10/17/25 update – I had not noticed, until this morning, the application requirements at this link below that require a resume and “letter of interest outlining qualifications” in addition to the form below.
10/16/25 update – The Board decided at their October 14 meeting to appoint someone at their October 28 meeting. So you have time to apply. The whole 35 minute Board discussion leading to this decision is on the meeting tape at Agenda 6 , tarting at about minute 56. It’s a good thing to watch to evaluate your Board members and form your opinion of their performance. Link to tape:
If you are interested in this path, attend this meeting at 7 PM and comment. We do not yet know exactly what was decided at the September 15 joint meeting of Safety Paths and Trails Committee (SPTC) and Board of Trustees (BOT) when they discussed this matter. All we know is that Trustee Campbell reported at 9/23/25 BOT that SPTC Chairman Andy Zale was asked to discuss something (what?) with Metroparks and Rochester Hills. This may mean the Jack Elder suggestion of Snell to Sheldon to enter Stony Creek Metropark across from Hugger Elementary School was accepted, but we can’t be sure until we see the minutes.
At the 9/23/25 Board of Trustees Meeting, Resident Phyliss Andrus suggested that we call all the Committee members, but if we can’t do that, at least call the Chairman, Pat Outman 517-373-3476.
Bills are assigned to a committee. The committee can (1) do nothing and the bill dies. or (2) They can have a public hearing on the bill and vote to send it to the full House for a vote or not. The Chairman probably has a lot to do with which option is selected.
Road Commission of Oakland County suggested this to Township Manager Joseph Merucci recently. There have been 14 crashes here and 4 people said lack of traction here contributed. My understanding is that they could not accelerate as fast as they expected to.
9/25/25 update.
Based on resident comment below about a line-of-sight issue at this intersection, I have alerted our Township Superintendent, Joseph Merucci and asked for a response. This in now Sentinel Issue #99. If you want to support or refute what the resident said in comment below – contact Township Superintendent Joseph Merucci at 248-651-4440 Ext 214 or jmerucci@oaklandtownship.org.
9/25/25 correction – the original post gave incorrect street name of Gunn Rd.
Comments by temporary Chairwoman, Trustee Jeanne Langlois, at the 9/23/25 Board of Trustees meeting, while similar to what has been said repeatedly by other meeting leaders, but somehow different, finally penetrated into my brain. Perhaps it was her brief but complete explanation of this in response to questions from Mr. Jason Krentler at the beginning of meeting about getting answers on Gunn Rd. paving plans.
Our Township Manager, Joseph Merucci is your first stop to get your issue addressed. 248-651-4440 Extension 214 or jmerucci@oaklandtownship.org
If you don’t like his answer, you then appeal to the Board, Follow their guidance for comments below. Follow especially the 7th dot. Tell them you talked to the Manager. He can’t or won’t do what you want and you are appealling to the Board. Be specific about what you want done.
The above box came from the township website here under “General Guidelines for Addressing the Board”
Please consider calling members of the Michigan House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to ask them to bring HB-4597 “Restoring Local Control over Speed Limits” up for consideration and ultimately pass it on to the full legislature for a vote. Unless this committee does that, HB-4597 will die in committee and will never even be considered.
Also consider speaking at September 9 Board of Trustees meeting in favor of a resolution proposed to be sent to this committee in support of considering this bill. A unanimous vote by our Board on this would be useful.
Phone numbers are at the end of the email below in bold type from local residents Phyliss Andrus and Jodi Byers. They have lead a nine year effort to lower the speed limit on Collins Rd. It is now 45. It used to be 25. Part of Collins. , in my view is a school zone (Baldwin Elementary). This bill goes beyond that to give us local control of our local roads.
As you may know at the August 12th Oakland Township Board of Trustees meeting Supervisor Buxar presented what is considered a probable remedy to dangerous road conditions here in Oakland Township, particularly the excessively high speed limits in our residential neighborhoods.
Though our interest began on our formerly sleepy, little, Collins Road, posted for many years at 25mph and then boosted to an unsafe speed of 45mph, complaints regarding dangerous conditions on many roads have been heard by township leadership for years.
House Bill 4597 has been introduced by Michigan House District 66 Representative Josh Schriver on June 10, 2025.
The Bill is entitled “Restoring Local Control Over Speed Limits”
The first step in getting a bill to become law is to get it heard and discussed in committee.
This is where citizen input is absolutely crucial. Citizens can let their legislators know that this bill- becoming-law is important to them by emailing and phoning (preferable) their House and Senate representatives.
Please see the 2 attachments below with an easily understood overview of HB 4597 and a list of members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to contact. This committee is where the bill’s journey begins.
Please do all YOU can to make this long-sought-for help to make residential streets safer for ALL Michigan residents.
E-mail and/or phone the members of the Transportation Committee, starting with Chairperson Michigan House Representative Patrick Outman and urge a public hearing regarding this very important matter, the passage of HB 4597.
School starting has greatly affected the number of cars and busses that impact safe residential streets in our area (perhaps yours as well), thus the request for your immediate attention to this matter.
The Michigan House is in session most Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays of the month.
It is advised to call on those days to maximize your ability to speak to a live person rather than leave a message.
When you call (preferable) or email, identify yourself, your address and then simply state your complaint about an unsafe road condition in your vicinity and request committee action on House Bill 4597 to bring it to the Floor ASAP.
If you wish to contact the Bill’s primary sponsor Representative Josh Schriver here is his information.
email: Josh Schriver@house.mi.gov
phone: 1-517-373-0839
If you are concerned, as we are, with making Michigan roads safer and would like to be kept apprised of progress of HB 4597 kindly e-mail us back so that we may communicate with you easily. Please feel free to contact either Jodi or me if you need further Information.
Oakland Township Sentinel 