City Clerk

Patricia Johnson
City Clerk

River Rouge City Clerk
10600 West Jefferson Ave.
River Rouge, MI 48218
Phone: (313) 842-5604
Fax: (313) 842-4711

Monday-Thursday from 8:30 am until 3:30 pm.
Friday from 8:30 am until 12:30 noon

Closed on holidays and when other city offices are closed.

Shirley Miller
City Clerk Contact

River Rouge City Clerk
10600 West Jefferson Ave.
River Rouge, MI 48218
Phone: (313) 842-5604
Fax: (313) 842-4711
Email:smiller@cityofriverrouge.org

About the River Rouge City Clerk

The City Clerk's Office is responsible for many diverse functions of the City. All City departments, City Council, City Boards and Commissions, residents, community organizations and businesses benefit from the services offered by this Office. As part of its duties, the City Clerk attends and records all City Council meetings. The City Clerk also prepares the city Council meeting agendas and information packets. The Clerk is responsible for maintaining the files and records for the City of River Rouge including city codes, ordinances, resolutions, council, boards and commissions meeting minutes, bids, contracts, and legal agreements. The Office processes requests filed under the Freedom of Information Act. The City Clerk also processes all license applications for businesses, solicitors, peddlers, animals, and block parties. Additionally, the City Clerk plays and integral role in the organization and implementation of voter registration and elections.

As mentioned above, the City Clerk is responsible for handling all city record keeping, processing FOIA requests, and carrying out voter registration and election business.
The City Clerk also processes various license applications. For payment of any fees that accompany license applications the City Clerk accepts cash, money orders, and personal checks.

Voting & Election Information

To receive an application for absentee voting, please contact the City Clerk's Office to request an application. Upon receiving the request, the City Clerk will mail the application to  you. Once the application is returned to the City Clerk and processed, the absentee ballot will be mailed.

For more information on voting, voter registration, and elections, please visit the Voting & Election Information page. Also, visit the Voting & Election Information page for a printable copy of the Voter Registration Form. To register to vote, please complete the form in the City Clerk's Office.

Business Licenses

To apply for a business license, residents must complete the City of River Rouge Business License Application and submit the completed application to the City Clerk's Office. The same application may also be used for business owners in need of renewing their business license.

Fees: When the business application is submitted, a $200 fee will be charged. This payment will cover the licensing fees for two years.

To print the Business License Application please click the link below.

Business License Application

Animal Licenses

The City of River Rouge requires all residents to register dogs and cats with the City Clerk's Office. To register an animal and receive an animal license, please visit the City Clerk's Office to complete the application. Residents must bring proof of rabies vaccinations from their veterinarian.

Fees:  The fee charged for animals that have been spayed or neutered is $6. Documentation from a veterinarian is needed to prove the procedure has been performed. Otherwise, the fee for the animal license is $12.

Residents must visit the City Clerk's Office to obtain a copy of the Animal License Application.
Animal licenses must be renewed annually, no later than April 4th.

Birth & Death Certificates

To obtain copies of birth or death certificates, residents need to contact the Wayne County Clerk's Office in Detroit, Michigan at (313) 224-5535.

Block Parties

Residents interested in having a block party must complete a Block Party Application. To print a copy of the Block Party Application, please click the link below.

Block Party Regulations, Guide and Application

The application includes a Block Party Petition. In order to have a block party, the petition must be signed by 90% of the residents living on the block where the party is to be held.

Applications must be submitted to the City Clerk's Office 30 days prior to the desired date of the block party.

The following list contains block party regulations that residents must adhere to.

Block Party Regulations

  1. The street is not to be barricaded with any immovable objects such as motor vehicles, trailers, etc. You must use the lightweight wooden barricades that the DPW will drop off and pickup
  2. DO NOT block the street in any manner that would prevent emergency vehicles from having ready access to any home or injured person.
  3. Notify residents that they cannot drive to and from their houses while the street remains blocked off, doing so will have to be done before and after the event.
  4. Fireworks are prohibited; the use of such will be subject violators to criminal sanctions as well as exclude future block party requests.
  5. No block party shall begin prior to 10:00 am & the street must be cleaned, cleared, and reopened by 11:00 pm
  6. Fire Hydrants must be kept unblocked and accessible should an emergency occur.
  7. No Ropes or electrical lines shall be permitted to cross the street.
  8. No tents or immovable objects will be permitted on the street.
  9. River Rouge residents need to adhere to all noise ordinance requirements. Disturbance calls to the Police Department will jeopardize future requests for block parties, as well as subject violators to criminal sanctions.
  10. All other River Rouge ordinances remain in full force and effect as well.

Please Note

The River Rouge Police Department reserves the right to shut down any party that violates these ordinances.

FOIA Requests

To submit a Freedom of Information Act request to the City Clerk, you must first complete the FOIA Request form below. Once completed, please submit the request to the City Clerk for them to process in a timely manner.  To print the FIOA form, please click the link below.

FOIA Request Form