Township Board Recommends Funding HAVEN

The Oakland Township Board of Trustees voted Wednesday to fund HAVEN, the Pontiac-based nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating domestic violence and sexual assault across Oakland County and the surrounding communities, using funds from the township's 2011 Community Development Block Grant.

The board recommended funding HAVEN and the Mobile Home Repair program using a total of $18,930 in funding; HAVEN will receive $2,840 and the Mobile Home Repair program will receive $16,090 for capital improvements.

The township receives the grant each year, though Oakland Township Supervisor Joan Fogler and Oakland Township Manager Jim Creech both acknowledged that the grant’s total fund has decreased over the past few years. As explained by Trustee Marc Edwards at the , the grant can only help fund one non-profit cause if there are capital or vehicle investments needed.

The board also approved a bid from the Rochester-based landscape company Environment by Design for plowing snow and salting the parking lots and walkways of  and the .

The board also discussed the following agenda items:

• The board gave conditional approval of a variance to the land division ordinance on private road Piney Hill for parcel number 10-01-200-030, stating that they would like more information from the property owner on a few outstanding issues regarding assurances that the site is buildable.
• Township Manager Jim Creech said that the township would be working diligently over the next few months on the 2012-2013 fiscal year budgets and getting more information on projected capital expenditures such as a new roof for the township hall. The board agreed to offer a 10% subsidy up to $25,000 to repave streets in the Oakland Farms subdivision.
• Discussion concerning township Wi- Fi was removed from the agenda because representatives from Oakland County and Air Advantage were absent. They were originally scheduled to present additional information and answer questions regarding their proposal to provide Wi-Fi services to rural areas of the township.
• The board wishes to continue discussions with the Historic District Commission and the Parks and Recreation Commission over the commission’s proposal to hand over the financial responsibility of the 16-acre  to the Historic District Commission in the hopes that a final agreement between the three can be worked out.
• Janet Fogler read a letter from absent Trustee Kathrine Thomas regarding the township’s solid waste and recycling program. In the letter, Thomas stated that the board is in the process of drafting a new contract with Waste Management and hope to have it signed by the December meeting. 
• During public comment regarding non-agenda items,  spoke to the board and presented a letter on behalf of several residents who live along the  and strongly support restoration of the mill race, which includes returning water to the historic site, which is now dry in some places and filled with stagnant water in others after the  a month ago. The residents are requesting any grants for the restoration of the millrace be reviewed by the Historic District Commission and that the commission serve as the coordinator of the mill race restoration project. They also urged the board to listen to their concerns and represent their interests concerning the millrace.
• Trustee Judy Workings addressed the board concerning a number of township web site improvements that have been done lately, including posting applications for board and commission posts, adding meeting minutes for various boards and commissions, adding a color-coded precinct map and including the township clerk’s annual report. Workings explained that not all of the updates have been completed, but she indicated that work on improving the site continues.