‘Approximately 12 to 14 months.’That’s how long it could be once a petition is filed until the Michigan State Boundary Commission makes a recommendation as to whether Oxford Village’s bid to incorporate as a city will go before voters, according to the commission’s manager Christine A. Holmes.
Holmes said the time frame greatly depends on the commission’s workload at the time.
But before this matter can make it to the Boundary Commission, the village’s cityhood committee must collect at least 177 signatures from village residents who are both eligible voters and property owners.
The cityhood committee kicked off its petition drive Aug. 17 at an undisclosed location, according to the Oakland Press.
‘I don’t know who you heard that from,? said Tracy Miller, leader of the cityhood movement, when asked about the meeting on Aug. 16.
Miller ‘didn’t say either way? whether or not there was a meeting.
In order to be valid, Holmes said the cityhood petition must be signed by a number of ‘qualified electors and freeholders (landowners)? residing in the village equal to 5 percent of the municipality’s total population, which currently stands at 3,540 based on the 2000 U.S. Census.
According to Thomas Ryan, the Sylvan Lake-based attorney hired by the village in December 2003 to handle the cityhood effort, the village is only seeking to incorporate everything within its existing boundaries into a city. None of the land within the unincorporated township is being included as was originally considered by village officials at one time.
‘I guess they just decided to stick with what they have and what the current boundaries are,? Ryan said. ‘That’s what they’re used to governing.?
Ryan, who handled Clarkston’s successful cityhood effort in the early 1990s, said officials also wanted to make sure the cityhood effort was not viewed as just a ‘land-grab.?
As for when the petition will be filed with the three-member State Boundary Commission, Ryan said, ‘I would hope before the end of the month or shortly thereafter.?
If the petition is determined to be legally sufficient and valid, the commission will then conduct a public hearing on the cityhood matter somewhere in the Oxford area, Holmes said.
Following the hearing, people have 30 days to submit written information and comments to the commission. This is for people who either couldn’t attend the hearing or did not wish to speak during it, Holmes said.
Following this, there is a seven-day period in which the ‘involved parties? ? such as the village, township, cityhood committee ? may submit ‘rebuttals? to the commission, Holmes said.
The Boundary Commission then adjudicates the matter and adopts its findings as a recommendation to the director of the Department of Labor and Economic Growth, who issues a final order.
If the commission’s recommendation and director’s order is against the incorporation effort, the process ends.
If the recommendation and order are in favor of moving forward with the incorporation process, then Holmes said there is a 45-day period before the final order is issued, when the public may petition for a referendum.
This referendum would allow voters to decide whether to overturn the director’s order.
If no referendum petition is filed, the incorporation process would move forward with the election of a charter commission to draft the proposed city’s charter, which would also require future voter-approval.