State of the Township on March 29, 2017

By Jim Newell

Review Editor

Orion Twp. Supervisor Chris Barnett gave his annual State of the Township address on Wednesday, highlighting business and housing development, low crime rates, township amenities and revealed new projects planned for 2017.

In the address – A Celebration of Success: The People and Places that Make Orion Extraordinary! – Barnett also emphasized the people and places that “make this a great community great.”

“This is the most enjoyable thing I get to do, to address the community,” Barnett said. “This if my fifth State of the Township address, which seems crazy to me.”

Lake Orion Community Schools Superintendent Marion Ginopolis introduced Barnett, who she called the other “Super-visor” in the Orion, and praised him as a supervisor with whom she could work for the betterment of the community and schools.

“Our People, Our Community”

Barnett’s address, a PowerPoint presentation at the Woodside Bible Church before hundreds of attendees from Orion and several area leaders – including Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson, Rochester Hills Mayor Brian Barnett, Auburn Hills Kevin McDaniel and new Village of Lake Orion Manager Joseph Young – acknowledged the achievement of Orion’s people.

• Penni Robertson: Carpenter Elementary staff member recently named “America’s Favorite Crossing Guard.”
• Justin Sylvain and Evan Krefski: the first and second place amateur freestyle jet skiers in the world. Both are past Orion Twp. Citizens of the Month.
• Brian Scolari: champion wakeboarder.
• Tom Bailey: fastest streetcar racer in the America.
• Steve Leach: designer of the new Orion Twp. welcome sign at Brown and Baldwin roads.
• The LOHS world champion percussion ensemble.

“To me, I think extraordinary is defined by our people and places,” Barnett said. “That’s right here, that’s some of our homegrown talent. We have extraordinary talent.”

Together, We do More

“Together we do more: that is the theme of our people. And to be honest, that’s what drew me here,” Barnett said.

Orion area residents had one million volunteer hours in 2016, and contributed 6,250 pounds of food, including $1,000, during ONTVs annual 5 or 5 Food Drive.

A Safe Community

Orion Twp. ranked as the 15^th safest municipality in the state in the National Council for Home Safety and Security Safest Cities 2017 rankings – and the safest community in the state with a population of more than 25,000 people, Barnett said.

Crime statistics show that the number of crimes committed in Orion Twp. have consistently declined since 2010, when there were about 1,500 offenses, to about 650 in 2015.

Orion Twp. spends $110 per resident per year on police costs – lower than Rochester ($264), Lake Orion ($237), Independence Twp. ($129) and Rochester Hills ($120). Only Oxford Twp. ($107) and Oakland Twp. ($104) were lower for surrounding communities.

Increase Fire Department millage allowed the township to staff all four fire stations 24/7, 365 days per year.

The Orion Twp. Fire Department’s average response time is under five minutes, and the department 2, 411 calls in 2016, 800 more than six years ago, Barnett said.

Government statistics presented:

Orion Twp. government spends fewer taxpayer dollars than surrounding communities, Barnett said.

Orion Twp. spends $332 per capita. By comparison, Oakland Twp. spends $424; Oxford Twp., $490, Independence Twp., $535; Rochester Hills, $806; Rochester, $1,109; Lake Orion, $1,158; and Auburn Hills, $1,527.

“We are doing a great job with your tax dollars,” Barnett told the crowd.

Building permits

Building permits in the township have increased steadily since 2010, when there were 22 permits. There were 162 permits issued in 2013, 328 in 2014, 180 in 2015 and 205 in 2016.

“It not only helps our tax base, but our schools, too,” Barnett said.

Foreclosure rates have also dropped consistently, from 269 foreclosures in 2010 to 23 in 2016.

Infrastructure

“A good community needs strong infrastructure,” Barnett said, noting that Orion Twp. will see more than $100 million in road improvements over a four-year period.

Improvements include: the M-24 project in 2016, projects on Brown, Baldwin, Giddings and Waldon roads, and resurfacing M-24 from north of Clarkston Road to the Oxford Twp. border.

“Waldon and Giddings roads will be resurfaced this year,” Barnett said.

Menard’s retail store is breaking ground this summer for a new facility on Brown Road, which will be widened to five lanes from Joslyn Road to Baldwin Road this summer.

“Our side of Brown Road is largely blighted and underdeveloped and we took it upon ourselves to improve it,” Barnett said.

The township will also renovate Fire Station 1 on Anderson Street in the village beginning next month. The renovations include a restroom accessible to the public.

Business

The overall commercial vacancy percentage in the township and village is down to 1.66 percent.

“That’s a call I get often: ‘We’re trying to relocate to your community, we just can’t find space,’” Barnett said.

“The chamber of commerce is nearly 400 members strong and we are booming. It’s so important to have a good chamber,” he said.

The Chevy Bolt, the first U.S.-made mass-market fully-electric car, was named the North American Car of the Year and is built at the Lake Orion GM Plant.

Amenities

The township, in partnership with the Daisy Project, built the first inclusive whirl (similar to a merry-go-round) in the state at Friendship Park this past fall so that impaired persons and their able-bodied friends could ride together.

Barnett announced that the township plans to build an inclusive baseball field at Friendship Park, calling it “Our next big venture into the recreation world.”

The field will be accessible to able-bodied and special needs residents and disabled veterans.

Patronicity will provide matching funds up to $50,000 toward the project, but the township needs to raise $80,000 from community donations. “We need your help, we’re asking for your assistance,” Barnett said.

Barnett also cited grants to help with Safe Routes to School, Iron Belle Trail connections and the Michigan Dept. of Natural Resources Trust Fund grant for Friendship Park as developments underway for coming to the township.

The township also will start a 5K Memorial Day Run. “It’s our first ever,” Barnett said.

Barnett saved some his “big” news for last, announcing that a new township park would soon be developed. The township acquired 76 acres in a land swap with the DNR. The new township property – where the park will be – is north of Greenshield Road, bordered by Joslyn Road on the west.

“I think it went well,” Barnett said after the State of the Township Address. “We have a great story to tell.”