After a recent meeting with Orion Township officials, members of a village taskforce are optimistic the township’s building department will again be doing the Village of Lake Orion’s inspection services.
Councilmen Harry Stephen, Ken Van Portfliet and Tom Albert met with township supervisor Jerry Dywasuk and building department head Tom Berger.
‘They’re willing to work with us,? Stephen told other members of the village council on April 28. ‘I got the feeling we wouldn’t be treated any differently than any other resident of the township.?
For the past several years, the village’s construction inspections have been done by state inspectors. Village officials have been unhappy that the state’s inspectors have been unwilling to enforce the village’s zoning laws.
Mark Sisco of Michigan’s Department of Consumer and Industry Services said that enforcement isn’t the responsibility of the state.
According to Stephen, Dywasuk has indicated the township is willing to also do zoning enforcement, but a rate will have to be negotiated for that service..
‘I didn’t pick up that they would have any budget problems with doing this (providing inspection services),? Stephen added. ‘In fact, they’ll have an income stream coming in. They should feel anxious to get it going.?
Lake Orion Village Manager JoAnn Van Tassel had told council members earlier this year, the township wasn’t opposed to doing the inspections, but didn’t want to discuss it until trustees started talking about next year’s budget later this year.
Van Portfliet was also enthusiastic about the meeting. ‘I believe Tom’s sincerely committed to helping the village. He mentioned a 24-hour turnover for inspections and recommended we adopt the international maintenance code.?
Another plus for the village, is the township has a software system where inspection reports will be available for village officials to see.
Council members asked Van Tassel to begin contract talks with the village.
The township provided inspection services for the village until the state took over.