library

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

Getting Voting Representation on Rochester Hills Public Library Board

Bob Yager , , , ,

If we want voting representation on Rochester Hills Public Library Board, we must convince our legislators to revise the Michigan State Law titled Act 164 of 1877. Rochester Hills Public Library Board cannot legally allow it under current law even though in 2018 they wanted to.

Note that this “old law”, as some have characterized it, has been amended at least 15 times since 1877, most recently in 2014.

Our Library Board under leadership of former President Michael Tyler (resigned August 2024) has attempted to get this law changed. They first approached our state legislators. Legislators were uninterested to the point they did not respond to several emails, snail mails, and hand delivered messages on this topic. Our Library Board then sought support from our Township Board of Trustees; asking them to approve a resolution supporting the Library Board’s position and forwarding it to legislators.

President Tyler presented the Library Board’s case to our Board of Trustees at their October 23, 2018 meeting. Our Township Board declined to take action. See their minimal minutes below.

 You should view  the 30 minute discussion (1:56 to 2:27) including three public comments on the meeting video at agenda 7/5 at this link: BOT – 10/23/18 – October 23, 2018. I urge you to watch this if you have any interest in this topic.

My terse summary of Board and public comments follows.

Trustee Frank Ferriolo felt is was unnecessary to have a seat on RHPL Board as there were no problems and we have great power as a customer of RHPL. There are other options if we don’t like RHPL in the future such as Lake Orion library. He very strongly objected to the phrase “taxation without representation”.

Trustee Robin Buxar essentially supported Ferriolo

Treasurer Jeanne Langlois said the Library Board is fully authorized to request changes in legislation and saw possible confusion with the proposed arrangement.

Trustee Lana Mangiapane supported President Tyler’s request.

Supervisor Michael Bailey, Clerk Karen Reilly and Trustee John Giannangeli did not comment.

Three citizens who spoke all supported Mr. Tyler’s request

Henry Carels (also Library Board member)

Reg Brown – frequent library user

John Markel – follows the Board closely and comments often