A public hearing Monday night held by the Oakland County Drain Commissioner’s Office regarding the Oxford Multi-Lakes dam repair seemed to start out as an organized meeting, but soon turned residents red with anger.
The hearing, which took place at Christ the King Church, was held so the residents affected by the $150,000 special tax assessment could dispute their specific assessment amount, but led to people speaking out of turn, yelling matches and residents just leaving the meeting altogether.
Steve Korth, chief engineer for the OCDC, primary engineer Karen Warren, as well as Joe Kozma, Deputy Drain Commissioner, and Oakland County Commissioner Brad Jacobsen (R-Oxford), mediated the hearing.
The 32-year-old dam’s timber gates, which affect all of the ‘Stringy Lakes,? are set to be replaced mid-June for a total cost of $163,000.
The county treasurer’s office agreed to loan the OCDC $150,000 for the project and is asking residents to pay off the loan over a five-year period.
Residents will be charged approximately $3.23 per foot of their lake frontage based on measurements made by Warren. Those with lake access, but who don’t necessarily live on a lake, were assessed based on how many people use that lot.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources will be assessed for 120 ft. at the public access site on Squaw Lake. Islands on any of the lakes owned by the Oakland Land Conservancy will not be assessed.
‘We believe this is the fairest way so somebody’s not overpaying or underpaying,? Kozma told the crowd.
If residents want to pay the entire assessment for the first installment they can do so without interest. If not, the remaining four installments would accrue interest.
Some residents were angry with the fact that the contractor would be paid before the work is done. ‘If the job’s ongoing (but not complete), I’m gonna go ahead and process the invoice,? Korth said.
Resident Bob Brain said he would like to see the OCDC update their webpage with updates on the project as well as pictures, while some residents disputed the entire project cost itself.
Bob Platz questioned why the OCDC is estimating $163,000 for the project when their bid from McDowell Construction only lists the project cost at $102,680.
‘These figures are so inflated,? he said, adding that extra site surveying and engineering fees don’t need to be done. ‘I think the drain commission has fraudulently inflated these estimates big time.?
The OCDC representatives explained that the bids are just estimates and that it doesn’t account for project overruns that may occur.
‘If we end up collecting more money than the project costs it’s going to stay in the budget for maintenance for future years,? he said, to which many residents got even angrier about. ‘If you want us to go through the expense and refund everybody, that’s an option I guess we could look into as well.?
Resident Harvey Westley stated that he was upset that the OCDC and other officials haven’t ‘listened to residents? input or considerations? when it came to this assessment.
Jacobsen reiterated that there have been other meetings for residents to address their concerns to the OCDC and that the county commission helped lessen the blow by getting the treasurer’s office to let residents pay in installments. ‘To say that this is a scam or whatever, I’m sorry, I disagree with you,? he said.
By the time the public hearing portion of the meeting began, half the residents had left the building. The OCDC representatives present collected written objections to the assessment that will be taken to the Michigan Tax Tribunal for an appeal.