I received a link to a website paid for by Friends of Jim Kiefer. He and 6 others are seeking to replace our library Board.
The website has detailed information about each of the six candidates, their reasons for wanting to be elected and comments on what they see as some misinformation from the current Library Board. I have not received any such information from the current Library Board members (also write-ins).
The Michigan Township Association has a “Township of Excellence” program described in their brochure at this link:
At one time former Trustee Maureen Thalmann suggested that we pursue this. Clerk Reilly suggested that pursuing it might result in no real improvements but just trying to get the award. I am unable to locate the minutes or video with their comments, so you will have to trust my memory, I will admit that that is what happens in some industrial quality certifications. One can fake compliance without substantial improvements.
However the items suggested make a lot of sense to me, especially this paragraph.’
I am unable to locate any information on strategic planning on the MTA website, but retired local resident Marty McQuade is an expert from his time as Vice-President and General Manager of Dupont Automotive Products. He put together a format and starting point draft for an Oakland Township Fire Department Strategic Plan in about 2017. His efforts were an offshoot of his help to Chief Paul Strelchuk in formulating a long-term capital budget at a time when we were between Township Managers and the Board was critical of Chief Strelchuk for unbudgeted large capital requests for expensive equipment. A Board subcommittee was formed to study Mr. McQuade’s proposals and it died there. The subcommittee was eventually disbanded. Perhaps Mr. McQuade could be persuaded to help.
Thanks to local resident Anne Marie Rogers for providing this information.
October 15, 2024 – An 11 year old girl was so grievously injured in a pit bull attack she had to be airlifted
October 11, 2024 – A little girl was attacked in her own back yard when the neighbor’s pit bull jumped the fence and went straight for her. She has a fractured skull and is in a medically induced coma on a ventilator. We are praying that Aletha survives. Kansas City, MO- 5-year-old girl fighting for her life after neighbor’s pit bull jumped the fence and attacked her.
October 10, 2024 – Albany, NY – James Provost, 59, mauled to death by 8-9 pit bulls.
October 9, 2024 – Torrance, CA- Infant girl dies after bitten by family dog
October 7, 2024 – Bexar County, TX – 1 year old boy mauled by pit bulls dies at hospital, babysitter charged
October 10, 2024 – Marion County, IN- Dozen Pitbulls Attack Mom Outside Daycare
October 10, 2024 – Rochester, NY – Woman in her 80’s seriously injured in dog attack
October 9, 2024 – Plymouth, MN – Plymouth Father Survives Brutal Attack by Neighbor’s Pit Bulls
October 5, 2024 – San Antonio, TX – Pit Bull Shot Dead After Attack on Owner
October 2, 2024 – San Antonio, TX – Large Pit Bull Attacks 3-year-old Boy, Shot Dead by Deputy
October 4, 2024 – Greene Co., MO – Man Hospitalized After Stopping Dog Attack at School Bus Stop
October 2, 2024 – Ephrata, WA – Woman Hospitalized After Being Attacked by 6 Pit bulls
And around the globe violent pit bull attacks make the news…
October 8, 2024 –Cobourg, Ontario Canada – a 4-year-old boy was attacked by a neighbor’s pit bull leaving him hospitalized with traumatic injuries.
October 11, 2024 – Queensland, Australia – Woman Loses Arm in Attack by her own Pit Bull
October 12, 2024 – Melbourne, Australia – Young Woman Fighting for Life After Being Mauled by 3 Pit Bulls
I would like to see our new Clerk (Mabry or Mangiapane, whoever is elected) recommend returning to more comprehensive minutes of Board meetings. Abbreviated minutes that meet only the legal minimum requirements were implemented by the Board at their March 13, 2013 meeting. See page 1 bottom at this link for very terse description of this major change.
https://ecode360.com/OA3183/document/54051437.pdf
Their reasons were not clear, except, as I recall from faulty memory, a reference to meeting videos being available. However no video is available for this meeting or any meeting before 2017. So we cannot research the discussion around this decision like we can decisions before 3/12/2013.
Past minutes before 2014 had summaries of Board discussions and citizen comments. Current minutes show only motions and votes and list your name if you comment, but nothing about what you said. The Board is alone among township boards or committees in their approach to minutes. Parks, Planning Commission, Zoning Board Appeals and Library Board, for example, provide comprehensive minutes.
The importance of going back to the old-style minutes was driven home to me today. I went to Township Hall and looked at 1980 minutes to research formation about our library board formation. What wonderfully complete but not too wordy descriptions of the Board discussions on this issue were in these minutes.
I have thought long and hard about the future of Oakland Township Sentinel. I can’t do this forever. I’ve already exceeded my alloted “three-score and ten” by 10%. It also tends to consume way too much of my time budget despite my efforts to control that. The conclusion I reach is that I should discontinue The Sentinel in favor of 1) encouraging residents to subcribe to the weekly Romeo Record, which covers Oakland Township and 2) writing an occasional letter to the editor of the Record.
The latest issue had two articles about Oakland Township. Record reporter Stacy Sobotka attends all regular township board meetings. The Township is posting all legal notices there. An on-line annual subscription is $15 per year paper is $40. Paper copies at the Cider Mill box for $1.25. I suspect that more suscriptions would lead to more coverage.
I have no comments on the August primary candidates. I am neither a Republican nor Democrat, so do not vote in primary elections. Of course the Republican primary does determines the November election completely as no other party nor independent could possibly overcome the large number of Republican straight-party ticket voters.
One way to see several of our parks is to go on free bird walks held on Wednesdays. No registration is required. Just show up. Here is the latest email invite from our Oakland Township Natural Areas Stewardship Manager, Dr. Ben Vanderweide
Hi Birders!
I’m sending this message as we transition to our summer schedule.
Tomorrow, May 29 is the 5th Wednesday of May, so we’ll have a special bird walk at Charles Ilsley Park starting at 8:30 am. The entrance to Charles Ilsley Park is on the north side of the road at 1479 East Predmore Road, Oakland, MI 48363. It’s about 1.5 miles east of Rochester Road. Look for the mailbox for 1500 E. Predmore, and the somewhat narrow park entrance will be right next to the mailbox.
From June to August our walks will start at 8:00 am. We’ll keep the same rotation of parks for our summer schedule. Check https://oaklandnaturalareas.com/volunteer-calendar/birding-walks/ to see the full schedule for the summer.
I’ll be out of town the first two weeks of June, so Grant will be leading those bird walks. Hope you see you out in the Parks!
Ben
Benjamin VanderWeide
Natural Areas Stewardship Manager
Oakland Township Parks and Recreation
4393 Collins Rd, Rochester, MI 48306
P: 248-651-7810 Fax: 248-601-0106
Visit our blog! www.oaklandnaturalareas.com
See candidates on pages 32-33 at this link
https://www.oakgov.com/home/showpublisheddocument/22587/638507817967070000
It is safe to say that Dave Mabry will win the Clerk position in November as he is unopposed in the primary. Also all seven Parks Commissioners will be elected to seven positions. Supervisor and Treasurer have two people running for each. Trustee is crowded with nine candidates for 4 positions.
High levels of straight party voting in November is the reason the primary is usually determinative of the outcome. In fact, I am unaware of a non-Republican being elected in Oakland Township in recent history
It would be interesting to see how an independent candidate would do in November. There is still time to register (4 PM, July 18 deadline) as an independent in the November election.
See details of this and other ways to express your opinions on Township home page at link below.
Residents near the proposed tower sent all seven Board members a 2″ looseleaf notebook containing a 32 page “Memorandum in Oppostion” signed by 151 people, along with 29 detailed letters from nearby residents, 26 letters from users of the nearby equestrian center or community gardens on Stony Creek Rd., plus exhibits and photos. Compiled and written by a legal firm the memorandum showed in great detail how the application for Special Land Use did not meet all requirements of the Township Zoning Ordinance and cited case law decisions in support of many points. The Planning Commission had recommended, by a close 3-2 vote at their February 6th meeting, that the Board approve the tower. This was, of course before the memorandum. Residents attended all meetings where the tower was discussed. At the Board April 30 meeting there were about 100 residents in attendance with standing room only, a record in my 12 years of experience. At that meeting the decision was tabled for more information from the cell phone tower company. At the May 14th meeting there were about 80 residents and no cell phone company respresentatives. At this meeting the Board passed a lengthy resolution summarizing the points in the resident memorandum and voted 7-0 to reject the application for the tower. No new information was provided by the cell phone company. This decision was greeted with a standing ovation.
At the May 14th meeting, the Township Board voted 5-2 (Mabry and Mangiapane voted NO) to authorize the Water Resource Commission to issue bonds to cover the $15,000,000 cost at interest no greater than 7%. The Clerk will or already has posted a legal notice in Oakland Press stating how residents can petition for referundum on this matter. If you want to do this, consult with a lawyer very soon. If you don’t know a lawyer, I recommend Gregory Need, who has worked in our Township on other resident issues.r
This EPA mandated water tank will serve the Southwest Water District of 2066 homes. The Water Resource Commission estimates an annual payment of $350-$390 per year per user for 30 years if interest rates are 3 and a fraction%. At least on other location on property to be donated by Moceri on Adams across from Delta Kelly School was considered and apparently rejected, although I am not “up to speed” on the details of those decisions and have not found time to research the matter.
Oakland Township Sentinel 