Voters in Springfield Township will be asked to renew police and fire millages, and consider an additional half mil for library services, in August.
The township board held a brief discussion at their April 13 meeting asking township attorney Greg Need to draft a millage proposal for the renewal and approval.
‘The library board decided they wanted that half a mil. We simply asked the attorney to draft the language for them,? said Supervisor Collin Walls.
According to a memo from Walls to the board, the library is asking for an additional .5 mil over the .5 mil rolled back by the Headlee Amendment.
The library board approved the millage language at a special meeting on April 5. The library board moved unanimously to have the millage ballot question consist of the following wording to passed on to the township attorney: ‘Shall a library tax of one-half (1/2) mil be levied for operating purposes of the Springfield Township Library commencing with the fiscal year beginning January 1, 2007.?
Walls said the renewal of both fire and police back up to rates that were approved 10 years ago and settles the issue for another 10 years.
‘We asked the township attorney to draft renewal of 1 mil for fire and renewal for 1.5 for police,? said Walls. ‘If it doesn’t pass, we would lose eight of our 11 contracts (for police),? said Walls. ‘Fire would lose it all.?
Further millage discussion, described by Walls as ‘half-hearted? about the general fund millage and parks and rec millage, resulted in both not being left off the Aug. ballot.
Walls expects the millage topic on the May agenda.
In other news:
‘The board decided they needed more information on the Oakland Wireless initiative before proceeding.
According to Walls, the board had many questions surrounding the level of service, equipment and other basic information the township has not received.
‘The bottom line is there was nothing to act on because we don’t have any other information besides what we’ve read in the paper,? said Walls. ‘Aside from the fact I don’t have the basics about (Wireless Oakland), if it really provides a free service to residents, I’m all for it.?
‘A discussion about a requested authorized only swing gate for Jimbar 10 feet off the Big Lake Road intersection failed to result in a motion by the board. Walls said the issue had zero support from the board and that he made some recommendations to citizens involved with the proposal to look into speed reducing measures available through the Road Commission for Oakland County.
‘The issue was the fire chief saw no problem with the gate as long as the road was plowed and accessible,? said Walls. ‘There was no way to ensure 12 months of accessibility for emergency vehicles.?
An Ember Road resident wrote the letter requesting the swing gate to address resident concern about increased traffic, at higher speeds, if paving takes place in the future. The letter stated, ‘Specifically, the concern is that motorists traveling on Big Lake Road will use Jimbar/Ember as a quicker thoroughfare to be on pavement, especially at those times that Big Lake Road is in poor condition between Hillsboro and Jimbar.?