[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Board of the Township of New Buffalo 8-19-1996 by Ord. No. 960819. Amendments noted where applicable.]
This chapter shall be known and cited as the "Municipal Ordinance Violations Bureau Ordinance."
A. 
Establishment. The New Buffalo Township Municipal Ordinance Violations Bureau (hereafter "Bureau") is hereby established pursuant to Act 12 of the Public Acts of 1994 of the State of Michigan, as amended, for the purpose of accepting admissions of responsibility for ordinance violations designated as municipal infractions, and to collect and retain civil fines/costs for such violations as prescribed herein.
B. 
Location. The Bureau shall be located at the Township Hall or such other location in the Township as may be designated by the Township Board.
C. 
Personnel. All personnel of the Bureau shall be Township employees or elected officials. The Township Board may by resolution designate a Bureau Clerk with the duties prescribed herein and as otherwise delegated by the Township Board.
[Amended 11-20-2000]
The Bureau shall only have authority to accept admission of responsibility (without explanation) for municipal civil infractions for which a municipal ordinance violation notice (as compared to a citation) has been issued and served, and to collect and retain the scheduled civil fines and costs for such violations specified pursuant to this chapter or other applicable ordinance. The Bureau shall not accept payment of fine/costs from any person who denies having committed the alleged violation or who admits responsibility only with explanation. The Bureau shall not determine or attempt to determine the truth or falsity of any fact or matter relating to an alleged ordinance violation.
A. 
Ordinance violation notice requirements. Municipal civil infraction violation notices shall be issued and served by authorized Township officials as provided by law. A municipal ordinance violation notice shall include, at a minimum, all of the following:
(1) 
The violation.
(2) 
The time within which the person must contact the Bureau for purposes of admitting or denying responsibility for the violation.
(3) 
The amount of the scheduled fine/costs for the violation.
(4) 
The methods by which the violation may be admitted or denied.
(5) 
The consequences of failing to pay the required fines and costs or contact the Bureau within the required time.
(6) 
The address and telephone number of the Bureau.
(7) 
The days and hours that the Bureau is open.
B. 
Denial of responsibility. Where a person fails to admit responsibility (without explanation) for a violation within the designated time period, the Bureau Clerk or other designated Township official or employee shall advise the complainant to issue and file a municipal infraction citation for such violation with the court having jurisdiction of the matter. The citation filed with the court shall consist of a sworn complaint containing, at a minimum, the allegations stated in the municipal ordinance violation notice and shall fairly inform the alleged violator how to respond to the citation. A copy of the citation may be served by first-class mail upon the alleged violator at the alleged violators last-known address. The citation shall thereafter be processed in the manner required by law.
[Amended 8-18-2003; at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
A. 
A civil fine is payable to the Municipal Ordinance Violations Bureau upon admission of responsibility by persons served with a municipal ordinance violation notice. The amount of the civil fine is established from time to time by resolution of the Township Board. Check with the Bureau for the current amount.
B. 
Costs. An additional cost shall be assessed by the Bureau if the fines and costs are paid within 10 days of service of the municipal ordinance violation notice. Otherwise, if not paid within 10 days, the costs will be increased. The cost is established from time to time by resolution of the Township Board. Check with the Bureau for the current amount.
The Bureau Clerk or other designated Township official or employee shall retain a copy of all municipal ordinance violation notices, and shall account to the Township Board once a month or at such other intervals as the Township Board may require concerning the number of admissions and denials of responsibility for ordinance violations within the jurisdiction of the Bureau and the amount of fines and costs collected with respect to such violations. The civil fines and costs collected shall be delivered to the Township Treasurer at such intervals as the Treasurer shall require, and shall be deposited in the general fund of the Township.
Nothing in this chapter shall be deemed to require the Township to initiate its municipal civil infraction ordinance enforcement activity through the issuance of an ordinance violation notice. As to each ordinance violation designated as a municipal civil infraction, the Township may, at its sole discretion, proceed directly with the issuance of municipal civil infraction citation or take such other enforcement action as is authorized by law.