By Megan Kelley
Editor
mkelley@mihomepaper.com
INDEPENDENCE TWP. — At its regularly scheduled meeting on Aug. 27, the Independence Township Board of Trustees approved two budget amendments and approvals for design services for the water main extension project as well as a two-year rental agreement with Flock Safety Cameras.
First up was the approval of a design service proposal from DLZ Engineering Services and subsequent budget amendment for the Drayton water main extension project.
“Earlier in the year we brought forward the project for the water main extension. This is just for the design services of that project. So, this is not for the project itself, it’s just for the design services,” said Adam Kline, Interim Director of the DPW.
The current township plan is to extend approximately 18,000 feet of water main to the Drayton Plains area to address water quality issues and provide residents with high quality drinking water. The township also proposed a water main extension from Pelton Road to Waterford Road where it will extend north to Maybee Road to provide the township with an additional water loop for redundancy and reliability of clean drinking water, township documents state.
The initial approval of the project was passed by the board at its May 7 meeting.
While the township does not yet have funding for the project, funding is expected to come from EGLE’s Affordability and Planning Grant, of which the township received $441,770 including a township match of $24,600, township documents show.
“EGLE is still in the process of scoring the applications that were received. We should hear, I would say, by the end of September whether or not that has been awarded,” said Laura Gruzwalski from DLZ.
Gruzwalski added that they are looking into additional ways of funding for the project and if the township does receive funding in September, construction can likely begin next year.
The proposal approved was for a do not exceed amount of $443,395 and is based on the current bid contract between the company and the township.
The proposed scope of services includes survey, geotechnical investigation, construction plan design and permitting for the approximately 18,000 feet of water main, along with hydrant assemblies, water services and any replacement or restoration items due to construction methods.
The construction phase of the project is expected to be presented to the board at a later date.
Later, the board unanimously approved a two-year rental agreement with Flock Safety Cameras.
In April of this year, the board heard a presentation from the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) and Flock Safety about potentially installing Flock Safety Cameras in the township.
“We had a presentation before by the sheriff’s department a while ago and we talked about why we need this. It’s going to help us to give a little to the sheriff’s department to help do their job and I think this is essential, it’s important,” said Supervisor Jose Aliaga.
The Flock Camera system is a fixed automated license plate reader camera system that serves to provide information to law enforcement when crimes are committed.
“Flock Cameras are a great investigative tool. They are a deterrent as well. Once criminals get to know that we have those cameras and they’re able to identify them, they will go elsewhere,” said Lieutenant Richard Cummins from the OCSO. “They’re not just used to catch criminals, they’re used to Amber Alerts, when seniors get lost we can find them with these cameras. Wherever we have these cameras, and they’re all through the state of Michigan and Oakland County, they help us track down people we’re looking for.”
The two-year agreement is for 12 Flock Safety Falcon Camera’s from the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office in the amount not to exceed $36,000 annually plus a $7,800 in the first year for set-up.