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Waterford Board raises potential township contribution to RCOC special assessment projects to 25%
Summary
After debate, the Board amended its procedure for participating in Road Commission for Oakland County special assessment districts and voted to allow an assessment at large up to 25% of a project's final cost; Trustee Harris voted no. A broader ARPA-funded repaving pilot was proposed but not seconded.
The Waterford Township Board on Jan. 12 amended its formal process for considering participation in Road Commission for Oakland County (RCOC) Special Assessment Districts (SADs) and approved raising the townships maximum assessment-at-large contribution to 25% of a project's final cost.
Board materials and discussion cited Act 246 (MCL 41.271 et seq.) as the statutory route for petition-driven county road improvements and noted that townships may voluntarily agree to accept an assessment-at-large. Trustees discussed increasing the boards prior guidance (previously up to 10%), with several members urging a larger share to ease homeowner costs for repaving subdivision roads.
A motion to adopt the revised procedure with a maximum township contribution of 25% passed by roll call: Bartolotta, Markee, Thomas, Hauswirth, Gilbert and Wall voted yea; Harris voted nay. Trustee Sam Harris said he preferred a lower 20% contribution and objected to the increase. The record shows an alternative, more expansive amendment that would have created an ARPA-funded repaving pilot and loan program with a proposed $1.4 million initial transfer failed for lack of a second and was not adopted.
The approved revision requires staff steps (petition review, budget confirmation, board consideration) and preserves the boards option to only encumber funds after a formal funding resolution if the RCOC proceeds with a project.
The change gives greater flexibility for the board to subsidize neighborhood road SADs but does not obligate the township until the board adopts a funding-support resolution for a specific project.
