Sherman Township took care of a significant amount of financial housekeeping at its most recent board meeting, working through a comprehensive list of salary approvals and fee adjustments that will shape how the township compensates its officials, employees, and fire department personnel through the coming year. All of the new rates take effect on April 1, 2026.
These kinds of meetings rarely generate headlines, but the decisions made in them matter directly to the people who serve the township and to the residents who use its services. Setting compensation fairly, keeping fees in line with actual costs, and maintaining the financial structure that keeps township operations running is unglamorous work — and the Sherman Township Board of Trustees did a thorough job of it.
Board Member Salaries
The board started with its own compensation, approving updated salaries for township officials that reflect the responsibilities each role carries through the year.
The clerk’s salary was set at $15,440 annually. Township clerks handle a substantial and varied administrative workload — election administration, official record keeping, meeting minutes, public notices, and a steady stream of documentation and compliance responsibilities that require consistent attention year-round. The rate approved reflects the scope of that role in a township the size of Sherman.
The supervisor’s salary was set at $10,500. The supervisor serves as the public face of township government, presides over board meetings, oversees day-to-day operations, and handles the kind of judgment calls and community interactions that cannot always be anticipated or scheduled in advance. The supervisor’s compensation reflects that blend of formal and informal responsibility.
The treasurer’s salary was set at $15,440, matching the clerk at the same rate. The treasurer manages the township’s financial accounts, processes payments, maintains financial records, and ensures public funds are handled properly under Michigan law — a position that demands both financial competency and ongoing attention to compliance.
Each trustee will receive $2,135 annually. Trustees attend monthly meetings, vote on board decisions, and serve on committees as needed. Their compensation is appropriately modest relative to the full-time administrative roles, reflecting the part-time and advisory nature of the position.
Fire Department Salaries
With the board’s own compensation settled, the trustees moved on to setting the annual salaries for Sherman Township’s fire department personnel — a separate but equally important compensation structure that governs how the department’s leadership is paid for their roles.
The fire chief’s salary was set at $4,765 annually. The fire chief carries ultimate responsibility for the department’s readiness, personnel, equipment, and response — a weight that extends well beyond the hours spent at official meetings or on active calls. The deputy chief’s salary was set at $1,542. Each captain will receive $310 annually, the training officer’s salary was set at $810, and the department secretary will be paid $257 per year.
Those annual figures cover role-based compensation, but fire department pay in a township like Sherman also includes per-activity rates that reflect the call-based nature of volunteer and part-time fire service. The board set the pay for fire runs at $20 per run — meaning each time a firefighter responds to a call, they receive $20 regardless of how long the incident takes. Work and maintenance meetings will pay $45, regular meetings will pay $35, and training meetings will pay $40.
Those per-activity rates are the backbone of how most small township fire departments compensate their personnel, and the structure makes sense. Firefighters and officers who show up for training, maintenance, and meetings — the unglamorous behind-the-scenes work that keeps a department functional — receive compensation that acknowledges that time and effort even when nothing is on fire.
Township Employee Pay Rates
Beyond elected officials and fire department personnel, the board also established hourly and daily pay rates for township employees. Hourly pay was set at $18.50 per hour, with a half-day rate of $74 and a full-day rate of $148. Those figures give the township a consistent and predictable framework for compensating workers who handle various tasks throughout the year on an as-needed basis.
Specialized Role Compensation
Several specialized township roles received their own individual compensation approvals. The assessor’s pay was set at $18,380 annually — a figure that reflects the technical nature of property assessment work, which requires both specialized training and ongoing familiarity with the township’s property inventory. Accurate assessments are foundational to the local tax base, and the assessor’s compensation reflects that importance.
The pay for attending the landfill was set at $112 weekly — compensation for whoever handles oversight responsibilities at the township’s landfill operation on a regular basis. Cemetery maintenance pay was set at $1,040 annually, covering the ongoing upkeep of the township’s cemetery grounds. The zoning administrator will receive $1,635 per year for handling zoning-related inquiries, applications, and compliance matters within the township. And the deputy clerk and treasurer — a combined role — will be paid $400 annually.
Taken together, these specialized compensation approvals reflect the range of functions a township government actually handles. Sherman Township is not simply a board of five people meeting once a month — it is an organization with an assessor, a zoning administrator, cemetery caretakers, landfill oversight, fire department leadership, and a range of other responsibilities that require consistent human attention and appropriate compensation.
Cemetery Fees Increased
The final piece of financial business addressed at the meeting was an update to cemetery gravesite fees — an adjustment that reflects both the real cost of maintaining cemetery grounds and the common practice of distinguishing between residents and non-residents in the pricing structure for township services.
Starting April 1, the fee for a gravesite for a township resident or property taxpayer will be $500. For non-residents and non-taxpayers, the fee will be $1,000 — double the resident rate. That two-tiered pricing structure is standard in Michigan township cemeteries and reflects the straightforward logic that residents and taxpayers who have supported the township financially throughout their lives — and whose tax dollars have helped maintain the cemetery over the years — receive a preferential rate compared to those who have not had that ongoing financial relationship with the township.
Cemetery fee adjustments are one of those decisions that tend to pass quietly through board meetings but carry genuine significance for the families making end-of-life planning decisions. Knowing the current rates allows families to plan ahead, and the April 1 effective date gives residents adequate notice to factor the new fees into any planning that is already underway.
The level of financial detail addressed at Sherman Township’s recent meeting mirrors similar compensation-setting activity across the Thumb region this time of year. The Caseville Township Board recently set its own 2026 salaries at a brief meeting, approving rates for its supervisor, clerk, treasurer, and trustees as April approaches. And the Sigel Township board addressed its fire department pay schedule at a recent meeting as well, alongside discussions about expiring turnout gear and a significant data center inquiry — illustrating how much ground small township boards cover in a single session when financial business is on the agenda.
For Michigan residents who want to understand how township compensation is governed and what guidelines apply to elected official pay at the local level, the Michigan Township Association provides resources on governance structures, compensation frameworks, and best practices for township boards across the state. And for those with questions about cemetery regulations and fee structures in Michigan townships, the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs oversees cemetery regulation and can provide guidance on the legal framework governing public cemetery operations statewide.
