I believe the number one issue with residents is getting ignored or “blown-off” when they raise an issue, problem or concern or make a suggestion. I am interested in receiving comments from my readers to tell me if I am right or if some other issue is #1. Please comment on this post ( you do not need to establish a Word-Press account to do so) , or send me an email at yagerra@comcast.net.
I want to work on the #1 issue as seen by residents.
Bob Yager
First, please recognize that I am not a township official. So don’t ask me to fix the township.
I just a resident trying to stay abreast of what is going on. To do this I try to check the township website every day looking for minutes of recent meetings, upcoming meetings, upcoming meeting agendas, upcoming meeting packets and minutes of recent meetings. Sometimes watching part of a meeting video is needed to understand the issue, especially since the Board of Trustees (alone) went to “short-form” minutes in 2013, which does not record important meeting comments.
Anyone could do this. It is time consuming, but I am semi-retired, maintaining some level of my consulting business on effective problem-solving and decision-making processes.
So I thought why not send out a free summary of what I learn to other residents, who aren’t putting in this level of effort. It should not take too much extra time, right? Wrong!
Every time I write something, the process causes me to recognize many unanswered questions. I pursue answers to some of these, but must be careful to not let this activity mushroom or it will take 100% of my waking hours, with obvious detriment to all else that is important to me.
With regards making suggestions to SPTC, I do not know the best way, but here is what they say on their website if you dig to find it.
The SPTC generally meets on the first Wednesday of the month in the Township Hall at 6:00pm. Citizen comment is always welcome. Always check the Township website for time and location updates. Most meetings are televised live on Comcast Channel 17 or on the Township website where recordings of past meetings can be viewed. If you can’t attend in person, please email your SPT comments to the Township manager, Adam Kline, at akline@oaklandtownship.org.
The biggest take-away for me is that the committee will now be working on pickng their next project. In their September 1 minutes they seemed to favor these three:
• Gunn Road: Adams Road to the Paint Creek Trail
• Adams Road: Gunn Road to Marsh View Park at Clarkston Road
• Snell Road: Rochester Road to Bear Creek Park
Your input is always welcomed by this Committee. Their next meeting is Wednesday Dec. 1, 6 PM. You can also input by email.
See their website for more information about this committee, their work and who is a member.
http://www.oaklandtownship.org/township_departments/safety_paths_and_trails.php
IThe draft minutes at this link are largely self-explanatory. You can also find the legally required meeting summary on page 4 of today’s (11-17-21) “The Record” newspaper. Also there is an excellent front page article summaring the Cider Mill part of this meeting. The Record also did an excellent article on the original 10-26-21 Board decision to change Concessionaires in their 11-3-21 issue.
If you have a question about one of the items, call our Township Manager, Adam Kline, at 248-618-6951 as recommended by our Township Supervisor, Dominic Abbate, at each Board meeting.
Item # 4, “Paint Creek Cider Mill Lease” elicited emotional comment from both the Board and public over 90 minutes. An excellent article explaining what happened at this meeting can be found in “The Record” 11-17-21 issue ($1 at news box at Cider Mill). Alaina Campbell’s complete letter, read by Clerk Buxar, withdrawing her Cookies and Cream proposal is here, obtained via a FOIA request.
All or part of the 3 hour meeting video can be seen here. To see the Cider Mill 90 minute part scroll down to Agenda 7/4.
Hi Folks,
Oakland Township is looking for a few volunteers to help us with Lymantria dispar (formerly known as gypsy moth) egg mass surveys this fall. You would need to be available to attend a training session this Wednesday in Oxford. After completing the training session you would need to be available to help survey areas to see if gypsy moth egg masses are present over the next few weeks. Estimating egg mass numbers helps us determine if we need to follow up with control measures next year.
If you’re interested, just respond to me via email or phone (248-875-4861) for more details and to get signed up for the training.
Thanks!
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 the article at this link below:
My own experience is this. In spring of 2021, I was approached by an off-leash Rottweiller in Bear Creek Nature Park. The dog was barking / growling at me and had it’s ears back, never a good sign. I had lots of experience with avoiding dog bites from my bicycle paper-route years. I froze and avoided eye-contact with the dog. The owner, after a lot of fumbling, got the dog on a leash. Whew!!!.
After that I did not go into Bear Creek Nature Park without a stout walking stick and my Dad’s old hunting knife for protection. That year I gathered data on how many off-leash dogs I encountered in Bear Creek Nature Park. On 13 visits, from March 8 to May 6th, 2021, I encountered 58 dogs, 15 or 26% were off-leash.Some municipalities have enacted ordinances to ban certain dog breeds; Waterford for example, banns Pitt Bulls. Their Supervisor told that their motivatiom was that one of their residents was killed by a Pitt Bull that broke through her screen door. Oakland Township has no such ordinances.
Periodically, in the last few years, bills have been introduced to the Michigan State Legislature to not allow townships to enact ordinances banning certain breeds. Such bills have all “died” in committee so far. Some local residents have been active in speaking against such bills at legislative committee meetings.
My opinion is that our Board should consider whether to not to have such an ordinance. If they are unable to find the time to address this issue, they should appoint a special citizens committee to do so. By consider I mean compare having an ordinance to not having one as the first step. While, I would be in favor of such an ordinance, I would accept the views of a group of people doing a serious consideration of the two options in public meetings.
Bob Yager – Editor and Resident (Not a township official)
I don’t see any items of great potential controversy. Review agendas for yourself to see if you agree.
Wednesday 11-17-21 7 PM, Historic District Commission , Township Hall 4393 Collins, Board Room, 1st Floor
Agenda and meeting packet of background information at this link
Thursday 11-18-21, 7 PM, Library Board, Township Hall 4393 Collins, Board Room, 1st Floor
Agenda posted 11-15-21
See the Township website for more information on the pubic bodies listed above, such as purpose and membership.
http://www.oaklandtownship.org/index.php
Members of Historic District Commission (appointed by Township Board) are paid $70 per meeting. That is their total compensation. Members of the Library Board serve without compensation after being elected by you.
We can’t devote as much time as we did in the past; but we are not comfortable doing nothing. When we sort it out; we’ll let you know. Any input on what is most and least valuable to you is appreciated. Send to yagerra@comcast.net
Bob Yager
This meeting agenda currently has only two items; both proposed to be discussed in closed session. The Board is not required to go into closed session for these items, but will likely vote to do so. Discussing written legal opinions is allowed by the Open Meetings Act.
See agenda below
Agenda Item #1 is likely the Artemis Villa public benefit property donation proposed by Moceri. Apparently the Board received a written legal opinion of some aspect of this at about 4 PM. July 13, 2021. This is also item VII-7 on the 7 PM regular meeting agenda.
Agenda Item #2 is likely a legal opinion of some aspect of the question of what health care funding option the Board can choose under the law. This will also likely be discussed under agenda item VII-2 in the regular meeting agenda.
Lots of items of importance here for decision and information. Many pages appear sideways and are very difficult to impossible to read. Use the rotate counterclockwise button at top of section to orient the page to a readable orientation. Use the size buttons to get the whole page in view at once if desired.
Oakland Township Sentinel 