Who's who in Local Government
Township
Tax Collector
Township collectors collect the majority of taxes each year before September 1.
Assessor
The assessor is responsible for mass appraisal, a process that requires the assessor to perform three fundamental yet vital duties:
• Determining that similar property is valued in a uniform manner
• Ensuring that existing property is valued at the appropriate statutory level of market value
• Discovering, listing, and valuing all new construction within the jurisdiction
Highway Commissioner
The township highway commissioner is responsible for the construction and maintenance of all roads and bridges in the road district.
Clerks
Clerks are required to attend meetings of the township board of trustees and keep accurate records, including minutes, of all board meetings and executive sessions.
Supervisor
The supervisor is the chairperson of the township board of trustees, manager of the general assistance program, and treasurer of all town funds plus the road and bridge fund.
Trustees
Trustees adopt the annual township budget and appropriation ordinance, the general assistance budget, and the road district budget.
Municipality
Collector
The collector receives municipal revenue from sources other than taxes (e.g., licenses and user fees) and pays it over to the treasurer.
Comptroller
The comptroller exercises supervision over all officers responsible for the collection or disbursement of municipal revenue, and compiles and reports all information needed for the preparation of the appropriation ordinance of the budget if she or he has been designated budget officer
Treasurer
The municipal treasurer is the custodian of all funds belonging to the municipality
Clerk
The municipal clerk keeps the corporate seal and all papers belonging to the municipality
Manager
The manager is the chief administrative officer of the municipality and is responsible for the efficient administration of all city departments.
Mayor or President
The mayor is the chief executive officer of the city; the village president is the chief executive officer of the village. The mayor or president performs all duties prescribed by law, and is required to see that the laws and ordinances are faithfully executed.
County
Regional Superintendent of Schools
The regional superintendent of schools exercises supervision and control over all school districts within the county.
Coroner
The coroner is responsible for the investigation and certification of the cause and manner of death in cases of violence or questionable circumstances.
County Clerk
The county clerk is the keeper of all county records. Responsibilities of the county clerk’s office range from administering elections to conducting a great deal of the state’s taxation duties.
Circuit Clerk
The primary duty of the circuit clerk is to assist the circuit court judge in the execution of his or her judicial duties by preparing and maintaining court records, collecting fees and fines, and processing paperwork.
County Recorder
The county recorder is the official manager of land records for the county. The recorder is responsible for recording, archiving, and retrieving all documents submitted by the public to be recorded, the most prominent being mortgages, deeds, and liens.
The supervisor of assessments is the county appraiser. The supervisor of assessments is responsible for assessing the value of all real property within the jurisdiction for the purpose of real estate taxation.
Supervisor of Assessments
State's Attorney
The state’s attorney is the chief prosecuting officer of the county. The state’s attorney is also the lawyer for the county and legal advisor and counselor for all county officials
County Treasurer
The county treasurer serves as the county’s banker, responsible for the safekeeping and prudent investing of public funds.
Sheriff
The sheriff is the primary law enforcement officer in the county and strives to prevent crime and maintain the safety and order of the citizens in the region.
The county board is both the legislative and executive branch of county government.
As an executive body, the board administers the activities of county departments and offices, except those headed by the other elected county officials.
As a legislative body, the board enacts ordinances and resolutions that can apply either to the county as a region—including the cities within it— or specifically to the unincorporated area of the county
County commissioners serve rotating six-year terms
County board is an elected office with a four-year term
