Orion Township has numerous parks and trails for residents to enjoy.

They recently passed a millage for park improvement. The voters approved up to one mil for five years.

According to the January 22 Lake Orion Review (Orion Twp. Parks & Rec. director discusses millage, upcoming projects, page 2), Orion Township Parks & Rec Director Aaron Whatley stated that this year the millage is expected to bring in just over $1.7 million.

What most residents in the Village of Lake Orion do not realize is that none of these funds will be used for the six parks that are part of the Village of Lake Orion.

As residents of both the village and the township, village residents pay both village taxes as well as township taxes, including the parks millage.

Township residents utilize and enjoy the village parks, but the millage does not support these parks. The village parks & recreation committee had requested a small percentage of the funds raised from the millage but were denied.

I am fully in favor of park and trail improvements everywhere, but I want residents to be aware that when they see major improvement to township parks, but wonder why park improvements in the village are slow to happen, that the funds gathered from the millage are not being used to improve the Village of Lake Orion parks. Thank you!

Jody Hand

Lake Orion