Collin Walls delivered a little good news, a lot of bad news, and listened as the only resident to show up for a public hearing voiced a complaint about the Springfield Township budget last week.
The good news: a contract renewal for police service from the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office came in with just under a four-percent increase for a one-year renewal, said Walls, who will retire Nov. 20 after 32 years in the supervisor’s office.
Springfield Township and other municipalities who contract with OCSO had been warned to brace for an increase of up to 10 percent.
‘We budgeted for a 12 percent increase for 2009 and 5 percent for 2010,? he said, noting current plans call for neither an increase nor a decrease in the level of police service. ‘So clearly we’re in good shape for 2009 based on the information we received today.?
The bad news: budgets prepared for 2009 anticipate a $10 million reduction in taxable value on residential property, resulting in a lower total tax collection and less revenue for the township.
And it’s not likely to get better any time soon.
‘When we began the budget process, the assumption was we would have a reduction in the 2010 budget for another $20-$25 million in taxable value,? said Walls, who prepared a preliminary 2010 budget to assist the newly-elected board members who will take over next month. ‘That is clearly overly optimistic. It currently looks like it could be $30-$35 million, maybe more.?
As of March, the assessed value of 50 percent of township properties had dropped to a level equal to taxable value.
‘In some respects I feel like a rat leaving a sinking ship,? said Walls, who will preside over his last board meeting Nov. 13. ‘Springfield Township is certainly not sinking, but this seems like one of the most difficult years to project what might happen even in the next few months, let alone the next 16-18.?
Trustee Marc Cooper, who gave up his seat in an unsuccessful bid for the clerk’s position, advised newly-elected officials to proceed with caution.
‘I would strongly suggest to the incoming board not do any raises at least for the first six months,? said Cooper. ‘If you give out raises the first of the year and revenues aren’t there, you’re going to have to cut from somewhere. It’s easier not to give money to employees than to have to cut it afterwards.?
Employee salaries were budgeted at 3 percent raise, with a 15 percent increase allotted for rising health-care costs.
Len Gorz, the only member of the general public to attend the public hearing, also had advice for the board, and fired off a litany of criticisms, as well.
Gorz, an attorney employed by Oakland County, told the board he objected to township planning commissioners receiving a salary of $75 per meeting, and said he would ‘do it for free.?
Funding for the township’s parks also drew criticism from Gorz, as did the preliminary proposal of raises for elected officials in 2010.
‘We have brand new elected officials and we’re putting out in the 2010 budget that they should be getting a 5-percent raise when we don’t know what 2010 is going to bring,? he said. ‘Let’s not put that out to the citizens. I’m sure (Mike Trout) and (Laura Moreau) will hopefully agree with that as they approach those budgets and take that self-sacrifice until this township is back on its feet.?
But Clerk Nancy Strole was quick to clarify.
‘The budget for 2009 has no increases’zip, zero, nada, for the elected officials, nor have the elected officials had raises for at least four years,? she said. ‘The budget for 2010 is simply a guideline; it is not adopted, it is not decided on.?
Strole also pointed out that comparatively, Springfield Township elected officials receive less compensation than those in neighboring communities.
‘As a resident I get a little frustrated and tired,? she said. ‘It’s so easy to pick on elected officials? salaries, and I think’the salary level these officials are receiving, and their benefits’or lack thereof’will demonstrate that this board has approached the issue of salaries in a very conservative manner.?
Springfield’s three full-time elected officials last received a raise in 2004.
Currently, the supervisor’s salary is set at $63,800; the clerk and treasurer both earn an annual $54,700.
Springfield Township Fire Chief Charlie Oaks also spoke in defense of the board.
‘I see the work you guys do and how you’ve turned down raise after raise,? he said. ‘I know what some of the salaries are down at the county level and most all of them make a lot more money than you people do already.?
With a full-time staff of three and a part-time staff of about 30 on-call personnel, Oaks is hoping to add another full-time firefighter in the near future.
The 2009 budget was approved 5-1. Marc Cooper voted no, while Treasurer Jamie Dubre was absent from Thursday’s meeting.

Springfield Township
2009 budget

General Fund revenue: $1,944,350
expenses: $1,940,240
Fire Fund revenue: $877,650
expenses: $847,200
Police revenue: $1,723,300
expenses: $1,619,200
Cemetery revenue: $600
expenses: $0
Parks Fund revenue: $580,631
expenses: $580,631
Cable TV Fund revenue: $45,000
expenses: $34,100
Softwater Lake Improvement Fund
revenue: $15,500
expenses: $15,000
Building Fund revenue: $89,200
expenses: $79,850