By Joseph Goral
Staff Writer
jgoral@mihomepaper.com
LAKE ORION — The Lake Orion Village Council approved a cost participation agreement between Lake Orion and the Oakland County Board of Commissioners for a local road improvement program, and authorized Village Manager Darwin McClary to execute the agreement and submit a required invoice for reimbursement of funds on June 23.
The approval comes after county commissioners approved Lake Orion’s participation in the local road improvement matching fund program, which is designed to provide matching funds to cities and villages for local road projects that enhance economic development, according to village documents.
Lake Orion identified the re-striping of major roadways within the central business district as a qualifying project under this program.
The county agreed to contribute up to $5,589 though reimbursement, not to exceed 50% of the total project cost of the local road projects. The village will be responsible for the remaining project costs, which is $15,000, leaving the village’s share as at least $9,411, which will be paid from its major streets fund.
“Our contribution comes from the state of Michigan funds that we get,” Council Member Michael Lamb said. “It’s not our tax dollars. It’s all outside government money.”
No roads were named for work in village documents.
Instead, the cost participation agreement states the work will be conducted on “major roadways in (the) central business district, which improvements involve roads under the jurisdiction of and within (Lake Orion) and are not under the jurisdiction of the Road Commission for Oakland County or state trunk lines,” according to village documents.
McClary said the village participates in the program each year.