Election Information

The Clerk’s Office wishes to heartily thank our election inspectors who worked the November 8th General Election. It is because of all of you that this election was carried out in an accurate, careful, and organized manner. We have such an enthusiastic team of election inspectors!

And….we are always looking to add to our team of election inspectors. If you are interested in becoming an election inspector, and going through the certification process, please feel free to download the application at the following link. You can also stop by our office for more information. Our next election will be here before we know it!
Election Inspector Form

Prevent Home Fires

Cooking is the number one cause of house fires. To ensure that we can enjoy our meals and you can enjoy yours, listed below are the U.S. Fire Administration guidelines to ensure cooking safety:

1. Stand by your pan

2. Keep an eye on what you fry

3. Roll up your sleeves

4. Supervise children and pets

5. Watch what you’re cooking

6. If there is an oven fire, keep the door closed

7. Move combustibles away from the stove

8. Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove

9. Only use a turkey fryer outdoors

10. Check smoke alarms

Exterior Home Safety

According to the International Code Council and its partners, the number one cause of structural damage to buildings is water. Whether it is in the form of rain, ice or snow, an unchecked inundation of water into a structure can and will destroy the structural resilience of a building. As we are transitioning into winter, we have prepared a list of tips to ensure that water stays where it belongs.

Clean all leaves and debris out of your gutters. Improperly working gutters can cause ice dams and rotting of the facia.
Ensure that downspouts discharge away from driveways and sidewalks.
Clear any rear yard or curbside storm drains from yard debris to ensure proper drainage away from your property.
Inspect the grade which abuts your house. Negative grade (falling toward the house) will allow water to collect against the foundation and due to saturation, freezing and thawing, will potentially cause damage to the foundation wall.
Make sure the water supply lines leading to the outside spigots are turned off (in-line shut off valve located inside the house) and the spigots themselves are left open.
Make sure the weather covers are on the air conditioner condensation units to ensure proper operation next summer when you need it.
All roofs need to be inspected periodically every 3 to 5 years before winter weather occurs. When a roof leak is noticed from the inside of the structure there will typically be damage to the attic space including rafter, sheathing, insulation and drywall.

These tips will help you avoid expensive repairs due to water infiltration. For more information, please call the DeWitt Township Building Department at (517) 668-0278.

Holiday Safety Tips

Heading into this holiday season, the Police Department shares a couple of tips to stay safe and avoid becoming the victim of a crime.

Many criminals will try and take advantage of people around this time of the year due to the good intentions of people wanting to help others. These tips are not meant to make you afraid or paranoid, but to make you aware of what is out there so that you can avoid them.

Tip #1:
Be very wary of telephone/computer scams. Never give out your financial information. If someone is telling you that you need to purchase gift cards to settle some kind of debt or obligation, it is a scam. You should immediately hang up or delete the email. Legitimate agencies will never ask you to take care of something with a gift card.

Tip #2:
If you are out shopping, be aware of your surroundings. Try to park in lighted areas at night and look in your back seat before you enter your vehicle. If you find something on/around your vehicle that was not there when you left and find it suspicious, please call 911.

Not everything is a scam. There are legitimate organizations that truly are looking to help people. A little research can find those organizations.

2022 Winter Property Tax Notice

Winter real and personal property tax bills are levied and sent to property owners on December 1, 2022. If you do not receive your bill by December 15, please contact the Treasurer’s Office (517-668-1411) to request a copy and verify your mailing address. If your taxes are held in escrow, the bill is sent directly to your mortgage servicing provider and you will not receive a bill. Failure to receive a tax bill does not relieve the responsibility for payment, nor constitutes cause for cancellation of penalty or interest if the tax becomes delinquent. Property owners can view and pay current tax bills at www.dewitttownship.org.

2022 property tax balances are payable from December 1, 2022 through February 14, 2023.

Fraudsters Using Fake Letters in Collections Scam

The Michigan Department of Treasury urges taxpayers with past-due tax debts to be alert and aware of an aggressive scam making the rounds through the U.S. Postal Service. In the scheme, taxpayers receive a letter about an overdue tax bill that requests individuals to immediately contact a toll-free number to resolve an outstanding state tax debt.

The letter aggressively threatens to seize a taxpayer’s property including bank accounts, wages, business assets, cars, real estate, refunds, and cash if the debt is not settled. The correspondence appears credible to the taxpayer because it uses specific personal facts pulled directly from publicly available information. The scammer’s letter attempts to lure the taxpayer into a situation where they could make a payment to a criminal.

Taxpayers have rights. Should you receive a questionable letter from a scammer or have questions about state tax debts, call Treasury’s Collections Service Center at 517-636-5265. A customer service representative can log the scam, verify outstanding state debts and provide flexible payment options. Locally, you can verify outstanding property tax balances by contacting the Township or County Treasurer’s office.

2023 Sewer Utility Billings

Sewer service utility billings covering January, February, and March 2023 will be sent on December 15. The quarterly fee will increase $2.00 per residential unit (REU) to $104.00 for residential service in 2023.

Important Upcoming Dates

12/01 – Winter property taxes levied and payable 12/01/2022-2/14/2022
12/13 – Winter Board of Review
12/23 & 12/26 – Township Hall closed in observance of the Christmas holiday weekend
12/30 & 01/02 – Township Hall closed in observance of the New Year holiday weekend
12/31 – Tax day for 2023 property taxes

E-News November 2022