Oxford Village’s cityhood committee held its first official meeting Friday afternoon to discuss a variety of issues pertaining to the municipality’s potential incorporation.
Headed by former village Clerk Rose Bejma, the committee consists of village President George Del Vigna, Councilman Dave Bailey, Manager Joe Young and resident Joanne Doyle.
Attorney Thomas Ryan, special counsel retained by the village for the cityhood effort, was also in attendance at the first meeting.
‘It’s your process,? he said. ‘I’m just trying to help facilitate ? move it along.?
The village’s latest cityhood effort was initiated in 2003 by a private committee which met in restaurants and citizens? homes. These meetings were not posted or open to the general public, but were instead held by invitation only.
Immediately following the Michigan State Boundary Commission’s Jan. 18 acceptance of the cityhood petition as legally sufficient to move forward in the incorporation process, the village council voted to establish its own official advisory committee to research the various issues involving incorporation and make recommendations.
However, council as a body still has not taken an official stand, pro or con, on whether the village should incorporate as a city.
‘Is it illegal for council to weigh in?? Bejma asked.
‘No ma’am,? replied Ryan. ‘It’s your government and your form of government, you can decide what your recommendation is or what you believe as a village council.?
When he helped Clarkston become a city back in the early 1990s, the attorney noted, ‘The Clarkston Village Council did weigh in in favor of cityhood.?
Oxford’s village council could pass a resolution in favor of cityhood at one of its regular meetings, Ryan explained. But council isn’t obligated to take a position.
‘If you don’t want to, you don’t have to,? he said.
This is certainly different from what Del Vigna said in December 2006, when he repeatedly told council ‘we can’t by law? be for or against cityhood.
‘By law, you can’t (take a stand) as a council,? Del Vigna said at the Dec. 19, 2006 village meeting. ‘That’s the problem.?
In light of the upcoming public hearing before the state Boundary Commission ? set for 4 p.m. Thursday, May 3 in the Oxford Middle School commons area ? Ryan told committee members it’s a good idea to have people ready to give the public answers when they ask about various issues.
Other than the municipality’s name changing, he said people will want to know, ‘How’s that going to affect me ? the taxpayer??
‘What do you project the millage rate to be for the city? What services are we going to gain?? ? these are the types of questions people are going to ask, Ryan explained.
‘You ought to have one or two informational meetings next month on those bread and butter issues about the money and what not,? he said.
However, Ryan noted information about the potential tax savings of cityhood is only for the public’s benefit, not for the Boundary Commission.
‘They don’t really care about that,? he said.
He explained the Boundary Commission’s only interested in whether the proposed incorporation meets all the legal criteria ? population, land area, future urban growth, need for organized community services, ‘general effect upon the entire community,? etc. ? to move forward and go to a vote of village residents.
‘The public hearing is solely for the Boundary Commission to determine whether or not petitioners have met . . . (the) statutory criteria or not,? Ryan explained.
Because the hearing is a public meeting, anyone can attend and speak ? from the petitioner for cityhood (in this case, resident Steve Allen) and ‘anybody else deemed appropriate by the petitioner? to village and township representatives and residents.
‘Anybody can be there,? Ryan said.
Ryan said he will ‘probably be one of the main speakers for the village? at public hearing,? but ‘Steve Allen and the village council can weigh in if they want to before then.?
When the May 3 hearing is over, the Boundary Commission is required to, for 30 days, accept from anyone ‘additional or supplemental public hearing evidence including exhibits, written comments, statements, etc.? Following that, the commission issues a finding of fact and ruling as to whether or not the proposed incorporation has met all the legal criteria and can go forward to a vote of village residents.