County authorities update commissioners on DIA millage, Zoo projects and historical programs
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Summary
At an authorities fair, the county heard updates: OCAIA reviewed the DIA millage and endowment figures, the Zoo Tax Authority previewed a $20M Discovery Trails project and recent federal earmark, and the Historical Commission outlined records digitization and community programs.
Oakland County commissioners heard a series of agency updates during an authorities fair that highlighted cultural and public-arts investments and community programs.
Juan Rajpal, chair of the Oakland County Art Institute Authority, described the authority's structure and the Tri-County millage that supports the Detroit Institute of Arts. He said Oakland County residents contribute roughly $15 million annually through the millage (about 68% of the DIA's operating budget from the Tri-County millage) and cited a reported endowment of $466,000,000 (last public report) with a fundraising target of $800,000,000 by 2032. Rajpal noted the current service agreement is three years and scheduled for renewal later this year.
Brandon Kolo, chair of the Oakland County Zoo Tax Authority, summarized the authority's responsibilities to levy the zoo millage, conduct audits and approve budgets. He said the authority received roughly $7.1 million in county revenue this year (part of a combined ~$16 million in county support across the three counties) and previewed the Detroit Zoo's Discovery Trails, a more-than-$20 million, seven-acre accessible exhibit that included unexpected infrastructure repairs and a $1 million federal earmark secured for water infrastructure.
Representatives of the Oakland County Historical Commission, Dave Decker and Carol Leipo, reported digitization projects (more than 60,000 Oak Hill Cemetery records made searchable), Juneteenth and America250 programming and outreach to local historical societies. They invited volunteers and noted work with the county clerk’s office to preserve land-record histories.
Commissioners thanked presenters, asked follow-up questions about endowment numbers and resident benefits, and noted that the millage and service agreements will return for contract-level discussions later in the year. Presenters emphasized audits, statutory duties (e.g., authority appointment terms), and ongoing community programming.
Next steps: service-agreement renewals and contract terms (DIA, zoo) will be tracked by county staff and return to committee as necessary; historical-commission projects will continue and seek volunteer and interagency collaboration.