Waring for the win

Dear Editor,
I am supporting Todd Waring for Supervisor. Unlike his opponent Neil Wallace, he is pro business and pro controlled development.
When the business owners on Dixie highway tried to get the township to help them make changes that they felt would help their businesses, Mr. Wallace was quoted as saying he didn’t see that there was a problem.
When the business owners had done all the research on their own that the township was going to pay the consultants to do and wanted to use that money to install new township entrance way signs on Dixie Highway, Mr. Wallace said no, that the township would use general fund money instead and paid the consultants anyway for work they never did.
Mr. Wallace never allowed the funding to be provided for the signs. Mr Wallace has continued to strong arm the rest of the board to go against the wishes of the residences wishes about development opportunities, the burn ordinance changes,and the reduction in the Maclaren hospital project.
The Township Board has been a long running joke in Oakland county about 5 hour long meetings, personal attacks, fighting amongst board members,racial profiling’s That the township may still need to defend in court.
His consistent attacks on employees, other board members, planning commissioners and residents need to stop. Mr Wallace spear headed the movement to not allow residents to speak at township meets until the end to ensure that residents would get frustrated and leave before the end of the meeting which often go past 11 p.m.
Join me in helping the township get back on track with new board members who actually have the residence needs as their top priority not their own. Vote for Todd Waring for supervisor and stop the madness.
Thank You
Sam Moraco
Independence Township, former planning commission chairman

Consider Kittle

Dear Editor,
I felt compelled to write this letter after careful consideration.
I have known all three candidates and dealt with them professionally as well as personally. I believe I understand what it takes to be a community advocate as I was a five term city councilman in the City of the Village of Clarkston.
I believe Pat Kittle is the leader Independence Township needs. In the current economy, strength of character in our leaders accounts for everything.
Experience in crisis management is necessary to guide our Township through the challenging times ahead.
Anybody can blow through surplus, that takes no talent. As a retired auto executive, Pat Kittle has been through crisis and excelled.
Pat has restored Oakhurst into the black from several years in the red during arguably the worst years our economy has ever faced. I know Pat to be a man of integrity and compassion–things we need in a leader for our community. Join me in voting for Pat Kittle on Aug. 7.
Daniel A. Colombo
Independence Township

Community needs Waring

Dear Editor,
Myself, along with other Independence Township residents I have met with are getting tired of the many embarrassing escapades that become news items in the papers of our current local government from the former or current township supervisor, “not sure of his status and unable to find out” to the antics of the Township Board’s dysfunctional 4-5 hour meetings.
A couple of examples come to mind, one is the missing tractor incident from 2011, another is the Oakland County Sheriff’s called to a board meeting in January and a board member Neil Wallace, stated he wanted to discuss suing the sheriff’s office. This same board member has blogged on his campaign site that he has met with McLaren Hospital officials on his own to discuss various proposals concerning their project in the Township.
He did however invite his understudy Dave Lohmeier, to attend with him but failed to include the rest of the board or get their approval for his meeting. For these reasons, I am voting for Todd Waring on Aug. 7.
I have known and worked with Todd for a number of years and have seen his leadership skills and salesmanship ability to get things done when others would think it was impossible to do so. Todd knows that Independence Township can be a place where not only people will want to visit, shop or work, but relocate here as well.
With Todd’s people skills and his understanding of running a business, he will make an excellent ambassador for our community in promoting businesses to want to locate in our township with it’s prime location along I-75. We need Todd Waring to bring our community together where we can read about a new business opening in the paper and not the articles I have referenced above. His leadership will help us all to prosper and be proud of our community as we should be. Todd Waring is my choice.
Steve Cross
Independence Township

Springfield police millage

Dear Editor,
Aug. 7, Springfield voters are being asked to consider an additional .75 mils to assist in maintaining current levels of Police Service in Springfield. The Township Board is very aware that this is not a good time economically for tax payers. The same economic difficulties faced by taxpayers have been impacting Township finances and budgets and especially Fire and Police Funds historically supported almost entirely by individual tax millages.
I ask that Springfield voters review the Fact sheet available at the Township office and on the Township Web site and to call with any questions. I believe that the facts and the impact of falling property values and taxable value on the Police Fund support a Yes vote on the millage if we wish to maintain our current level of service which is 2 deputies on duty for all shifts plus an investigator and a Sergeant. The reduction in Taxable Value from 2008 to 2011 resulted in a decrease in Police Fund property tax collection of over $240,000 which is greater than the current cost of two deputy contracts. At the same time costs have and will continue to increase. In 2010 the Township changed the type of contract with the Sheriff Dept. to save money but costs still continue to increase while tax revenue falls.
Beginning in 2010 the Township began to subsidize the Police Fund with portions of Cable fees and State Shared revenue that had previously gone to the General Fund.
In addition the 2012 budget anticipates a $238,000 transfer from General Fund reserves to the Police Fund in order to cover costs. Without new millage it is estimated that over $400,000 in General Fund reserves would be necessary to cover Police Fund costs if we maintain the current level of services.
The General Fund reserves cannot continue to support the Police Fund at these levels.
The Township Board has not made a decision but it is my opinion that without additional millage some reductions in the level of Police service will have to be made.
Why is the millage request only for 4 years? The Board set the time period to allow for the economy to stabilize and hopefully to improve.
This would allow us to more accurately project future funding and costs. In addition, part of the current Police millage will be up for renewal in four years so the Township Board, at this time, will be able to present to the voters a longer term plan based on the stabilized economy.
This is an important and difficult decision but I ask for your support so that the Township Board can continue to provide adequate Police service to the community.
Collin W Walls
Springfield Township Supervisor