By: Mary Beth Almond | Rochester Post | Published July 22, 2025
OAKLAND TOWNSHIP — Oakland Township is asking residents to consider two library millages on the Aug. 5 ballot.
Rochester Hills Public Library Director Juliane Morian said the library’s current temporary agreement for library services with the township expires at the end of the year.
“For more than 50 years, Oakland Township and the Rochester Hills Public Library have been community partners, and we are hopeful that partnership continues for decades to come,” Morian said.
On Aug. 5, Oakland Township voters will be asked to consider renewing part of the township’s current library millage (0.1134 mills) and to consider approving an increase (0.1412 mills) that the Rochester Hills Public Library Board requested last year, but was not included on last November’s ballot.
As a result of the proposed millage increase, officials said a home with a market value of $500,000 and a taxable value of $250,000 would pay $35 more each year in taxes.
Both the renewal and the new millage, according to Morian, must pass this year to ensure the continuation of Oakland Township residents’ library services past Dec. 31, 2025.
“The reality is that if both the millage renewal and the increase do not pass, the Oakland Township Library Board cannot fulfill the contract terms that the RHPL Board and Oakland Township Library Board mutually decided to be fair terms. If they cannot sign a new agreement, the old contract terminates on Dec. 31, 2025, and Oakland Township patrons would lose library privileges on Jan. 1, 2026. No one wants to see that outcome, but it is a reality and a consequence for which we have to plan,” Morian said.
Oakland Township Library Board President Jim Kiefer said he thinks “it’s a fair request” on the part of the Rochester Hills Public Library Board to ask Oakland Township for an increase.
“The reason Rochester Hills Public Library is asking for the increase is — along with their infrastructure improvements, which are being paid for by the recent Rochester Hills millage increase from last year — they are increasing the programming and materials budgets that go along with operations, and they are asking Oakland Township to help toward that,” Kiefer said.
“We think it’s a fair request, and we think it’s worth putting on the ballot for voters in Oakland Township to decide.”
According to the Friends of Oakland Township, passing the millages would help fund an “increase in new materials with a renewed focus on more digital materials and shorter wait times, year-round Sunday hours, upgraded bookmobile services, more programming, and additional delivery methods for patrons.”
Morain said that, “with an increase in funding, we’re planning to expand the materials available for checkout with specific investment in more e-books, e-audio-books and streaming music and movies; and the library will enhance our programs and modernize the building and bookmobiles so that people can pursue their lifelong learning goals and enjoy remote places to work, separate from their home and school.”
The library serves the residents of Rochester, Rochester Hills and Oakland Township. While all three municipalities pay tax money to operate the library, Morian said the communities of Rochester and Oakland Township do not have a vote on the library board, according to the charter, since they contract with the library for services. The contracts mean the three communities receive equal access to library services and materials, even though the actual amount paid by each municipality varies. Oakland Township and Rochester pay for services only. They do not pay for capital infrastructure.
“Even with the proposed increase, Oakland Township would still have one of the lowest total library millage rates of surrounding communities, including Rochester Hills, Orion Township, Auburn Hills and Washington Township,” Kiefer added.
For more information on when, how and where to vote, call the Oakland Township Clerk’s Office (248) 218-6953 or visit https://oaklandtwpmi.gov/services/elections.
Library Millage Renewal Proposal
Shall the previously authorized increase in tax limitation on all taxable property in the Charter Township of Oakland, Oakland County, that expires in 2025 be renewed and the Township be authorized to levy annually an amount not to exceed .1134 mill ($0.1134 per each $1,000 of taxable value) against all taxable property in the Township for a period of four (4) years, 2026 through 2029, inclusive, to provide funds for providing library service for the residents of the Charter Township of Oakland as authorized by the Oakland Township Library Board and for all other library purposes authorized by law? The estimate of the revenue the Township will collect if the millage is approved and levied in the first year of levy (2026) is approximately $235,000. Revenue from this millage levy may be distributed to the Rochester Hills Public Library pursuant to contract.
Library Millage Proposal
Shall the tax limitation on all taxable property within the Charter Township of Oakland, Oakland County, Michigan, be increased and the Township be authorized to levy annually a new additional millage in an amount not to exceed .1412 mill ($0.1412 per each $1,000 of taxable value) against all taxable property in the Township for a period of five (5) years, 2025 through 2029, inclusive, to provide funds for providing library service for the residents of the Charter Township of Oakland as authorized by the Oakland Township Library Board and for all other library purposes authorized by law? The estimate of the revenue the Township will collect if the millage is approved and levied in the first year of levy (2025) is approximately $289,000. Revenue from this millage levy may be distributed to the Rochester Hills Public Library pursuant to contract.