By Susan Carroll
Review Writer
The Lake Orion Village Council approved several budget amendments for the 2017-18 fiscal year and rescinded a previous motion for property and liability insurance to the Michigan Mutual Risk Management Association.
All motions carried 5-0 at the June 26 meeting, and there were no public comments addressed to the council.
Multiple financial matters were slated on the agenda, the first being the request to rescind the motion approved by the council during the June 12 meeting.
After originally approving of the request to renew the property and liability insurance, there was some confusion with some of the council due of the similarities in the two company names: one being Michigan Mutual Risk Management Association (MMRMA) and the other Michigan Municipal League (MML).
Village Manager Joe Young’s request was for MML, however, the motion was carried for MMRMA. The confusion and error is believed to be innocent and unintentional. Additionally, the poor acoustics in the room were thought to have been a factor in the communication issue. The motion was carried to rescind the prior approval.
Rescinding the motion to MMRMA is contingent on the village being let out of any obligation to the MMRMA. The village’s attorney advised that she had been in contact with the MMRMA attorneys, who would not make a verbal commitment to let the village out of the contract.
The village has not yet paid any fees to the MMRMA, and the policy was approved only two weeks ago.
The police department requested $4,707.35 for ammunition. The annual purchase included both training and duty-carry ammunition.
The department uses ammunition in training to keep up on their shooting skills. The request was approved for the police chief, Jerry Narsh, to make the purchase and the amount requested is under the department’s budgeted amount.
Delinquent utility accounts – totaling $47,528.60 comprised of 64 property addresses – were authorized to be added to the July 1 tax bills if they are not paid by the time the village processes the invoices.
Budget amendments were brought before the council in three areas, all were approved.
A budget amendment request from DDA 248 fund, No. 248-BA-2017-12 allowed for a reallocation of budgeted funds to adjust for unanticipated changes in revenues and expenses. The net increase to the DDA fund is $16,710, however, unbudgeted revenues were adjusted to cover the unforeseen expenses.
Budget amendment request 203-BA-2017-12 was approved to reallocate funds in the Local Streets Fund to adjust for $3,700 in unanticipated expenses. The additional funds have been covered from transfers from other accounts that had a surplus, such as the winter maintenance fund, and therefore is no additional financial impact.
Budget Amendments for the general fund, DPW, police and water funds were amended as requested for the period ending June 30, 2017. There is no financial impact on the amendments as the overages were covered by the accounts with a surplus as indicated on the submitted financial statement on the proposed budget amendments.
Council member John Ranville addressed Joe Young to ask if the village could override the state law on fireworks that allows for fireworks to be shot off by individuals the day before, the day of and the day after the 4th of July.
The concern is the potential fire hazard with the close-proximity of the homes. Young said that they are not allowed to override and individual fireworks will be allowed to continue during that time.