By Don Rush

Oxford Township held a special meeting last week on Aug. 2 to award bids and discuss proposed 2024 budgets. They are expected to accept the budgets at tonight’s regular board meeting.

At the Aug. 2 meeting, only board member Margaret Payne was absent; with Supervisor Jack Curtis, Clerk Curtis Wright, Treasurer Joe Ferrari, trustees Jonathon Nold, Rod Charles and Catherine Colvin present.

Ray Road Safety Path

Treasurer Ferrari moved and Trustee Nold seconded awarding a $542,860 bid to Superior Excavating for the Ray Road Safety Path project. According to Ferrari the company has worked in the community previously on water main projects on E. Drahner and Lakeville roads. The roll call vote was all in favor. Township engineer Jim Sharpe told the board he expected work to commence as early as this week.

Drahner Road boardwalk

Treasurer Ferrari moved the township waive its procurement policy for money and time savings and to award Faith and Sons the job of replacing the wooden boardwalk at 1344 W. Drahner Rd., for $10.350. Trustee Nold seconded the movement and asked why the township was waiving its procurement procedures. Ferrari said, a number of residents had called stating their feet were falling through the wooden structure and time was an issue to have the repairs done quicker. All but Trustee Charles voted in favor of the expenditure.

Budget Workshop

The board reviewed 10 proposed operating budgets for 2024 – from General Fund, public safety, roads, parks, cemetery maintenance to safety path funds. Trustees had the opportunity to ask questions on the line items of each budget.

Trustee Charles asked about the township’s procedures for appropriations to non township entities. “Should we be consistent?” he asked. To which Supervisor Curtis said, “Yes.” The issue revolves around the two annual disbursements the township makes to Oxford Addison Youth Assistance and to Northeast Oakland Historical Society.

The proposed budget to be voted on at tonight’s meeting are:

General Fund: $4,926,627 ($4,008,918 in 2023)

Road Fund: $200,700 ($100,000 in 2023)

Fire Department: $7,546,456 ($6,642,561 in 2023)

Police Contracting: $5,640,200 ($3,647,500 in 2023)

Parks & Recreation: $1,750,000 ($1,654,000 in 2023)

Cemetery Maintenance: $400,000 ($335,000 in 2023)

Telecommunications: $15,011 ($15,011 in 2023)

Building Department: $432,000 ($396,700 in 2023)

Cable Fund: $577,650 ($525,353 in 2023)

Safety Path: $505,000 ($100,150 in 2023)