Government

Franklin is known as a “Home Rule” Village and was incorporated on February 8, 1953. The basic difference between a city and a village is that whenever and wherever an area is incorporated as a village, it stays within the township – in our case, Southfield Township. The villagers participate in township affairs and pay township taxes in addition to having their own village government. Incorporation as a city removes that area from the township government.

Villages in Michigan are organized primarily to establish local regulatory ordinances and to provide local services such as fire and police protection and public works services. Certain duties are still performed by the local township including assessing property and administering county, state and national elections.

A “Home Rule” village means that the village approved a charter for its own government. Home rule allows villages to devise forms of government and exercise powers of local self-government under locally prepared charters adopted by local referendum. For instance, a charter will set the procedure for the election of the President and the Council. Of the 48 home rule villages in Michigan, 19 have a Village Manager/Administrator position.