Millage rates approved

It is official. At last week’s Independence Township Board of Trustees meeting, Finance Director Wendy Hillman let everyone know the taxable value of property in the township is over $1.45 billion. At the meeting she recommended, and the board approved the following millage rates to be used for 2017 budgeting.
The General Fund rate is 1.0020, to bring in $1,456,910; Police rate, 2.9003 mils, resulting in $4,217,043; Fire, .3.4653 mils bringing in $5,038,554; and the Safety Path mil rate was set at .4418 mils, resulting in $642,379 in tax revenue. The above amounts were passed with this caveat, “net CIA capture,” meaning subtracted from the revenue are funds captured for the Sashabaw Road corridor improvement fund.

Road funds OK’d

City Council voted 7-0 to approve $1,820 for road repairs, matching a road grant from Oakland County.
The funds, which will come from the Local Roads budget line, will buy hot patch repair to center seams and potholes for North Holcomb, Miller, E.Washington, Buffalo, and Depot roads.
Oakland County Board of Commissioners approved its $1,820 in matching funds on Aug. 31, as part of its Oakland County Local Road Improvement Matching Fund Pilot Program.

Lease for city equipment

City Council voted unanimously to approve a short-term lease at the Baylis Farm facility at the corner of M-15 and Hubbard Road, next to Independence Elementary School, for storage of DPW equiment and city records.
The lease will be $1,000 per month for 3,320 square feet. The city will move equipment and records there from Bay Court Park, a garage bay on Clarkston Community Schools property, and Maxx Storage.
The city Facilities Committee will continue looking into a new building in Depot Park. The lease agreement still needs to be approved by Clarkston Board of Education.