The Clarkston City Council sent a clear and united message to Independence Township representatives Monday: We’re not interested in consolidating.
Township Trustee Dan Kelly, Clerk Shelagh Vanderveen, and Treasurer Jim Wenger attended the Clarkston City Council meeting for a face-to-face discussion on the issue of consolidating the two municipalities.
Although the council made it clear they did not intend to give up cityhood, all agreed on finding new ways of working together.
‘We’re the poster children for shared services,? said Clarkston Mayor Sharron Catallo.
The issue was brought up last month by Kelly, who said he personally believes taxpayers in both communities would be best served by consolidating.
However, he said, the most important first step was to commission a feasibility study, which would be provided by Oakland County at no cost to Clarkston or Independence Township.
Although Clarkston officials told Kelly they would be more likely to agree to the study if consolidation was off the table, Kelly argued for looking at every option.
‘Just collecting data of unanswered questions doesn’t force anybody to do anything,? he said. ‘To exclude consolidation from a report is just simply saying ‘we don’t want to hear the answer to a certain analysis.??
Kelly told the board there were many issues to be looked at in ways that could benefit both communities, including sharing police and DPW services in the same way the fire services are now shared.
Kelly also said he believed the council could still attain the city’s goals of preserving the hometown atmosphere and historic integrity of the village, as well as controlling downtown development, without maintaining a separate government entity.
Such matters, he said, could be accomplished by legal entities such as overlay districts’by creating separate districts
‘The other side of this is the Independence Township residents,? Kelly said. ‘I have an obligation to make sure they’re receiving a fair share in return for the tax dollars our citizens spend.?
The township, he said, takes on the risk and difficult task of predetermining cost for services provided in an up-and-down economy
‘We’re expected to sell our services without a profit,? he said. ‘We’re required by law not to sell for profit, but we take on all the risk of running those programs.?
A study could come back saying the 10 percent administrative fee charged by the township was too much, or too little, he said, but it was important to find out and gather as much information as possible.
And, he pointed out, even if a study came back recommending consolidation of the two entities, the city, the township or both could still reject such an idea.
While the city council maintained its stance that even the idea of consolidation was a deal breaker, they were still interested in looking into other ways of cooperating.
Councilwoman Kristy Ottman reiterated to Kelly a decision made by the board at an April 9 meeting.
‘The city council is open to all manners of feasibility studies short of consolidation of governments,? she said, reading from the meeting’s minutes. ‘It was a unanimous decision of the board.?
Ottman also acknowledged that while the city does depend on the township for a great many services, the opposite is also true.
‘The city’s dollar provides the space, the DPW, the police for all of the parades,? said Ottman, noting that the city of 962 hosts about 10,000 people for the parades. ‘We are absorbing that cost and we do it without a problem every year’because it’s the right thing to do as a community?
Ottman also pointed out that liability risks Kelly spoke of were unfounded, as police, firefighters and other public safety organizations carry insurance against inherent risks. Furthermore, she said, the city had offers to use the Springfield Township Library at a substantial savings over the Independence Township Library, but opted for the more convenient choice.
‘You’re not the only game in town for a lot of these services,? said Ottman, pointing out her belief that there were a multitude issues to consider. ‘And, you have an awful lot of issues (the Independence Township board) is dealing with internally. It’s unhealthy to even think about consolidating with a government with so many of its own problems.?
Councilman Cory Johnston pointed out that, regardless of the results of a feasibility study, the city’s voters would ultimately have to decide the issue. Consolidation, he said, was not something he anticipated happening.
Johnston also disagreed with Kelly’s assertion that the city might not be paying a fair share for services.
‘I’m sure (what the city pays) is way over you actual cost,? he said, pointing out that the city doesn’t have the option of negotiating. ‘There’s taxes and there’s fees; you charge your residents tax, and they get to vote. You charge us fees we don’t have anything to say.?
Johnston said he agreed the issues needed to be studied, but worried the results would make one party or the other unhappy.
Councilman Dan Colombo expressed views shared by many residents, as well as the council: some things are more important than saving money. The township, he said, is engaged in many new projects and looking to the future.
‘That’s development and that s growth,? he said. ‘But this village isn’t about growth. We’ve grown, were as big as were going to be. There’s no way to consolidate the two; it’s like trying to consolidate history with the present; we’re preserving history you’re plowing on with the present.?
Still, both parties left the meeting hoping to move past the latest disagreements, difficulties and hard feelings and find a way to work together.
‘What I’ve heard are a lot of conclusions,? said Kelly. ‘I’ve never said Clarkston doesn’t do things for the township, and I’m not suggesting we should have a lot of animosity between the two communities.?
The city council agreed it was important to develop a vision and define the goals of a study, and unanimously voted to approach the Independence Township board with a proposal for conducting a study between the communities without third party involvement.