2006 Michigan Compiled Laws - Mich. Comp. Laws § 42.7 Township board; meetings; conducting business at public meeting; notice of meeting; transacting business at special meeting; quorum; adjournment; rules and order of business; journal; voting; availability of certain writings to public; attendance and conduct at meetings; misconduct in office; sergeant-at-arms.

Sec. 7.

(1) The township board shall provide by resolution for the time, date, and place of the board's regular meetings, and shall hold at least 1 regular meeting each month. If a time set for the holding of a regular meeting of the township board is a holiday, then the regular meeting shall be held at the same time and place on the next day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday.

(2) A special meeting of the township board shall be called by the township clerk pursuant to subsection (3) on the written request of the supervisor or of 2 members of the township board and on at least 24 hours' written notice to each member of the township board. The notice shall designate the time, place, and purpose of the meeting and shall be served personally or left at the member's usual place of residence by the township clerk or someone designated by the township clerk.

(3) The business that the board may perform shall be conducted at a public meeting of the board held in compliance with the open meetings act, Act No. 267 of the Public Acts of 1976, being sections 15.261 to 15.275 of the Michigan Compiled Laws. Public notice of the time, date, and place of the meeting shall be given in the manner required by Act No. 267 of the Public Acts of 1976.

(4) Business shall not be transacted at a special meeting of the township board unless the business has been stated in the notice of the meeting. However, if all the members of the board are present at a special meeting, then business that might lawfully come before a regular meeting of the board may be transacted at the special meeting.

(5) Four members of the township board are a quorum for the transaction of business at a meeting, but, in the absence of a quorum, 2 members may adjourn a regular or special meeting to a later date.

(6) The township board shall determine its own rules and order of business and shall keep a journal of its proceedings in the English language. The journal shall be signed by the supervisor and the township clerk. The vote upon the passage of an ordinance, and upon the adoption of a resolution and ordinance shall be taken by yes and no votes and shall be entered upon the record, except that if the vote is unanimous, it shall only be necessary to record that fact. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, a member of the township board who is recorded as present shall vote on all questions decided by the board unless excused by the unanimous consent of the other members present. If, at a meeting of the township board, a member of the township board states that he or she desires to be appointed by the township board to fill a vacancy in a township office, that member may abstain from voting on the appointment to fill the vacancy.

(7) A writing prepared, owned, used, in the possession of, or retained by the board in the performance of an official function shall be made available to the public in compliance with the freedom of information act, Act No. 442 of the Public Acts of 1976, being sections 15.231 to 15.246 of the Michigan Compiled Laws.

(8) The township board, by vote of not less than 2 members, may compel the attendance of board members and other officers of the township at a regular or special meeting and enforce orderly conduct in the meeting. A member of the board or any other officer of the township who refuses to attend a meeting or conduct himself or herself in an orderly manner is guilty of misconduct in office. The township marshal shall serve as the sergeant-at-arms of the township board in the enforcement of this section.

History: 1947, Act 359, Eff. Oct. 11, 1947 ;-- CL 1948, 42.7 ;-- Am. 1949, Act 70, Eff. Sept. 23, 1949 ;-- Am. 1977, Act 157, Imd. Eff. Nov. 8, 1977 ;-- Am. 1992, Act 15, Imd. Eff. Mar. 16, 1992