The Orion Township Board of Trustees voted to have full-time officials meet with building/grounds director to report back to the board on building security.
Supervisor Jerry Dywasuk, clerk Jill Bastian, treasurer Alice Young and buildings and grounds director Reenae Tulip will meet to discuss a plan of action for tightening building security at the township hall on Joslyn Road.
Trustees want them to report back with a recommendation by the May 2 meeting.
The board originally started investigating the matter after a police report was filed with the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department last spring regarding files concerning the Gingellville Community Center’s property tax dispute with the township that were missing from township assessor John Attwell’s office.
The three full-time officials were to have met already, but Dywasuk said they had not been able to get together on the issue, and had since just gathered information.
Tulip presented a list of options to the board on April 4, that included either installing a new key pad locking system at a cost of $15,000 to $20,000, or simply getting a weekly log of who had entered and exited the building using the key pad system.
‘I don’t think that all of this is necessary,? said Young. ‘I thought we were just going to change the three outdoor locks.?
Tulip said she didn’t believe doing that would solve the problem that started with the missing GCC files.
Trustee Michael Gingell asked why the three officials hadn’t met, and Dywasuk said they weren’t able to make the original 60-day deadline.
‘I think the initial request was a result of some questions that arose out of the GCC issue,? said trustee John Garlicki. ‘I think it’s an issue of checks and balances, and putting some controls in…that would be inexpensive.?
He believes the township’s alarm company should be able to supply a weekly list of who had opened and closed the locks. Tulip said she had the ability to get that list herself if board members wanted it.
‘I do have a log,? she added. ‘When anyone receives or returns a key, I add and delete the pass codes.?
According to Tulip, she currently only produced a log if it was requested.
Young said that since all the department heads had locked offices, sensitive items should be safe there.
‘Master keys open those offices,? said Tulip. ‘And you can duplicate those.?
Gingell said the township should investigate having security cameras installed near major entrances.
‘To me that would really improve the situation,? he added.