Oakland Township police millage renewal to appear on Nov. 8 ballot

OAKLAND TOWNSHIP — Residents of Oakland Township will vote on the renewal of a township police millage Nov. 8.

In the November 2016 election, township voters approved a police millage for the purpose of providing police services — including equipment, operating costs, officer quarters and personnel costs — in the township in the amount of 1.7193 mills for a period of six years.

“The police millage expires this year,” said Dan Kelly, Oakland Township attorney. “The last collection will be December of 2022.”

Earlier this year, the Oakland Township Board of Trustees unanimously approved a motion to place a police millage renewal proposal on the Nov. 8 ballot.

The proposed millage renewal, township officials say, is a renewal of the previously authorized millage for police services.

“We would like to continue providing police services, and this is the most efficient and effective manner that we have found to provide that for the mills that we are requesting,” said Township Supervisor Adam Kline.

Approval of the proposal, after a Headlee rollback, would “renew the tax limitation increase of approximately 1.6253 per $1,000 of taxable value on all taxable property in the Township,” according to the ballot language.

“Even though the millage rate is the same and will be affected slightly by the Headlee amendment, overall revenue is going to increase significantly, so if there is any potential need for future adjustments, I think the revenue will be there, and there is no need to, in my opinion, raise the millage rate,” John Giannangeli, Oakland Township treasurer, said during a township Board of Trustees meeting on the matter.

If approved and fully levied, township officials estimate that — based on the township’s current 2022 total taxable value — the proposal would result in the authorization to collect $2,861,600 for police services in the first year.

“This (millage) will be for another six years and it will be placed on the Nov. 8 general election this year,” Kelly added.

The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office is contracted to provide services in Oakland Township.

“We do a yearly contract with them … but we don’t anticipate changing any of the police service. We are very satisfied with the way the Sheriff’s Office provides their service to us,” said Kline.

Kline said 12 deputies, one lieutenant, one detective and one patrol sergeant are currently assigned to the Oakland Township substation.

“The sheriff’s department is looking to obtain one more (officer). I believe it is a detective sergeant,” said Kline, who noted that the township’s Board of Trustees has not made a decision on the request.

The Oakland Township substation is located at 4391 Collins Road. To contact the Oakland Township substation office, call dispatch at (248) 858-4950.

For more information on the millage proposal, call the township’s administrative offices at (248) 651-4440.