Township panel to meet regarding sharing services

The West Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees has approved forming a task force to explore shared service or intergovernmental agreements to provide non-public safety services such as assessing, building permits and code enforcement to the cities of Sylvan Lake, Orchard Lake and Keego Harbor.

The board’s decision came during a Monday, July 11 meeting.

Township Supervisor Michele Economou Ureste said she has been working on this for several months and that she, Community Development Director Tom Walsh and Township Assessor Lisa Hobart will be meeting with Sylvan Lake officials next week.

The township board held a special meeting on July 11 and the agenda initially called for the township to consider an intergovernmental agreement to provide property assessment services to Sylvan Lake.

However, the board decided that it would be best to hold off on the agreement and further engage Sylvan Lake representatives, as well as reach out to Orchard Lake and Keego Harbor officials to see if those municipalities would also be interested in sharing services.

“The proposed agreement appeared premature and didn’t benefit both parties,” said Township Trustee Howard Rosenberg. “It appeared it would cost West Bloomfield money. An agreement such as this should save money and benefit both communities involved.”

He added that the township was already entered into an agreement with Keego Harbor and Orchard Lake to provide those cities with fire services.

Like the township, the city of Sylvan Lake has a proposed public safety millage that will be on the Nov. 8 ballot.

Township Trustee Gene Farber said that, depending on the election’s outcome, the township might explore combining police services with Sylvan Lake, as well.