Oxford Township is tired of helping the Downtown Development Authority fill its coffers every year, but not having a meaningful say in how that money is spent.
‘We still have taxes going over there that are being captured,? said Treasurer Joe Ferrari. ‘I think the least that could be offered would be a voting member position.?
Last week, the township board voted 7-0 to send a letter to the DDA board requesting it be given a voting seat.
‘It’s not like this would be something new,? said Ferrari, who noted that back when the DDA was still able to capture money from Oxford school millages, the district was allowed to have a voting member on the board. ‘There is precedent set.?
Based on the December 2007 township tax bill, the DDA captured $120,725 from township millages levied against properties within its district’s 104-acre area.
Trustee Doleen Behnke told the board she was asked by village Manager Joe Young if she would consider serving as an ex-officio, nonvoting member of the DDA board.
According to the DDA’s amended bylaws, adopted in August 2006, the board shall have three ex-officio, nonvoting members ? a township trustee, the village manager and the executive director of the Oxford Area Chamber of Commerce.
Trustee Sue Bellairs was appointed as an ex-officio member a while back, but she didn’t attend DDA meetings because she saw no point in it if she didn’t have a vote.
‘I didn’t accept that position, but they have me on there,? she said. ‘I can’t see the benefit of paying one of the trustees ($95 per meeting) to go on there (and) not be able to vote.?
Bellairs believes the DDA could easily amend its bylaws to allow the township to have a voting member.
‘They changed their bylaws once, they could change them again,? said Bellairs, noting the township had previously requested it have a voting member, but ‘the village never did anything? other than creating this ex-officio position.
‘I would like to see this member (be) a voting member,? said Supervisor Bill Dunn.
Right now, the DDA bylaws call for nine voting members, which includes the village council president. A majority of DDA board members must have an interest in property located in the downtown district. One member must be a resident of the district if it has 100 or more people living in it.
Ron Davis, director of the township parks and recreation department, was all for the township having a vote given the DDA captured $14,847 from his millage.
‘I applaud the idea of representation from those governing bodies that participate financially,? he said.
With the December 2007 tax bill, the DDA captured $16,521 from the township operating millage, $31,544 from the library operating and debt millages and $57,912 from the three fire millages.