Of particular interest to me are comments by a resident who live immediatley adjacent to Fox Nature Preserve about dangers of off-leash dogs in this park to his 2-year-old daughter. See his remarks starting on page 11 in packet below. Thanks to recording secertary Ingrid Kliffel for providing a complete summary and not just his name only as we get in Board of Trustee minutes.
In my opinion all of our parks need stricter enforcement of our leash ordinance. Issue warning tickets and if there are repeat offenders, $500 fines.
One big item is the 2026 budget for approval. The packet contains an overview of where your real estate taxes go (18% to Township) and a listing or top personnel. Per state law none of this information need be supplied; even an agenda is not required by law.
Its interesting to note that the Nov 11th closed session included an “evaluation of the township manager”. This can be done in closed session if requested by the Manager. See state law below.
(1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (2), a public body may meet in a closed session only for the following purposes:
(a) To consider the dismissal, suspension, or disciplining of, or to hear complaints or charges brought against, or to consider a periodic personnel evaluation of, a public officer, employee, staff member, or individual agent, if the named individual requests a closed hearing. An individual requesting a closed hearing may rescind the request at any time, in which case the matter at issue must be considered after the rescission only in open sessions.
The law goes on to list other 11 other purposes up to paragraph (l).
One wonders why all our managers opt for closed evaluations?
To watch all or part of the November 11th video click below:
Join us for our annual native seed cleaning workdays next Thursday (Nov 20) and Friday (Nov 21) from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm at Watershed Ridge Park! Note that this year we have two workdays, and they are in the morning instead of the afternoon. We collected lots of seed this year, and so we will be finishing seed cleaning, making seed mixes, and getting things ready to spread in our parks this winter! Our big project this year is creating prairie mixes for 20 acres of prairie plantings at Watershed Ridge Park and Blue Heron Environmental Area. If you’re planning to be there, please let us know by responding to this message.
We will be at our maintenance facilities at Watershed Ridge Park, 1720 W. Buell Road, Oakland, MI 48363, about 1.75 miles west of Rochester Rd and 0.25 miles east of Lake George Rd, on the north side of Buell Rd. You’ll see the yellow and tan pole barns set back from the road. Please park on the lawn near the road. On Thursday we hope to complete most of the cleaning and start data entry. On Friday we will be wrapping up any last cleaning and data entry, then making seed mixes. We’re excited to be rolling out some new seed processing methods this year that will hopefully speed up the process, especially for “difficult” species.
If you haven’t helped with seed cleaning before, you’re in for a treat. You get to know our native plants in a new way. I’m excited to smell the spicy aroma of Mountain Mint and Gray-headed Coneflower wafting through the air, and marvel at the different sizes, shapes, and colors of the seed! The building will be cool (about 50 F in the heated barn), so you’ll want to dress in layers. Seed cleaning is dusty and dirty. We’ll have dust masks and gloves available, but you can bring your own if you have a favorite.
You’ll have a few different tasks to choose from, depending on your interests. We’ll be cleaning seeds with various methods, of course, but also organizing cleaned seed, weighing cleaned seed, and data entry.
If you’re planning to be there, please let us know by responding to this message. That will help us make sure we have enough supplies ready. But if you want to drop in that’s fine too. Hope to see you there!
Resident Stephen Eich, 2 year township resident, of 1261 Lake George lives with Fox Nature Preserve bordering his property. His 2-year old daughter plays outside. Mr. Eich has 15 years’ experience as a Firefighter / Paramedic, 5 years in mid-Michigan and then 10 years in Detroit areas. He is now, as he told me, “a full-time dad to raise my daughter and focus on my family and health.”
At the November 12, 2025 Parks and Recreation Commission meeting, Mr. Eich read his well-thought out remarks on safety problems in Fox Nature Preserve including gun-fire. He felt that off-leash dogs were the top problem. It is worth watching this segment on the meeting video https://videoplayer.telvue.com/player/KGL-y_dHhCluQTy7c6YoVBzzQ5eHj7Lr/media/987037starting at minute 11:30.
Mr. Eich made suggestions about improved signage placement (at entrance to trails and on trail paths) and design (pictorial in addition to words).
This led to the PRC immediately adding Mr. Eich’s issue informally to their agenda and discussing it. Director Ben McCloskey who was aware, in general, in advance, of what Mr. Eich was going to say had already scheduled a meeting for the next morning with Township Manager Joe Merucci to discuss this issue.
I commented that in addition to better signs, strong patrolling and enforcement is essential to correcting this problem. How well are 60 MPH speed-limit signs heeded in I-75 construction zones? We need to issue tickets leading to $500 fines or 90 days in jail for both, as I think our ordinances provide as penalties. (See below).
On Thursday Stephen and I received this email from Parks Director Ben McCloskey
“Afternoon Stephen & Bob,
I wanted to thank you again for taking the time to attend last night’s PRC Meeting.
I spoke with Lieutenant Dooley this morning who has agreed to increase patrol at FNP during early morning and after work hours.
My team and I have started to work on custom signage for helping to enforce the primary concerns of FNP neighbors. I thought your suggestions for signage language last night were very on point – Would you mind sharing your thoughts articulating: 1) private residence within park 2) children at play 3) no dogs off-leash?
Lastly, given the lack of specifics within current state and local ordinance, I’ve spoken with Township Manager, Joe Merucci, and asked to consult OT counsel and the Board of Trustees to potentially create its own ordinance that enforces fees and other penalties to effectively address this issue.
Thanks again for your time and concern in the general safety of our community. Please feel free to reach out to myself or the police department should you need any immediate support on this matter.
Sincerely,
Ben McLoskey”
The township has “The Code of The Charter Township of Oakland”, that organizes all of our ordinances https://ecode360.com/OA3183. There are physical copies at Township Hall outside the windows in a binder.
Code Section 299-27-12 prohibits off-leash dogs in parks
“All persons walking or exercising pets in a park are required to clean up all debris resulting from the pets with the exception of leader, guide, hearing and service animals. Pets must be on a leash not exceeding 10 feet in length and under control at all times.”
Code Section 1-2 D Defines penalties for violation of above – $500 plus costs or 90 days in jail or both.
“Except as specifically provided otherwise by state law or Township ordinance, all violations of this Code are misdemeanors. Except as otherwise provided by law or ordinance, a person convicted of a violation of this Code that is a misdemeanor shall be punished by a fine not to exceed $500, and costs of prosecution, or by imprisonment for a period of not more than 90 days, or by both such fine and imprisonment. However, unless otherwise provided by law, a person convicted of a violation of this Code which substantially corresponds to a violation of state law that is a misdemeanor for which the maximum period of imprisonment is 93 days shall be punished by a fine not to exceed $500, and costs of prosecution, or by imprisonment for a period of not more than 93 days, or by both such fine and imprisonment.”
(Section 45-3C gives the Manager / Superintendent (Joe Merucci) this responsibility “To see that all laws and Township ordinances are enforced.” This is taken from our Ordinance #97, from 2002.)
1261 Lake George is inside small box to right of Clam Lake (faint blue dotted line) along with two other private residents. They gain access via an easement granted through the park shown in dotted green. All of Fox Nature Preserve (shown as Lost Lake Acquisition on this map) and two of the three residents were part of Bill Fox (deceased auto dealer) estate. Parks bought it with a grant from MNRTF with temporary “emergency” funding from Township Board and then sold the two former Bill Fox houses. Fox Heirs were getting ready to sell it to developers. The Township Board insisted it had authority to name the park. Otherwise it would have been an expansion of Lost Lake Park with no separate name. The legal authorities of Township Board vs. separately elected Parks Commission are in state law but unclear. https://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(wehjt2552zy5bl551r0iep55))/documents/mcl/pdf/mcl-act-157-of-1905.pdf
For example, the law says the Township Board approves the Parks Commission budget. A few years ago they removed the line for some legal expenses from the Parks budget. That left them unable to contest the Board. Is that what the law really intended?, to remove line items or just to pass judgement on the total budget amount in the days of no defined millages for specific purposes, just one big money pot, as the City of Rochester still operates.
In March 2025, I walked from my house at 1146 Bear Creek Ct. across Bear Creek Nature Park, through Oakland Farms, south on the existing safety path on the west side of Rochester to the corner of Snell and Rochester, crossed Rochester at the signal by the church and then down some possible routes to Stony Creek Metropark. I took photos of trail conditions inside the park.
I had intended to make a better edited report than the 49 pages posted below. But I never got around to it. Here it is with imperfections. This may be especially useful for those who have not been in these areas of the park. Scroll down to see all pages
Current data from the RHPL budget and SEMCOG population shows Oakland Township and Rochester funding the library at $71 per resident and Rochester at $64. Please comment if you feel this data is incorrect.
I was surprised to learn recently that a friend had not heard of the Oakland Township Association. This non-profit organization was in play from 1970 to 1982. I heard bits and pieces of it from Alice Tomboulian and Peggy Johnson, who were heavily involved and from Chris Munk, whose father was involved. Also we heard from former Clerk Carolyn Phelps who spoke a little about it at a board meeting about 12 years ago. I always meant to research its history further, but found no time. Barbara Barber’s mother was a member. Attorney George Googasian helped with Parks land acquistion. Many others were involved who I do not know about. There were enough people that they formed various committees.
As I recall Carolyn Phelps’ comments at a Board meeting, when Avon Township, now Rochester Hills began cutting down many large old trees at Adams and Walton and similar trees were cut on one of our roads, by DTE, residents became alarmed and organized to make our Township remain more rural. Members got elected to the Board of Trustees. A Planning Commission was formed who created our first Master Plan. They lead the formation of the Zoning Ordinance, Tree Ordinance, ZBA and Parks Commission. Peggy Johnson told me that what got her involved was a Board decision that her lot was too narrow (200 feet) for her horse. Alice Tomboulian was a force to be dealt with in Parks and Recreation. Alice and Peggy and one man made the Paint Creek Trail come into being – quite a feat. (See the small plaque along trail near Paint Creek Cider Mill.)
It would be great if some author researched the entire history and wrote a book. Oakland Township Historical Society has records stored at Cranberry Lake Farm. Maybe someone on OTHS would consider it?
The Michigan Township Association has established (how?) criteria for being an excellent Township. Only about 3 of 1240 Michigan Townships have applied for this and been awarded recognition. Of course it is possible that some townships meet all the criteria but see no reason to apply, but leave it up to their residents to judge. Former Trustee Maureen Thalmann suggested in a board reports comment that we pursue this. It was never discussed in public. One Board member commented that sometimes pursuing to get a box checked may lead to “fake conformance”. I’ve seen that.
Nevertheless we are, in my view, far short of the criteria which can be seen here on the MTA website.
Click below on “HOME” below and then look for “Township of Excellence” in the “About” drop-down menu.
Oakland Township Sentinel 