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Weekly Summary – October 26-November 2

Bob Yager , , , ,

Posts on Oakland Township Sentinel in the past week

Rochester Hills Public Library – Per Resident Contribution (via property taxes) by Community (2005-2023)

Getting Voting Representation on Rochester Hills Public Library Board
Proposed 2025 Oakland Township Budget Available, Comments from you are invited at Board 11/12/24 Meeting or before.
Anonymous Comments on Oakland Township Sentinel Posts
A Possible Vision for a Drastically Improved Township Government
New 2024 Draft Master Plan Seems to be OK (except missing Safety Paths and Trails Plan)
Some Library Board Candidates Provide Information

Articles in other news sources this week:

The Record – October 30 issue on-line – https://www.myrecordnewspaper.com/

  • Article on Board deliberations on what type of LED bulbs to use now that DTE has phased out mercury bulbs (considering dark skys, traffic safety and health). See also October 22, 2024 Board of trustee minutes and video.
  • One legal notice

Rochester Post – October 31

  • Article on current library negotiations

New draft minutes and/or videos of Government meetings posted during this past week.

October 22, Board of Trustees, Special Meeting, Mostly Closed

Excerpt from minutes; no video, of course

October 22, Board of Trustees, Regular Meeting

Link to draft minutes

Click to access 753100308.pdf

Link to video (2 hours)

https://videoplayer.telvue.com/player/KGL-y_dHhCluQTy7c6YoVBzzQ5eHj7Lr/media/908666

Election Commission, October 8, 2024, (4 minutes duration)

Minutes link below; no video.

Click to access 753093445.pdf

Historic District Commission, October 16, 2024, (2 hours)

Many topics discussed.

Link to video: https://videoplayer.telvue.com/player/KGL-y_dHhCluQTy7c6YoVBzzQ5eHj7Lr/media/907385

Link to draft minutes – https://ecode360.com/OA3183/document/753096294.pdf

Library Board, October 10, 2024 (36 minutes)

Link to draft minutes- https://ecode360.com/OA3183/document/753098622.pdf

Link to video – https://videoplayer.telvue.com/player/KGL-y_dHhCluQTy7c6YoVBzzQ5eHj7Lr/media/906051

  • Selected Kelly firm as new legal counsel for help in future negotiations with RHPL
  • Revised budget to accommodate survey and legal fees
  • Heard public comment
  • Board member Dr. Henry Carels and Board President Mark Gerhard commented

Library Board, October 7, 2024 (2 hours)

  • selected firm for survey
  • 23 citizen comments
  • comments by library board about current contract situation

Link to draft minutes – https://ecode360.com/OA3183/document/753098622.pdf

Link to video – https://videoplayer.telvue.com/player/KGL-y_dHhCluQTy7c6YoVBzzQ5eHj7Lr/media/905043

Meetings coming up next week

Safety Paths and Trails Committee – Wednesday, November 6, Township Hall, 4393 Collins Rd., 1st Floor Board room, Collins Road – agenda https://ecode360.com/OA3183/document/753098823.pdf

Michigan Township Planning Recommendations for Oakland Township

Bob Yager , , , ,

The Michigan Township Association has a “Township of Excellence” program described in their brochure at this link:

Click to access toe_application_brochure_form_resolution_checklist_dec_2017.pdf

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.