SAD for standpipe in Lake Neva clears first hurdle

The White Lake Township Board of Trustees voted Tuesday, Aug. 16 to adopt a resolution setting up a special assessment district (SAD) for the repair of Lake Neva’s standpipe.

Earlier this month, the board had called a special meeting to approve the repair of a standpipe — which is a vertical pipe extending from a water supply and, in this case, is near the lake’s dam — in Lake Neva, which is located near Bogie Lake Road off of Biscayne.

When the Lakewood Village subdivision was built, the developer of the subdivision turned over the lake’s dam to the homeowners. The standpipe is thus privately owned by the Lakewood Village Improvement Association, which requested that the township set up a SAD to repair the standpipe.

Throughout the years, the standpipe has been getting weaker and now is in need of emergency repair as it is not likely to be able to withstand another freeze-thaw cycle through the upcoming winter. Therefore, it was up to the board and county commissioners to act quickly upon this matter, prompting the special meeting earlier this month.

County Commissioner Jim Runestad (R-Waterford, White Lake) was present at the special meeting to be able to present the signed resolution at a county meeting later that evening and get things moving as quickly as possible.

The cost of the project requires financing of $150,000. Oakland County agreed to assist with the financing, which is to be repaid with SAD funds. The board’s resolution on Aug. 16 was to set up that SAD, which is a geographic area in which an assessment is apportioned and collected to cover the costs of the public improvement.

Over the next month, engineers will be assessing the standpipe project and getting everything in order before the board holds another public hearing on the project.