracted, or hired by Watertown Charter Township, shall report, at least annually, to the township board with respect to any corporation or unincorporated enterprise in which they (or their immediate families) have interest, where said business enterprise has, or may, engage in transactions with or require services of the township, for example zoning, sewer, or water service. (Revised: 3/16/98)

Any person elected, appointed, contracted, or hired by Watertown Charter Township, shall refrain from knowingly buying or selling, for their own account or the account of any member of their immediate family, any land/property located in the township or security/investment or other interest which the township may be considering buying or selling, or has decided to buy or sell, or is considering or requesting to consider an action, such as zoning or sewer/water installations, which could affect the value, until the township’s decision has been publicly communicated and/or executed. Said persons shall not transmit any such knowledge, considerations, or decisions until they are executed or made available to the general public.

Confidential township information received by said persons in the performance of their duties shall not be divulged to others, nor used for personal profit. (Revised: 3/16/98)

Any person elected, appointed, contracted, or hired by Watertown Charter Township shall not accept gratuities and/or entertainment if it places them under obligations to third parties dealing with or desiring to do business with, or wishing to have favorable action by the Township. (Revised: 3/16/98)

Employees should avoid employment or activities which may be in conflict with or take away from the time necessary for them to effectively perform their township duties and responsibilities. Such employment of activities must not compete or conflict with the interests of the township.

Annually the clerk will provide a copy of Bylaws 15.6 through 15.6.5 and a reaffirmation statement to all persons, elected, appointed, contracted or hired, that must be signed and returned to the clerk within 30 days. All persons elected, appointed, contracted or hired by Watertown Charter Township, are directed to submit to the township board, at the end of each fiscal year, a completed statement regarding any potential areas for conflict of interest.

Said persons shall immediately report to the township board any new additional information on any matter which is covered by this section of the policy.

If a person elected, appointed, contracted or hired by Watertown Charter Township, finds that they (or a member of their immediate families) has, or is considering the assumption of a financial interest, or if they are in doubt as to the proper application of this section of the policy, the individual shall immediately make all the facts known to the township board and be guided by their instructions. Except as directed by those instructions, the individual should refrain from exercising responsibility in any matter which might reasonably be considered to involve an adverse or conflicting interest. (Revised: 3/16/98)

It shall be a requirement for each new person elected, appointed, contracted, or hired by Watertown C Charter Township, to sign a statement that they have read the Township Board policy 15.6 prior to commencing their respective duties. It shall further be a requirement that each new person elected, appointed, contracted, or hired by Watertown Charter Township shall annually reaffirm their compliance with said policy by signing the form furnished by the Clerk. (Adopted: 3/16/98)