A familiar name and face in Oxford politics will help decide whether the village’s petition to incorporate as a city will move forward in the legal process.
Henry Gleisner, an Oxford Township resident living on Ray Road, is one of two people who will represent Oakland County on the state Boundary Commission when the 346-signature petition goes before the board to determine its legal sufficiency.
That’s ‘tentatively? scheduled to happen at the Jan. 18 meeting in Lansing, according to Boundary Commission Manager Christine Holmes.
‘About a month ago they called me and asked if I would be willing to serve again,? said Gleisner, who’s been active in local politics for many years through the North Area Citizens Conference, a pro-environment, anti-urban sprawl group dedicated to preserving rural character.
Gleisner was appointed as a county representative to the boundary commission back in 1998 and has been a member ever since.
The state Boundary Commission is comprised of three members appointed by the governor who decide on incorporation, annexation and consolidation issues involving municipalities all over the state.
Each county has two regular and two alternate local commissioners appointed by the Chief Probate Judge of that county to work with the three state commissioners when a boundary issue arises there.
One regular local commissioner and one alternate represent townships while the other two local appointees represent cities.
Gleisner is the regular local commissioner representing townships in Oakland County. The other regular appointee representing cities is Jeanne Stine, of Troy.
While the duties of a boundary commissioner ‘usually do not take up a lot of time,? according to Gleisner, they do require much legal study.
‘You have to acquaint yourself with all the statutes, which is a book about three inches thick,? he said.
The last time Gleisner actively served on the boundary commission was when the Village of Holly unsuccessfully attempted to incorporate as a city in 2001-02.
When it comes to the cityhood issue in Oxford, Gleisner said he will be ‘impartial? as a commissioner.
‘The fact that I’m a resident of the township should not influence, to any degree, my actions,? he said. ‘My taxes won’t change either way.?
Although he’s a township resident, Gleisner said he’s always been ‘very much in favor? of the village as far as its ‘historical buildings? and encouraging economic development there.
‘I think all of us, all the township, should promote the village, not put it down,? he said.
Gleisner’s already met with some township and village officials to learn more about the cityhood issue and each side’s view of it.
‘I asked all kinds of questions and I got some very interesting and, to some degree, unexpected answers,? he said.
In his opinion, the main issue the boundary commission must consider is ‘the welfare of the citizens? in both the village and township.
‘Is it beneficial to the village residents to become a city?? Gleisner said. ‘Is it beneficial or detrimental to the township residents??
Prior to returning to active service on the boundary commission, Gleisner said he had ‘not (paid) a heck of a lot? of attention to the whole cityhood issue.
‘I knew there was talk about it,? he said.
But after the person who founded the cityhood movement, Tracy A. Miller, Sr., and his wife, former village President Renee Donovan, moved to Lapeer County earlier this year, Gleisner assumed the idea was finished.
‘I didn’t think it was much of an issue anymore,? he said.