Addison officials voted unanimously Monday to place the tri-township senior center proposals (see previous story for background) on the ballot, but not without first asking some pertinent questions and expressing a few opinions.
‘Yes, we all would like a nice senior center, but I feel that adding almost half a mill to the property taxes of seniors who are on fixed incomes might be more of a detriment,? said Supervisor Bob Koski. ‘I think that should be considered.?
‘I know I personally will campaign against it and will certainly vote against it,? he noted.
Referring to the operating millage proposal, Trustee Christine Sypitkowski asked ‘Is there going to be a membership fee on top of that??
‘None of the residents of the three communities would pay a fee (to use the center),? according to Lisa Sokol. ‘Classes (such as Tai Chi or computer courses) would probably be the only thing that they might pay a fee for.? Class fees would cover the cost for an instructor, for example.
Fees for nonresidents haven’t been discussed at this point, Sokol said. It was noted the Older Persons Commission Center in Rochester charges nonresidents $175 per year.
Clerk Pauline Bennett asked what happens if two townships approve the bond and one fails it.
‘The ballot propositions for the bonds are tied together,? said Paul Wyzgoski, the attorney who drafted the ballot language. ‘They have no effect unless and until all three township electorates approve their own question.?
‘If say two, for example, pass and the other does not, nothing can happen because it’s all based upon this one project,? Wyzgoski explained. ‘Then the parties would have the option of going back to that township and asking the township board to again place that on the ballot to be approved. And if the voters then at a later do approve it, then they can proceed.?
Addison Township Attorney Robert Davis asked, ‘If two pass and one fails, how long do the two have to remain committed, waiting for the one??
‘There is no time limit,? Wyzgoski replied.
Bennett also asked what happens if the operating millages pass, but the bond doesn’t.
‘There’s certainly no requirement that any taxes have to be levied,? said Wyzgoski. ‘It’s authorization for the board to levy if the board wants to for that purpose.?
Because the operating millage language does not specify that the tax money collected must be used for a tri-township senior center, Bennett deduced, ‘These funds can be used for our existing (senior) center, if this passes, but the bond does not.?
‘I would say it can,? Wyzgoski said. But again, ‘it does not have to be levied.?
Concern over how possible cost overruns would be dealt with prompted Bennett to ask about the interlocal agreement Addison, Oxford and Orion would have to enter into to build and operate the proposed center.
‘Addison currently is struggling with three interlocal agreements . . . because of Addison’s (financial) position right now,? she said. ‘How do we know that if Addison becomes involved it’s not going to be an interlocal nightmare??
Wyzgoski said there currently is no interlocal agreement for the tri-township center, but one would have to created before the bonds could be issued should voters grant approval.
‘If that’s not created, there is no authority to issue the bonds because that’s directly in the ballot proposition,? he said. ‘There will be no project until there is an intergovernmental agreement that is passed by all three township boards.?
Davis said the ‘time to negotiate? over concerns, such as what happens with cost overruns, would be during the interlocal agreement’s formation. If Addison doesn’t sign because it’s not satisfied with something in the agreement, no bonds will be issued and no financial responsibilities assumed.
Audience members urged Addison officials to place the proposals on the ballot.
‘We’re behind the times,? said Elaine Hanes, of Oxford. ‘We need to get up to speed and help the seniors that really want and need a facility like this.?
Edward Peters, of Orion, told the board that ‘within a few short years, 50 percent of population of Michigan will be seniors.?
‘Now is the time to put plans into action that would take care of that population,? he said.
Cathy Wieland, of Orion, noted that Addison currently has 22 residents paying $175 per year to use the OPC center in Rochester.
But not all of the audience was in favor of the proposals. Stefan Zeliszkewycz, of Addison, favored looking into grants to build and operate the senior center.
‘Every year you pay more tax,? he said. ‘Your tax is growing and growing. You have a growing problem.?
‘Seniors should mix with younger people. There should be no age discrimination,? Zeliszkewycz said.
Just prior to the board’s vote the trustees weighed in on the issue. Sypitkowski wanted to make sure people understood that all the questions the board asked were part of the officials? just doing their job.
‘I don’t think there’s anybody up here that’s against seniors or against having a senior center,? she said. Serving on the board means having a ‘certain obligation to the citizens to make sure that we’re not getting into something that financially could have adverse repercussions for the township.?
After studying Addison demographics, Trustee Claudia VonDrak estimated the township’s current senior population of 712 residents age 60 and over, which represents 11 percent, will swell to between 40 and 45 percent in nine years.
‘It’s time for us to be aware of those numbers and the affect of those numbers on the service requirements that this community is going to need to provide,? she said. ‘And we need to start that dialogue right now, not in five years, not in nine years.?
Trustee John Sutphin, who’s 72 years old, offered his thoughts. ‘Just because they’re seniors doesn’t mean they need a facility,? he said. ‘A lot of them are pretty independent and pretty active.?
‘I agree with the fact that we should have some kind of facility for the township,? he said. ‘I support the idea, but we’re heavily burdened with debt now in this township.?
‘The people out here are pretty heavily burdened with debt now. That doesn’t mean I’m not going to vote for it. But I just want everybody to know that we’re not as rich as the other communities are.?
Sutphin said he fears ‘we could be putting a burden? on seniors who are on fixed incomes.
‘They’re just making ends meet,? he said. ‘That’s something that everybody ought to consider too.?
Sutphin’s sentiments were echoed by Trustee Ed Brakefield. In addition to seniors on fixed incomes, he said, ‘We’ve got a lot of people in this township that are out of work right now.?
‘The pressures on them right now might be overwhelming,? Brakefield said. ‘It could overwhelm some families.?