CRYSTAL LAKE TOWNSHIP, BENZIE COUNTY, MICHIGAN

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  • HOME
  • Township
    • Staff Hours & Information
    • Assessor
    • Audit
    • Ordinance Enforcement
    • Board of Review
    • Budget Information
    • Burn Permit
    • Clerk
    • Forms & Information
    • Planning
    • Roles & Responsibilities
    • Treasurer
    • Zoning
    • Zoning Ordinance
  • Minutes/Agendas
    • Additional Upcoming Meeting Info
    • Upcoming Meeting Info
    • Meeting Minutes
    • Archived Minutes
  • Information
    • Environment
    • Fireworks
    • History
    • Newsletters
    • Roads
    • Volunteer
  • Services
    • Airport
    • Cemeteries
    • Fire Services
    • Support Services
  • Contact

Township Roles & Responsibilities

If you've ever wondered what the township, your basic, most local form of government, does for you,  here’s a simplified civics lesson: ​
Township government legally exists primarily to perform three overarching mandated functions assigned respectively to the Supervisor, Treasurer and the Clerk:
  • assessment administration
  • collection of taxes
  • elections administration  

There are other, more narrow mandates which are also regulated by the state:
  • financial administration including budgets
  • accounting, investment
  • deposits
  • proper storage/conveyance of township records
  • proper conduct of township government business

We are legally allowed to offer additional services and programs not mandated by the state but instead permitted by enabling legislation, referred to as “permissive activities.”   Examples in Crystal Lake Township are:
  • fire protection
  • cemeteries
  • airport authority
  • planning and zoning
  • library services

Historically, if a specific statute cannot be found that explicitly states or fairly implies that a particular task is a particular office’s responsibility, it is assumed that the duty falls on the Board collectively, or can be assigned to a specific Board member.
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1651 Frankfort Highway | PO Box 2129 | Frankfort, MI 49635​
Phone: (231) 352-9791 | Fax: (231) 352-6689
© Copyright 2021 Crystal Lake Township