The following is a summary of the last four Oakland Township Board meetings. There have not been any controversial issues that have either been brought up, or created, by the Board over the past few months.

May 9^th

• Unanimously approved a request to obtain input from the MDEQ as to their position on the Mill Race restoration possibilities.
• Unanimously approved payment of $9,000 to PEA for engineering services on the Millrace project.
• Approved in a 5 to 2 vote (Reilly and Langlois the dissenting votes) the expenditures necessary to develop maintenance and repair project for the existing safety path surrounding Oakland Christian Church and construction of a new path surrounding the Blossom Ridge development. It also approved authorizing the Safety Paths and Trails Committee to oversee the project. The Safety Paths and Trails millage would fund the work.
• Unanimously approved entering into a contract with the Neighborhood House to provide transportation services for low to moderate income citizens of Oakland Township, utilizing Community Development Block Grant funds appropriated to the Township.

May 23^rd

• Unanimously approved authorizing the Township Attorney and Parks and Recreation Attorney to sign the consent judgment in the case of Butcher, et al. v Oakland Township, Circuit Court Case No. 2016-152530-CH. (Comments from Parks and Recreation Attorney Steve Joppich and Trustee Ferriolo in following video)

• Unanimously approved awarding a $6,400 contract to Cornerstone Remodeling Company LLC, for the painting of the Cranberry Lake Farm hen house and hatchling house.
• Approved in a 6 to 1 vote (Langlois the dissenting vote) a motion to not entertain discussion on the 45 MPH postings on Mead and Dutton Roads with Rochester Hills.
• Unanimously approved a request for a two-year extension of the Oak Arbor PRD.

June 13

• Unanimously approved the Water supply and Amended Sewage Disposal rate increases for the residents serviced by the Water Resource Commission (click on image to enlarge).

• Approved in a 6 to 1 vote (Giannangeli the dissenting vote) the expenditure of $17,085 for the replacement of the flat roof on the east side of the Paint Creek Cider Mill canopy roof.
• Unanimously approved awarding a contract for $20,499 to the E. L. Electrical Company for replacing the Paint Creek Cider Mill electrical transfer switch.
• Unanimously approved purchasing a truck and trailer for our Fire Department for $31,948 and $5,865 respectively.
• Approved in a 6 to 1 vote (Mangiapani the dissenting vote) the deferred increases in the Parks and Recreation Employee’s compensation, pending the Parks and Recreation Commission’s approval.

June 27^th

• Unanimously approved purchasing a 40-foot flagpole for the Cranberry Lake facility owned by the Township for between $2,175 and $2,225.
• Unanimously approved the purchase of a Building Department Vehicle for $52,415.
• Unanimously approve the leasing of a Chevrolet Traverse for general Township use at a cost of $315 per month.
• Unanimously approved the Buell Road Ventures request to direct their proposed special land use Ultimate Paved Road density, for 16 units on the South side of Buell Road between Rochester Road and Hadden Roads, to the Planning Commission for their consideration and review of the proposed plan.
• Unanimously approved Verizon Metro’s request to add underground fiber optics capability within the approved right of way within a portion of our Township.
• Approved in a 6 to 1 vote (Giannangeli the dissenting vote) the extension of the Oakland Township firefighter’s contract for one year, but with a 2% increase in compensation.
• Approved in a 4 to 3 vote (Giannangeli, Mangiapani & Ferriolo the dissenting votes) the authorization to contribute $6,522.18 to the Rochester Area Youth Assistance program.

Things have appeared to ‘settle down’ with our newly elected Township Board.

Richard Michalski