Tucked behind downtown along the Paint Creek Trail and near Rochester Municipal Park, the Rochester Municipal Building is the government hub for the city of Rochester, which includes about 12,000 residents living, working, shopping and playing on about 2,500 acres of land.
- The city is governed by an elected, seven-member City Council, which each November appoints a council member to serve as mayor for one year. City services are managed by a City Manager, who also is appointed by council members.
- The current mayor is Jeffrey Cuthbertson; the city manager is Jaymes Vettraino. The council meets at 7 p.m. the second and fourth Monday of each month.
City recreational services include five parks, the popular Dinosaur Hill Nature Preserve and a network of two major walking/biking/jogging trails. Its downtown is full of locally owned shops and restaurants.
The Department of Parks and Recreation is located in Civic Arena and is the main location to sign up for activities in the city. Park passes, league registration and municipal marina information can be obtained at the office. Civic Arena is also home to two regulation-sized ice rinks, meeting rooms for health and fitness classes, a snack bar and hockey equipment store.
The Hartland Township Hall includes municipal offices and meeting rooms. The publicly elected seven-member board of trustees generally meets on the first and third Tuesdays of the month. The board, which has five part-time members and a full-time clerk and treasurer, oversees township government and hires a manager to manage the day-to-day operations.
City Hall sits at the center of downtown Royal Oak at the intersection of Troy and Third streets, just off Main Street. The complex includes offices for the city manager, finance director, code inspection, plus the assesser, city clerk, building and water departments and the city attorney. The City Commission holds its public meetings on the second floor. City Hall is just steps from the 44th District Courthouse, Farmers Market and Royal Oak Library. The Police Department is attached.
The Costick Activities Center provides a home for the City of Farmington Hills Cultural Arts Division, Recreation Division, Senior Adults Division and Youth & Family Services Program offices, as well as activities hosted by all those programs. The Center hums with activity daily, from swimming lessons in the pool and after-school programs, to activities for senior adults and meetings or events held in comfortable, well-appointed rental rooms. The City Gallery, in the Costick Center lobby, features artworks by local residents.
The Secretary of State maintains an office in West Bloomfied where individuals can obtain driver's licenses and register vehicles. This location accepts MasterCard and Discover, and has a self-service kiosk to renew tabs. The Secretary of State is part of the Department of State, whose duties include voter registration, administering election law, regulating auto dealerships and repair shops, commissioning notaries public and overseeing the Office of the Great Seal.
The Wyandotte branch of the Social Security Administration serves the Downriver region. Social Security questions and claims can be addressed at the branch office. Consumers also can apply for a new Social Security card or sign up for other services, including SSI and Medicare. People are encouraged to first visit the Social Security Administration's Web site to get many of their issues taken care of without having to visit a branch office.
The Secretary of State maintains an office in Trenton where individuals can obtain driver's licenses and register vehicles and obtain titles. This location accepts MasterCard and Discover, and has a self-service kiosk to renew tabs and a CDL kiosk.
This branch of the United States Social Security Administration serves Grosse Pointers and other area residents. The office is located on the second floor of the building and handles applications for social security benefits, name change requests for social security cards and more.
Accepting Mastercard and Visa, the Secretary of State facility is where residents of North Macomb County can obtain their driver's license, as well as register and title their vehicles. This location has a CDL kiosk and a self-service station, which is open 24 hours no matter the day. Moreover, instant titles are available for purchase.
In late fall of 2010, the City of Farmington Hills will unveil its newly renovated city hall, which is built to the environmental and sustainable development standards required for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification at the Gold level. City hall houses the offices of the city clerk, manager, treasurer, zoning and planning, mayor and city council. City Council meetings, as well as Planning Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals meetings, are held in council chambers. City council meetings, other events and activities are broadcast on Channel 8.
