Budgets equalling $9,243,575 and property tax rates totaling 9.9072 mills for the 2007 fiscal year were approved by the Oxford Township Board last week.
For the 13th consecutive year, the township will levy 0.95 mill to support its General Fund Operating Budget, which was approved at $1,819,745.
The operating millage is paid by all township property owners including those residing in the village.
One mill is equal to $1 for every $1,000 of a property’s taxable value.
Officials approved a 3 percent pay raise for the township’s 13 employees which will cost the government an additional $19,434.
It was noted that ‘all employees received a good to excellent (rating) by their department heads on their employee evaluation sheets.? It was also noted that a 3 percent raise is below the current rate of inflation which is 4.3 percent.
A 3 percent salary hike was also given to the township’s supervisor, clerk and treasurer. All three are elected positions.
Supervisor Bill Dunn’s annual salary was increased from $57,538 to $59,265.
Clerk Clara Sanderson and Treasurer Joe Ferrari, who earn the same annual pay, will see their salaries increase from $47,907 to $49,344.
A $2,113,550 budget was approved to support the township’s police services contract with the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department.
Township residents living outside the village will pay 2.9152 mills for police services.
Village residents don’t pay this township tax because they have their own police department funded through an 11.12-mill levy that supports the entire village government.
A total of $1,274,600 was approved for the fire/EMS operating budget funded by a 1.5-mill tax rate.
Advanced Life Support (ALS) services will be provided through a $966,500 budget funded by a 1-mill tax rate.
Both fire millages were approved by township and village voters in May 2005. Property owners in both municipalities pay both millages.
None of the fire department’s full-time or paid-on-call employees will receive a pay increase next year per a recommendation from Chief Jack LeRoy based on a recent wage survey among area fire departments.
‘We compare ourselves annually and we found that we were in line with them and felt it would be inappropriate to ask for any increase at this point because it would throw us out of alignment with our neighbors,? the chief later stated.
A $1,291,165 budget for the Oxford Township Parks and Recreation Department was approved. It will be funded by 0.8538-mill tax.
The Oxford Public Library will have a $1,294,449 budget to work with next year funded by 1.3982-mill tax.
Also adopted by township officials were six individual budgets, which consist of monies set aside for specific purposes. Those funds include:
n Road Fund ? $17,200
n Cemetery Maintenance Fund ? $41,000
n Telecommunication Fund ? $36,163
n Police Narcotics Fund ? $4,871
n Building Permit Fund ? $344,232
n Safety Path Fund ? $40,100
Two millage rates were approved by the township to retire the voter-approved bond debts incurred by the library and fire department.
A rate of 0.41 mill was approved to pay off the library’s bond debt. In November 1995, voters approved a $4.24 million bond issue to build the present library on Pontiac St.
A rate of 0.88 mill was approved to pay off the fire department’s bond debt. In November 2000, voters approved a $7.68 million bond debt to construct two new fire stations and purchase new vehicles.
Of the total 9.9072-mill rate approved by officials, 6.992 mills will be levied against all township properties including those in the village. That figure includes township, library, parks and rec., fire and ALS operating millages, plus the fire and library bond debts.
The remaining 2.9152 mills for police services will only be paid by township residents living outside the village.