Michigan ranks 13th among the fifty states in terms of the number of local governmental entities.
This local government division has its greatest effect on unincorporated lands within the county, and can provide service which can include law enforcement, justice administration, health care, among other basic services.
With few exceptions, most local government services in Michigan are provided at the city or township level.
County governments are limited mostly to operating the local criminal justice system, maintaining vital records and partnering with the state in providing social services.
A general law county is governed under general law in which the county board of commissioners shares executive and legislative functions with other county-wide elected and appointed officials.
Most general law counties operate under a regular board of commissioners form of government in which the board shares executive functions with an elected county treasurer and clerk, but performs all other executive functions.
[2] PA 139 also requires any county reorganizing under this act the creation of certain boards, commissions, authorities, and elective offices, while also requiring the abolition of others that may exist prior to reorganization of the county government.
[6] The proposed options may also differ in how the county executive or chief administrative officer is removed.
[clarification needed] Cities also have the most delegated responsibilities and duties of any municipality having more things they shall do than may do.
Fourth class cities were also required to publish their annual financial report in a local newspaper.
The only difference between a fifth-class city and a regular home rule city was that settlements only had to have a population between 750 and 2,000 with a density of 500 people per square mile - though the density requirement was waived for settlements which had already incorporated as villages - and that all elected officials had to be elected at-large.
Unlike cities, villages are not completely administratively autonomous of the township(s) in which they are located, reducing their home rule powers.
Village governments are required to share some of the responsibilities and duties to their residents with the township.
Besides the president, clerk and treasurer the village council may have either four or six trustees with six as the default number.
[11] Reducing the number of trustees to four, appointing the clerk and treasurer or creating the position of village manager takes a village ordinance approved by a two-thirds majority of the council subject to referendum.
Like home rule cities, the act provides a framework for a home rule village to create and amend its charter giving them more flexibility than general law villages.
[10][11] Other than these basic requirements, home rule village governments vary greatly in structure and size.
They are the most basic form of local government in Michigan, and should be distinguished from survey townships.
All townships function under a weak mayor-council form of government, and must have an elected supervisor, clerk, treasurer and a number of trustees.
[15] In this form of government which combines executive and legislative functions, the township supervisor is the presiding and chief executive officer of the township board and is simply "first among equals" on the board.
Charter townships that meet certain criteria are also provided greater protection against annexation by a city or village.
[17] Special districts and other public bodies may be set up as authorized by the legislation required by the State Constitution Article VIII sections 27 (Metropolitan governments and authorities) and 28 (cooperative agreements).