Paradise Township

What Paradise Township does

Paradise Township is a Michigan statutory township and political subdivision of Grand Traverse County, established in April 1867 and headquartered at 2300 E. M-113, Kingsley, Michigan. It governs a 54-square-mile territory — larger than the standard 36-square-mile Michigan township — and serves approximately 4,730 residents (2005 U.S. Census estimate), having grown 76% between 1990 and 2000. The township delivers core municipal services across eight functional areas: property tax collection (via the Treasurer's office and BSA Online platform), property assessment (with a Board of Review for appeals), zoning and planning (administered by an AICP-credentialed director and Planning Commission), fire and emergency medical services (Paradise Emergency Services, ISO Class 3), parks and recreation (Mayfield Pond Park, 57.12 acres), cemetery services (Evergreen Cemetery, ~1,078 plots and ~5,390 burial sites), election administration, and FOIA/public records compliance under Michigan Public Act 442 of 1976.

The township's operating technology is modest and commodity-based: the public website runs on the Revize content management platform with multilingual translation support across 60+ languages, and tax payments and property information search are handled through the third-party BSA Online system (e-check fee of $3.00, 3% credit card convenience fee). No proprietary technology, API, or mobile application is offered. Document distribution is handled through a web-accessible Document Center containing budgets (published for FY2024-25, FY2025-26, and FY2026-27), ordinances, meeting minutes, and employment applications.

Paradise Township's revenue model is primarily tax-based, with ancillary transaction fees from cemetery plot sales (residents $250, non-residents $400) and grave opening/closing services ($175 cremation, $475 full burial). There is no commercial pricing, equity ownership, or venture funding. Governance is exercised by an elected five-member Board (Supervisor, Clerk, Treasurer, two Trustees) with four-year terms expiring November 20, 2028, supported by appointed department heads and shared community policing through the Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Department. The township collaborates with the Village of Kingsley on a Joint Parks & Recreation Committee and with Mayfield Township on shared emergency service coverage.

Name

Paradise Township

Legal name

Paradise Township

Website

https://paradisetwp.org

Company type

Public

Founded year

1867

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Paradise Township is a Michigan statutory township in Grand Traverse County providing property tax collection, fire/EMS, zoning, parks, cemetery, election, and assessment services to approximately 4,730 residents across 54 square miles.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local Government / Municipal Services

NAICS

Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (92512), Fire Protection (92216)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Safety Administration (Fire/EMS, Emergency Management) (BPAIACAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Municipal Tax & Revenue Administration (Local) (BPAIACAD), Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services (BPAIACAI)

Keywords

• Local government services
• Property tax collection
• Emergency fire services
• Zoning planning services
• Cemetery services

Headquarters

HQ city

Kingsley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Property Tax Collection: Paradise Township collects property taxes (summer and winter bills) including state education tax, county tax, school taxes, library tax, EMS tax, fire tax, and township tax.
2. Cemetery Services: Revenue from sale of cemetery plots and grave opening/closing services. Paradise Township residents pay $250 per plot; non-residents pay $400. Full burial excavation costs $475, cremation burial $175.
3. Emergency Services: Provides fire and EMS services to township residents; may receive funding from state and county emergency management programs.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Paradise Township provides core municipal government services to residents and property owners within its 54-square-mile jurisdiction in Grand Traverse County, Michigan. Offerings include property tax collection (summer and winter bills encompassing state education, county, school, library, EMS, fire, and township levies), property assessment, fire and EMS response (ISO Class 3), parks and recreation at Mayfield Pond Park, Evergreen Cemetery sales and burial services, zoning and planning administration, and election administration. The township employs approximately 12 staff and is governed by an elected Supervisor, Clerk, Treasurer, and two Trustees.

Product overview

Paradise Township is a local government entity in Grand Traverse County, Michigan that provides core municipal services to residents. The township operates as a single integrated government organization offering eight primary service areas: general township administration, property tax collection, property assessment, emergency services (fire/EMS), parks and recreation (Mayfield Pond Park), cemetery services (Evergreen Cemetery), zoning and planning, and election administration. These services function as the core operating functions of the township government rather than separate commercial products or modules.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Township Government Services Core local government administrative services including board meetings, public records, FOIA requests, employment opportunities, and general township business for residents of Paradise Township.
• Tax Collection Services Collection of summer and winter property taxes including state education tax, county tax, school taxes, library tax, EMS tax, fire tax, and township tax; tax payments accepted online (BSA Online with $3.00 per e-check and 3% credit card processing fees), by phone, mail, and in person.
• Property Assessment Services Property valuation and assessment administration by the appointed assessor (Dawn Kuhns), including Board of Review hearings for property assessment appeals for Paradise Township property owners.
• Paradise Emergency Services (Fire and EMS) Fire suppression, medical response, and emergency protection for Paradise Township with ISO Class 3 rating, directed by Eric Somsel. Phone: (231) 263-4002 / (231) 263-0146.
• Parks and Recreation (Mayfield Pond Park) Management of Mayfield Pond Park (57.12 acres) including pavilion, restrooms, playground, boardwalk, overlook, fishing area, and scenic trails, jointly coordinated with the Village of Kingsley through the Joint Township/Village Parks & Recreation Committee.
• Evergreen Cemetery Services Cemetery plot sales and grave opening/closing services at Evergreen Cemetery. Paradise Township residents pay $250 per plot; non-residents pay $400. Full burial excavation costs $475 and cremation burial excavation costs $175.
• Zoning and Planning Services Zoning administration, ordinance enforcement, planning commission activities, and zoning board of appeals for land use regulation within Paradise Township, directed by Jenn Cram, AICP.
• Election Administration Voter registration, absentee ballot processing, and election coordination through the Township Clerk's office (Lisa Gulliver), with ballot materials accepted through the grey ballot drop box at the front entrance.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Village of KingsleycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParadise Township collaborates with the Village of Kingsley on the Joint Township/Village Parks & Recreation Committee. The Village is located within Paradise Township boundaries and shares community resources including Brownson Memorial Park and Civic Center South Park. Joint committee manages shared recreational facilities and planning.
• Mayfield TownshipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity Police Officer Dustin Stickler serves Paradise Township, Village of Kingsley, and Mayfield Township jointly through Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Department.
• Grand Traverse CountycoreOthersParadise Township is a subdivision of Grand Traverse County. The county provides various services including Sheriff's Office, Health Department, Roads Commission, Construction Code Office, Register of Deeds, and Treasurer services. Township receives county-level support for property tax collection and emergency management.
• State of MichigancoreOthersParadise Township operates under Michigan state law and coordinates with state agencies including Secretary of State for elections, Michigan State Police, Department of Natural Resources, and Michigan Department of Treasury.

Scale indicators5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• City of Traverse City: Larger municipal incumbent within Grand Traverse County offering an overlapping service portfolio (tax, parks, emergency, planning) at greater scale. Comparable services but serves a denser urban core rather than rural township.

Direct peers

• Blair Township: Grand Traverse County peer township providing parallel municipal services including emergency, tax, and parks functions. Direct jurisdictional comparable in scale.
• Acme Township: Grand Traverse County township with comparable small-government operating profile. Direct municipal peer for service-mix and population-scale benchmarking.
• East Bay Township: Adjacent Grand Traverse County township offering fire, EMS, tax, zoning, and parks services. Highly comparable service portfolio and population scale.
• Long Lake Township: Grand Traverse County township providing similar small-population municipal services with comparable geographic footprint and service offerings.
• Peninsula Township: Grand Traverse County township operating parks, planning, and emergency services with a similar rural-suburban profile. Comparable operating structure for small township governance.
• Whitewater Township: Adjacent Grand Traverse County township with a similar rural governance profile and comparable service mix to Paradise Township.
• Garfield Township: Neighboring Grand Traverse County township providing similar municipal services (zoning, parks, tax collection, emergency services) to a comparable population. Closest jurisdictional peer by geography and service mix.

Regional players

• Fife Lake Township: Northern Michigan township providing parallel small-government services. Useful regional comparable for operating cost and service-mix benchmarking.
• Green Lake Township: Grand Traverse County peer township offering the same municipal service categories at a comparable scale. Operates in the same regional labor and service market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/paradise-township

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Paradise Township