With more local governments moving to open up their meetings to people who may not be able to physically be there for a particular session, the Oakland County Board of Commissioners has authorized Chairman Mike Gingell (R-Lake Orion) to appoint an informal three-member committee to study the issue and see if the county’s governing body can either televise its meetings or stream them online in an economically feasible manner. The board’s action came on Thursday, [...]

Road construction not only impacts motorists, but also businesses. As such, a local lawmaker is reviving an effort from last year to allow local governments to grant property tax breaks to firms in their community that have been adversely affected by major infrastructure improvement projects, such as the Telegraph Road overhaul that roiled commuters last year and the expected roundabout construction at Pontiac Trail and M-5 in Commerce Township this year that will cause significant [...]

The Oakland County Board of Commissioners is still looking for citizens to serve on a board responsible for overseeing the county’s various mental health initiatives. County commissioners are looking for citizens to serve on the Oakland Community Mental Health Authority Board. The authority is responsible for assuring provisions for services and support to those individuals in the county who are faced with mental, emotional and developmental disabilities. There are four vacancies on the authority board [...]

In order to begin the process of installing sewers along residential streets for Wolverine Lake residents who voluntarily opt to hook up into the system, the Village Council voted Wednesday, Feb. 9 to approved a bid on the necessary grinder pumps. After evaluating the two bids submitted, village officials awarded the contract to Crane/Barnes, a regular supplier in the village, in the amount of $109,598 per truckload, which equates to 40 pumps. Each homeowner who [...]

A proposal currently being reviewed by the state Senate Transportation Committee seeks to change the law on banning driver license renewals depending on the number of unpaid parking tickets the applicant motorist has incurred. State Sen. Dave Hildenbrand (R-Lowell) introduced Senate Bill (SB) 130 on Thursday, Feb. 10 to amend the Michigan Vehicle Code. Currently the law states that a license will not be renewed if the motorist failed to respond to three or more [...]

From Dave Renwick, Wolverine Lake: Once again, something stinks in Wolverine Lake! Whomever the Spinal Column Newsweekly got their story from about the sewage overflow into Wolverine Lake (Jan. 19, 2011 edition) neglected some significant facts. While the story did indeed correctly state the amount of sewage overflow at 30,000 gallons, it reported nothing of the resultant water contamination. E-coli is a bacteria that lives in sewage and is known to cause illness and death. [...]

Detroit and suburban officials recently announced they have come to an agreement on changes in oversight for the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD), a pact that’s outlined in a federal judge’s stipulated order in a Clean Water Act lawsuit that has been open for approximately 30 years. Although not largely similar to the “regionalization” approach to water and sewer system oversight that’s been debated repeatedly in Lansing, the recent agreement includes some important improvements [...]

With a combination of a recovering economy and favorable weather conditions this winter, the three major ski resorts located in or just outside the lakes area are experiencing no shortage of skiers and snowboarders flocking to their slopes. Alpine Valley, Pine Knob and Mount Holly are each reporting a high number of visitors this winter, as it appears many area skiers are opting to stay closer rather than head Up North. “Not many people are [...]

After conducting a thorough internal investigation into how and why 30,000 gallons of raw sewage overflowed into Wolverine Lake in November, the Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner’s (WRC) Office detailed their findings to the Wolverine Lake Village Council at its Wednesday, Feb. 9 meeting. It is the WRC’s task to maintain the sanitary sewer system. At 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 28, a pump station situated along South Commerce Road in Walled Lake, directly across from [...]

The construction of the Oakland County International Airport’s (OCIA) new “green” terminal is gaining ground in an effort to replace the existing building which has been in service for over half a century. Work on the new terminal began in the spring of 2009 and the building is expected to open this summer. Due to a series of problems with the current terminal building, such as single pane windows, evidence of asbestos, and a leaky [...]