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.)

Location of 1261 Lake George –

It is tax ID 10-09-100-018 in below from Oakland County Property Gateway https://gis.oakgov.com/PropertyGateway/Home.mvc

10-09-100-024 to the right (east) is Fox Nature Preserve park. Left is Clam Lake.

See excellent detailed boundary map (below) from meeting packet of 6/8/21 BOT page 80. https://ecode360.com/OA3183/document/606320958.pdf

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.