Service name

Pavilions are on a first-come, first-served basis; at this time, we do not reserve them.

Feel free to contact Barb at City Hall to see if there are any events happening in a park during the time of your pavilion usage. Barb Burke – 517-655-2774, ext. 104, barb.burke@williamston-mi.us.

Use this fillable form to complete business contact information.

The Williamston Police Department participates in the Capital Area Take Back Meds/Drugs Drop Off program.  You can bring them to the Police Department between the hours of 8am – 5 pm, Monday through Friday.  City Hall is not able to accept your medications.  You can also take your medications to a pharmacy.

Pistol registrations can be placed in the drop box at City Hall.  Please make sure you keep the purchaser copy.  We need the licensing authority copy.  It may also say MSP copy or Registry copy.

View permits and reservation forms.

Forms can be submitted to the Clerks office.

Learn how to register your business with the state.

Learn more about starting a business.

The city will publish job opportunities when they are open. View job listings.

You can pay your water bill online.

You can also pay in person at City Hall or use the drop box at City Hall.

The city does hydrant flushing in the spring and summer. Once the dates are scheduled, we will announce and update the hydrant flushing page.

Hydrant flushing is done to ensure the water system is functioning properly and can handle fighting a fire.

Learn more about hydrant flushing.

It is the responsibility of the property owner to remove any ice and snow from the entire length of the sidewalk on their property whether the property is unoccupied or if there is a building or structure on it.

Learn more about ice and snow removal.

Sidewalks need to be cleared within 24 hours of cessation of snowfall if less than 4″ or within 48 hours if greater than 4″.

The 2024 Red Cedar Jubilee will be June 17 – June 23.  The Red Cedar Jubilee is run by a wonderful and dedicated group of volunteers.  For more information:

Phone: 517-643-9172
Email:  redcedarjubilee@gmail.com
Facebook:  “Red Cedar Jubilee”
Website:  https://www.redcedarjubilee.com/

Read the full Parks Plan Update for 2024-2028.

All qualified electors have the right to mark a ballot and deposit the ballot into the tabulator beginning the second Saturday before an election and ending the Sunday before an election. During the early voting days, hours are 8:30am-4:30pm. Early voting takes place at Williamston City Hall:

Williamston City Hall
161 E Grand River Ave
Williamston, MI 48895

If you are a registered voter in the City of Williamston, the polling location is:

Williamston Middle School Gym (drive behind the school)
3845 Vanneter Road
Williamston, MI 48895

To obtain information under the Freedom of Information Act, please complete a FOIA Request for Public Records form and submit to the Clerk’s office.

Collection dates are the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays from April through November. This is done by the City’s Department of Public Works at no additional cost to residents.

Leaf pickup is in the Fall only (no leaf pickup in the Spring). Do not bag your leaves. Any changes to the dates on the calendar will be on the City website and on the City’s Facebook page. If you live on Grand River Avenue, do not put them in the street, only rake to the curb. All other areas, if the leaves are not in the street, they will not be picked up.

If you have a water or sewer emergency during our regular business hours, which is
Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM, please call City Hall at 517-655-2774.

If you have a water or sewer emergency after hours, please call 517-992-5022 and the Department of Public Works will be paged.

Thank you.

LITTLE LEAKS WASTE BIG AMOUNTS OF WATER

Did you know that a dripping faucet can waste 207 gallons a day? Leaks waste water and waste your money. Take a few minutes to check for leaks. In the long run it will save you money. Stop the leaks!

The City of Williamston currently averages 67lbs. of water pressure. The table below reflects 65lbs. of water pressure.
SIZE OF LEAK WATER WASTED IN 24 HOURS
1/32” drip 207 gallons
1/16” trickle 828 gallons
1/8” stream 1872 gallons
The smallest of these leaks will add over $575.00 to your annual water bill.

Toilet leaks are hard to find. They are normally caused by bad valves, an improperly positioned float arm or a defective overflow tube. Test the toilet by putting a few drops of food coloring into the back of the tank. DO
NOT FLUSH. Let it sit as long as you can; overnight is best. If color appears in the toilet bowl then you have a leak and repairs must be made.

Faucet leaks are easy to detect. If it drips, or worse, continues to keep running after you shut if off, it needs to be fixed right away. If the dripping water is hot, it is also costing you extra to run the hot water heater.

Water dripping or running from the showerhead when the shower is turned firmly off is usually caused by bad washers or seats, which need replacing. Also, check for leaks running from the tub faucet while the shower is on. If it is leaking, it defeats the purpose of a low flow showerhead because the water it should be saving with the low flow shower is being lost from the tub faucet.

The DPW does not perform work/maintenance on private property, so the service line in your yard or parking lot, and the plumbing inside your home or building is the property owner’s responsibility. The DPW can shut the water off at the curb, but you will need to make the repairs yourself or consult a plumber.

If you purchased your house in a different year than your neighbor, your taxable value would have been uncapped to the same as the SEV.  Although you think your home is the same as your neighbors; there are many interior and exterior attributes that affect a property’s value such as lot size differences, year built, condition, finished basements, decks, number of bathrooms, etc.

(Taxable value/1000 x millage rate) x 1.01 (administrative fee) = tax amount

When ownership is transferred on a property, the valuation is “uncapped”. The SEV is the new starting point for a buyer and the capping process starts all over again on the property until another transfer of ownership occurs.  Beginning December 31, 2013 (PA 497 of 2012), the transfer of residential real property (homestead or non-homestead) is exempt from uncapping if the transferor by blood or affinity to the first degree and the use of the property does not change following the transfer of ownership. A change in use would be from principal residence to rental, which would not be exempt from uncapping due to a transfer.  Affinity to the first degree includes the following relationships: spouse, father or mother, father or mother of spouse, son or daughter, including adopted children, son or daughter of spouse, and stepchildren, stepmother or stepfather.

Capped value is the lesser of +5% or the Consumer Price Index (CPI) applied to prior year’s taxable value.  The formula to compute is: (Prior year’s taxable value – losses) x (5% or CPI, whichever is lowest) + additions = capped value.  The process continues until there is change in ownership (transfer) which would cause an “uncapping”.

Taxable value was created by the passage of Proposal A in 1994. Property taxes are based on taxable value, not the SEV. Taxable value = Lesser of assessed value or capped value.

In 1994 Proposal A brought significant changes to the State’s Property Tax System.  However, Proposal A did not change standard assessment practices; all real and personal property must still be assessed at 50% of its true cash value.  Proposal A created a different value (taxable value) for property taxes to be calculated on.  Taxes are based on taxable value not state equalized value (SEV).  Proposal A also requires homeowners to file a Principal Residence Exemption Affidavit and Property Transfer Affidavit.

Assessed Value is 50% of estimated fair market value which is determined by the City Assessor.  Assessed values change with the market year to year.  The assessor does not create value, but simply has the legal responsibility to determine it and value the property accordingly.

All property may be divided into two major categories: Real Property and Personal Property.

Real Property is generally defined as land and all things attached to the land. Interest, benefits, and rights inherent in the ownership of physical real estate.

Personal Property which consists of movable items not permanently affixed to, or part of, the real estate. This includes furniture and fixtures, machinery and equipment belonging to a business; certain public utilities; structures on leased land and other similar properties.

If you need a copy of your crash report that occurred in the City, please go to the LexisNexis website:  https://policereports.lexisnexis.com/.  For customer assistance with LexisNexis call 1-866-215-2771.

Click here to see a chart showing how every tax dollar paid to the City is disbursed.

• We accept cash, personal checks and money orders.
• Credit cards are accepted online.
• Partial payments are also accepted.
• Payments for City taxes can be paid at City Hall, 161 E Grand River Ave., Williamston, MI  48895
• ACH withdrawals are accepted for tax payments – please use this form to enroll.
• Review our coin acceptance policy.

Ownership changes are recorded with the County Register of Deeds and then the assessor receives copies of those deeds for his/her records. The assessor then gives those changes to the treasurer. The treasurer only receives these updates a few times a year when tax bills are printed and mailed. Please call the assessor at 517-655-2448 to make any needed corrections.

If you want a receipt of your tax bill, please provide a stamped self-addressed envelope.  You may also get this information from the City’s website.

This is the tax payer copy.  We have also forwarded a copy to your Mortgage Company or financial institution if there is a number next to “Mort Code”.  If you have recently changed lending institutions, please forward a copy of this statement to your tax paying agent.  Your agent should then request further statements from our office.   

If you have a cancelled check or receipt showing your payment, please call me immediately. Sometimes taxpayers overlook a summer or winter bill, or don’t realize they have paid late and incurred penalties.

Unpaid personal property taxes will result in a loss of that personal property to the local unit of government.

Unpaid property taxes go delinquent to the County Treasurer on March 1, and additional penalties and fees are added. All questions and payments from then on must be handled by the Ingham County Treasurer’s office. Call the County Treasurer’s office at 517-676-7220 for more information.

Sometimes owner address changes aren’t received before tax bills are prepared. Call 517-655-2774 to resolve any incorrect information.

Trash and recycling must be set out by the curb by 7:00 A.M. on day of pickup.

If a holiday occurs prior to or on your day of pickup, your trash will be picked up on the next day. Please call Granger at 517-372-2800 with questions regarding service.

If you live south of Grand River Ave., pick up day is Monday, if you live north of Grand River Ave., pick up day is Wednesday.

Please call Granger at 517-372-2800 with questions regarding service. (If you live south of Grand River Ave., pick up day is Monday, if you live north of Grand River Ave., pick up day is Wednesday.)

Building permits are issued by Livingston County Building Department.

Building Department
Livingston County Building Department
2300 E Grand River Ave
Howell, MI 48843
Mon–Fri, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Phone: 517-546-3240
Fax: 517-546-7461
Inspection Request Line: 517-546-3830
General Dept. Email: building@livgov.com
Website: http://livgov.com/building

If you need to speak with an officer about a non-emergency situation or file a report, please contact the Williamston Police Department at 517-655-4222 during regular business hours (Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm).

If you reach our voicemail, please leave a message at extension 201 and someone will return your call as quickly as possible.

If you need to file a police report, please contact the Williamston Police Department at 517-655-4222 during regular business hours (Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm).

If you reach our voicemail, please leave a message at extension 201 and someone will return your call as quickly as possible.