Orion Township has agreed to pay the Village of Lake Orion 10 percent of whatever the township ends up spending to clean up debris left from the ice storm a month ago.
The village will be doing its own clean-up using the Village of Lake Orion Department of Public Works, which also acts as the village’s forestry department.
Orion Township Supervisor Jerry Dywasuk brought the matter before the board on May 5, saying he was contacted by village manager JoAnn Van Tassel after the township issued a press release regarding the clean-up. Van Tassel wanted to know if the clean-up would be extended to village residents, who are also township residents and pay township taxes.
Dywasuk said the village residents would be included. Instead of township contractors doing curbside pick-up of debris in the village, village officials would prefer the township pay them $10,000 so they could do their own clean-up. The $10,000 requested was based on the village being 10 percent of the township.
“I’m just curious of the context of the conversation,” said trustee Michael Gingell. “Is the nature of the question that village feels they can do it with their resources, or have better resources?”
Dywasuk felt giving the village the money was the best option.
“Then they can follow up on their own complaints,” he said. “It would be far easier for everyone.”
Orion Township has decided to approach the storm clean-up by using the township’s voting precincts, and assigning precincts to two different companies that have been contracted to do the curbside pick-up.
Tucker’s Tree and Landscape started work in the southwest section of the township, with G&G Tree Service starting work in the northeast corner. Workers will work Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m., until the work is done or they are told to stop.
Trustee Michael Fetzer wondered how much storm damaged the village actually had, and if it warranted $10,000.
“I haven’t assessed it myself,” he said. “But I question the math.”
Dywasuk said he knew several large trees were down in the village.
“Their DPW acts as the forestry department,” he said.
“Here we are taking something off the table we already promised someone else, that they could be making income from,” treasurer James Marleau said.
Building and grounds director Reenae Tulip said G&G Tree Service, which was originally assigned the village, was “not happy about it” possibly being taken away.
“They are in Bunny Run right now,” she said.
“This is a fairness issue on the board’s part,” said Marleau.
Tulip said she thought it would still be “fair” if the township let the village do its own clean-up.
“There’s some precincts we weren’t going to decide until the end,” she said. “(G&G) could just take some of those.”
Parks and recreation director Rock Blanchard said when G&G originally bid, they wanted the entire contract for the whole township.
“They aren’t overjoyed, but I don’t believe they’ll file a lawsuit or anything like that,” he said. “It’s hard to say what area they’ll be in next, because they don’t really know what’s out there.”
Trustee Eric Wilson suggested giving the village 10 percent of whatever the township ends up spending, rather than just a flat $10,000.
“I fear that may not be enough,” said Tulip.
“That’s all we have,” Wilson responded.
Blanchard said less than $10,000 could possibly not be enough.
“What do you do for the citizen you don’t get, say they’re out of luck?” he asked. “You should put a cap on it…say up to $10,000.”
The board voted to pay the village 10 percent of whatever the township ends up spending for the clean-up, up to $10,000, but that the money won’t be paid until the clean-up is complete.
“It’s their proposal,” Wilson said. “We’re using their language.”