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OAKLAND TOWNSHIP — Voters of Oakland Township passed the renewal of a township police millage Nov. 8.
The millage passed with approximately 7,441 yes votes to 2,929 no votes, according to unofficial results from the Oakland County Elections Division.
Township Supervisor Adam Kline said the millage renewal is “the most efficient and effective manner” officials have found to continue providing police services.
“We are very happy that it passed and we are able to keep the police well-funded to continue their good work here in Oakland Township,” he said.
Approval of the proposal, after a Headlee rollback, renewed the tax limitation increase of approximately 1.6253 per $1,000 of taxable value on all taxable property in the township for a period of six years, according to the ballot language.
If fully levied, township officials estimate that — based on the township’s current 2022 total taxable value — the proposal will result in the authorization to collect $2,861,600 for police services in the first year.
The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office is contracted each year to provide services in Oakland Township. The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office’s Oakland Township substation currently employs 12 deputies, one lieutenant, one detective and one patrol sergeant, but Kline said the Sheriff’s Office is looking to obtain one more officer, a detective sergeant.
Kline said the request for an additional officer was proposed in the township’s budget meeting but said the Board of Trustees had not made a decision on the request. A public hearing was held Nov. 15, after press time, and he said the budget will be finalized in December.
“It’s currently still budgeted for that extra position, but we have to wait for that to be final. If everybody is in agreement and they pass that budget with that time in there, we’ll go ahead with the position,” he said.
Township voters first 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 in the November 2016 election. The millage was set to expire this year, with the last collection in December of 2022.
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, call the township’s administrative offices at (248) 651-4440.
