A mother orders her son's
first passport.
She needs the birth certificate she brought home from the hospital twenty-three years ago, but it isn't certified — and the State Department won't accept anything less. She calls our office at 9:04 on a Tuesday. By 10:30, she's holding a sealed, embossed copy. That's what this office is for.
Vital records — births, deaths, marriages, and divorces filed within Millhaven city limits — are preserved here from 1897 to present. Older records from 1854–1896 are held on microfilm and available by appointment.
How to Request
Requestors must be the registrant, a parent, legal guardian, or authorized representative. Genealogical copies are available to any requestor for records 75+ years old.
A valid government-issued photo ID is required. For records on behalf of another person, bring notarized authorization or court documentation.
Walk in during office hours, mail a completed VR-1 form with a $22 certified copy fee, or begin your request online through our secure portal.
In-office requests are typically fulfilled same day. Mail requests are processed within 5–7 business days. Expedited processing available for $15.
Saturday Walk-In Records Day
No appointment needed. Bring valid ID and receive certified vital records copies on the spot. Genealogy research assistance available.
A couple stands in the yard
they're about to own.
Their closing is Friday. Their attorney just called about a lien from 2019 that nobody mentioned during escrow. The title company researcher has forty-eight hours to pull the deed history, verify the release, and certify the chain of title. This office has every recorded document going back to the original township plat of 1887.
Property records are publicly searchable by parcel number, owner name, or street address. Certified copies carry the County Recorder's embossed seal and are accepted by all Michigan courts and financial institutions.
Available Record Types
How to File a FOIA Request
Learn the proper process for submitting Freedom of Information Act requests for property records, permits, and government correspondence. Handouts provided.
A neighborhood shows up
to the budget hearing.
Forty-three residents signed up to speak about the proposed park closure. The city clerk recorded every word. Three months later, the park stayed open. Those minutes — timestamped, indexed, and publicly accessible — are the paper trail of civic democracy. They belong to everyone who pays taxes in Millhaven.
All public meeting records are available under Michigan's Open Meetings Act. Audio recordings from 2008 forward are also archived and searchable.
"Every decision made in the name of the public belongs to the public."
Michigan Freedom of Information Act, 1976
City Council Minutes
Full transcripts and vote records from every council session since 1962.
2,847 sessions indexedBudget Hearings
Annual budget documents, public testimony, and adopted fiscal year plans.
47 fiscal years indexedPlanning Commission
Zoning variance decisions, site plan approvals, and development permits.
1,203 decisions indexedYour request has legal weight.
Use it confidently.
The city must respond within 5 business days. Fees are capped at actual duplication cost. Denial must cite a specific statutory exemption. You may appeal any denial to the City Attorney within 180 days.
FY 2027 Budget Hearing — Public Comment Session
Residents may address the City Council regarding the proposed FY 2027 municipal budget. Speaker sign-up opens 30 minutes before the session. Written comments accepted until April 10.
Show up.
Your city is listening.
From free workshops on navigating public records to budget hearings where your testimony shapes municipal spending, these events are the connective tissue between the documents we preserve and the community they serve.
Not here for an event?
Request a Record OnlineReserve Your Seat
Complete the form below to secure your registration. Confirmation will be sent via email.