Township OKs OCSO contract

Brandon Twp.- The township board approved a 1-year contract with the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office during their Nov. 7 meeting.
The contract, which covers 2012 and provides for 11.5 deputies, will cost the township roughly $1.4 million, about a 3 percent increase over last year, primarily due to healthcare costs.
‘Compared to other townships, we’re on the light end for the number of deputies,? said Supervisor Kathy Thurman. ‘I wouldn’t want to see us reduce any further. I am very happy with the service the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office has given us. The officers are doing a fine job. We are always hoping for the contracted services to be less, but I guess we are just wishfully thinking.?
The Brandon School District will reimburse the township for the cost of the school liaison officer. Over the past two years, the township has reduced the number of deputies at the Brandon substation due to budget concerns.