Administrative Orders (AOs) in the City of Traverse City, Michigan, serve as executive-level directives issued by the City Manager to govern the internal operations, procedures, and day-to-day administration of municipal government.
Under the Traverse City Charter, the City Manager acts as the chief administrative officer responsible for executing laws, ordinances, and policies set by the City Commission. Administrative Orders serve as the mechanism to operationalize these higher-level mandates.
Primary Purpose and Key Functions
-
Operational Governance: Establishing standardized rules, procedures, and protocols for city departments (such as Police, Fire, Public Services, and Finance) to ensure consistent and efficient delivery of public services.
-
Internal Regulations: Implementing administrative codes, employee standards, safety regulations, procurement guidelines, and operational workflow processes.
-
Policy Enforcement: Translating high-level policies passed by the City Commission or state requirements into actionable, practical steps for city staff.
-
City Manager Authority: Allowing the City Manager to adapt city operations rapidly to changing needs, technological updates, or administrative efficiencies without requiring formal ordinance changes by the City Commission for every procedural update.
Number |
Administrative Order Title |
Date |
| PREFACE | ADMINISTRATIVE CODE OF THE CITY MANAGER | October 18, 2010 |
| 1 | PERSONNEL POLICIES | October 1, 2010 |
| 2 | ASSESSOR'S DEPARTMENT FUNCTIONS | October 1, 2010 |
| 3 | CLERK'S DEPARTMENT FUNCTIONS | November 3, 2017 |
| 4 | ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT FUNCTIONS | October 1, 2010 |
| 5 | FIRE DEPARTMENT FUNCTIONS | October 1, 2010 |
| 6 | PLANNING DEPARTMENT FUNCTIONS | October 1, 2010 |
| 7 | POLICE SERVICE DEPARTMENT FUNCTIONS | October 1, 2010 |
| 8 | PUBLIC SERVICES DEPARTMENT FUNCTIONS | August 9, 2017 |
| 9 | TREASURER/FINANCE DEPARTMENT FUNCTIONS | October 1, 2010 |
| 10 | ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER/ACTING CITY MANAGER | October 1, 2010 |
| 11 | FINANCIAL ANALYST/COMPLIANCE OFFICER | October 1, 2010 |
| 12 | DAILY MONEY DELIVERY TO TREASURER | October 1, 2010 |
| 13 | EXPENDITURES OF TAX DOLLARS FOR MUNICIPAL PURPOSES | October 1, 2010 |
| 14 | COMPUTATION OF WORK CHANGES | August 1, 2017 |
| 15 | PURCHASING FUNCTIONS | October 1, 2010 |
| 16 | INSURANCE GUIDELINES FOR CONTRACTS AND SERVICE ORDERS | October 1, 2010 |
| 17 | BONDS FOR CITY PROJECTS | October 1, 2010 |
| 18 | MOVED TO PERSONNEL POLICIES-POLICY NO 219-P | |
| 19 | MOVED TO PERSONNEL POLICIES-POLICY NO 221-P | |
| 20 | REAL ESTATE CLOSINGS | October 1, 2010 |
| 21 | SETTLEMENT OF CONTESTED TAX APPEALS | October 1, 2010 |
| 22 | EVENT REIMBURSEMENT AND DEPOSIT | October 1, 2010 |
| 23 | PROHIBITED STREETS FOR PEDICAB PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION | October 1, 2010 |
| 24 | SIDEWALK CAFE WINDSCREEN REGULATIONS | October 1, 2010 |
| 25 | GRANTING CONNECTION TO CITY STREET EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 352 | October 1, 2010 |
| 26 | TRAFFIC ENGINEER, TRAFFIC COMMITTEE AND TRAFFIC CONTROL ORDERS | October 1, 2010 |
| 27 | REQUESTS FOR WARNING SIGNS | October 1, 2010 |
| 28 | PROPERTY DESCRIPTIONS | October 1, 2010 |
| 29 | SWIMMING & DIVING | July 1, 2016 |
| 30 | HARBOR RULES; BOAT LAUNCHING RULES, PROHIBITED MOORING LOCATIONS | October 1, 2010 |
| 31 | PARK RULES (PETS, HOURS OF OPERATION, SCHEDULING USE OF) | June 1, 2013 |
| 32 | OAKWOOD CEMETERY RULES | June 1, 2014 |
| 33 | TRAVEL POLICY (DELETED 5/3/2012) | |
| 34 | SOIL EROSION AND SEDIMENTATION CONTROL OPERATING PROCEDURE | October 1, 2010 |
| 35 | SCRAP OR SALVAGE MATERIALS | October 1, 2010 |
| 36 | SURPLUS MATERIALS | October 1, 2010 |
| 37 | HUNTING/TRAPPING PROHIBITED AT KEYSTONE ROAD PROPERTY | October 1, 2010 |
| 38 | EMPLOYEE USE OF VEHICLES | October 1, 2010 |
| 39 | PUBLIC EDUCATION TRAILER LOAN AGREEMENT | October 1, 2010 |
| 40 | ALCOHOL PROHIBITION ON CITY-OWNED PROPERTY | October 1, 2010 |
| 41 | ACCIDENT INVESTIGATIONS | October 1, 2010 |
| 42 | PARKING METER ADMINISTIRATION - CITY LEGAL HOLIDAYS | October 1, 2010 |
| 43 | PARKING TICKETS, ISSUANCE OF & DISPUTED | October 1, 2010 |
| 44 | APPEARANCE TICKETS - AUTO PARKING SYSTEM | October 1, 2010 |
| 45 | APPEARANCE TICKETS - CODE ENFORCEMENT | June 1, 2012 |
| 46 | EQUAL ENFORCEMENT | September 9, 2010 |
| 47 | NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY | October 1, 2010 |
| 48 | MOVED TO PERSONNEL POLICIES-POLICY NO.217-P | |
| 49 | TREELAWN PARKING | June 1, 2013 |
| 50 | EXCAVATION AND STREET OPENING BOND | May 1, 2012 |
| 51 | SURVEILLANCE VIDEO POLICY | June 25, 2012 |
| 52 | JAY SMITH WALKWAY PROJECT CONTRIBUTION POLICY | June 22, 2012 |
| 53 | PEDICAB RUBLIC TRANSPORTATION | March 1, 2013 |
| 54 | VOLUNTEER AND INTERNSHIP ACTIVITIES | February 1, 2015 |
| 55 | ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER/ACTING CITY MANAGER | March 1, 2015 |
| 56 | VOID - NOT ADOPTED | |
| 57 | MUNICIPAL UTILITIES DEPARTMENT FUNCTIONS | August 9, 2017 |
| 58 | MORATORIUM ON ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR USE OF BROWN BRIDGE QUIET AREA | June 26, 2017 |
| 59 | GRANT MANAGEMENT AND COORDINATION | March 22, 2018 |
| 60 | ESTABLISH FORMAT FOR POLICIES | October 17, 2017 |
| 61 | MORATORIUM ON ACCEPTING REQUESTS FOR PLACEMENT OF CELLULAR COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT ON CITY PROPERTY | May 17, 2018 |
| 62 | FIRE DEPARTMENT STAFFING | April 5, 2018 |
| 63 | 457 PLAN REVIEW COMMITTEE | September 9, 2019 |
| 64 | ENVIRONMENT - CARBON FOOTPRINT MITIGATION THROUGH TREE PLANTING | December 30, 2019 |
| 65 | SHARED STREETS | |
| 66 | ||
| 67 | COVID-19, SOCIAL DISTANCING, FACE COVERINGS | July 29, 2020 |
| 68 | WAGE AND CLASSIFICATION STUDIES | September 20, 2021 |
| 69 | PRESS RELEASE & PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT | November 16, 2022 |
| 70 | ||
| 71 | ESTABLISHMENT OF THE COMMUNICATIONS AND STRATEGIC INTIATIVES DEPARTMENT | |
| 72 | TECHNOLOGY AND FACILITY PURCHASES | August 4, 2026 |
| 73 | ESTABLISHMENT OF THE FLEET MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT | July 15, 2026 |
| 74 | ESTABLISHMENT OF THE MOBILITY INFRASTRUCTURE DEPARTMENT | July 14, 2026 |
| 75 | ESTABLISHMENT OF THE ASSET MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT | |
| 76 | ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT | |
| 77 | ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PARKING SERVICES DEPARTMENT | |
| 78 | IMMEDIATE NOTIFICATION OF INCIDENTS AFFECTING SHARED FACILITIES, BUILDING OPERATIONS, AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS | July 30, 2026 |
| 79 | ||
| 80 |