Shelby Township

Clerks Office

Terri Kowal: tkowal@shelbytwp.org
586-731-5102

Clerk's office email: clerk@shelbytwp.org

The Clerk is the official keeper of the Township Records and acts as the Freedom of Information Coordinator. The Clerk's Office prepares the Board of Trustees, agendas and records their minutes. The Clerk and her staff administrate all Federal, State and Local elections and keeps all voter registrations. The office is the liaison for the Historical, Beautification, Sidewalk Committee, Police and Fire Pension Board, and most other committees and commissions as well as the Building Authority.

The Clerk's office offers notary service and is a passport acceptance agent.

The Township is open from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM daily.

Terri Kowal, CMC

Shelby Township Clerk

Having lived in Shelby Township over 37 years, it is amazing to see the changes and growth in our Township. We moved here in 1971, attracted to the open rural setting and the excellent reputation of Utica Community Schools. All four of our children graduated from Eisenhower High School.

My first career was as a Registered Nurse, which license I still hold today. My career path led to medical marketing, then to the advertising world.In the process, I successfully ran for office as a part-time Trustee in 1990 and 1992.In 1996, I decided to run for the full time position of Clerk, and had successful re-elections as Clerk in 2000, and 2004. In 2008, I am unopposed for my 4th term as Clerk.

I am blessed with a wonderful family: my husband Paul, a local Shelby businessman, my daughter Amy and her husband Dan, along with two wonderful grandsons, Danny and Nick, and a beautiful grandaughter Katelyn; my son Jayson, who along with his wife Misty, works in the entertainment industry in Los Angeles, my son Tim, who proudly served in the U.S.Coast Guard, and is now living a civilian life in Tennessee, and my daughter Jessica, who lives in Royal Oak.

As a Certified Municipal Clerk, it is an honor to have been the President of the Michigan Association of Municipal Clerks (MAMC), and to have served as the Chair of the Council of Election Officials, comprised of County, City, Township and Village Clerks across the state. I currently serve on the Legislative committee for the MAMC. One of the highlights of my clerking career was having been voted as Township Clerk of the Year in 2005.

My goals for the Township include providing user-friendly services to enable the residents of Shelby to interact with their elected officials and other Township employees in the easiest manner possible. It is also important for information to be disseminated in a clear, concise manner, and for technology to serve the needs of our sophisticated residents. As part of that plan, becoming a passport acceptance agency enabled my staff and I to offer more services while also generating income for the township.

My door is always open to you, and suggestions are welcome. Please do not hesitate to contact me if we may be of service to you.

Terri Kowal, CMC

Duties of the Clerk

In addition to those items required by law, the Clerk's office in Shelby Township prepares the agendas for the meeting, handles the ordering of all office supplies, schedules meetings and provides a secretary to all committees and commissions, oversees the purchase and maintenance of all business machines in the municipal offices, acts as the main switchboard (and has responsibility for the phone and answering system), accepts passport applications, and freedom of information requests. Several months ago I introduced the Board of Trustees to the electronic agenda packet, which allow residents to access the same information the Board gets right on the website, including
the bill run.

The position of Clerk in Shelby Township is an elected one. Some of the duties and responsibilities of the Clerk are defined by state statute, and include:

Maintaining custody of all township records
Maintaining general township ledger
Preparing warrants for township checks
Recording and maintaining township meeting minutes
Keeping the township book of oaths
Responsible for special meeting notices
Publishing board meeting minutes
Keeping voter registration file
Conducting elections
Keeping township ordinance book
Preparing financial statements
Delivering tax certificates to the supervisor & county clerk
Must appoint a deputy
Must post a bond

Useful Information

Elections

Application form for Committees and Commissions

Election Worker Application

Phone : 586-731-5102