MML Review Magazine Spring 2026

Municipal Q&A 0 1 1 2 !20, 3, 3

By Kim Cekola

Q. What are the upcoming Department of Justice ADA Title II requirements? A. State and local governments will be required to make their websites, mobile applications, and digital services accessible to people with disabilities. Compliance deadlines vary by jurisdiction size: • Large jurisdictions (over 50,000 population): April 24, 2026 • Smaller jurisdictions and special districts: April 26, 2027 Special note for smaller jurisdictions: Beginning April 24, 2026, all documents and digital content submitted to the Michigan Department of Treasury must comply with the updated ADA Title II rules. The League has a webinar recording on this topic and other resources available at mml.org. Q. We are interested in creating a more formal policy for our city’s boards and commissions. Does the League have any resources on this? A. Yes, we have samples on our website: mml.org/programs- services/inquiry-service/boards-commissions There are boards and commissions that are provided for by statute, such as planning commissions, zoning boards of ap peals, charter commissions, and boards of review. Then there are advisory voluntary committees, boards, and commissions that municipalities create to assist in the many governing tasks for which they are responsible. These types of boards are at the discretion of the municipal body, and they should be set up with care. The board members should know exactly what they are responsible for, what their authority is, and what they are supposed to accomplish. The board should have bylaws or meeting rules that establish basics, such as how members are appointed, how long they serve, and the number that consti tutes a quorum. The webpage contains sample applications, recruitment and appointment policies; we’ve also posted sample guidelines and handbooks. There are samples from the Village of Decatur (pop. 1,651), for our smaller members, and from Houghton (pop. 8,386) and Grand Rapids (pop. 198,917) for medium and larger cities. Q. We are thinking about regulating short-term rentals. Does the League have sample policies from other municipalities? A. Yes, we have sample short-term rental (STR) policies and ordinances from other municipalities. Please send an email request to info@mml.org. Q. Can the village clerk be on the council? A. In cities and villages, the clerk (as well as the treasurer) is not part of the governing body. In townships, however, they are. The forms of government are different. Kim Cekola is a research specialist/editor for the Michigan Municipal League. You may reach Kim at 734-669-6321 or kcekola@mml.org.

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