The Orion Township Board of Trustees unanimously voted to ‘suspend? plans for a centralized public safety complex Monday night.
The complex, which was to include the Department of Public Works, Oakland County Sheriff’s Department and a fifth township fire station, hit a hurdle when fire department officials asked to put their portion on hold last month.
A memo to the board Monday indicated less-than-desired monies available in the sheriff’s department fund as well.
Treasurer Alice Young made the motion to suspend, adding, like many of her fellow board members, that the project needs to be done eventually, just not now.
A contract with Plante & Moran’s specialized CRESA group will be terminated with 30 days notice and the board opted not to sign the architectural contract with French Associates.
Project costs ranged from roughly $8 million (without a fire station) up to $11 million in estimates provided throughout the past year.
‘This is a major decision with a board that is going out of power, and to spend this kind of money, I just can’t see it,? Trustee Neal Porter said.
Both Supervisor Jerry Dywasuk and Clerk Jill Bastian expressed their disappointment in giving up on the project, though they voted to do so.
‘Since 1996, there has been a desperate need for adequate facilities,? Bastian said. ‘That need still exists. For 12 years, this concept has been discussed on numerous occasions.?
‘This entire process that we’ve been a part of for the last couple of years has just been seemingly one piece of non-communication or miscommunication after another,? she added, noting that if it had not been that way, the project would be underway by now.
The proposed location, on Joslyn Road, just south of Orion Oaks Elementary School, had come under scrutiny because of wetlands that eliminated some buildable acreage on the 11-acre site. The site is owned by the Water & Sewer department.
‘I get a sense that the board understands there’s a need,? Trustee Matt Gibb said. ‘It seems like the more we find out, the more questions arise that make it look like this isn’t the most ideal use of that property or the ideal mechanism to solve the problems of the sheriff’s department’s space constraints.?
With Plante & Moran CRESA now on their way out, Trustee John Steimel said it would be a good idea to use their services while still under contract for the next month.
‘I really would like to see us have another big sit-down with all of the involved department heads,? he said.