By Dean Vaglia
Leader Staff Writer
The Village Council of Oxford had its monthly meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 13. With all council members in attendance, topics of discussion included water main upgrades, separating the charter from the ordinances and banning “Jake Brakes” in the Village.

Removing the Charter
from Code of Ordinances
The meeting began with a public hearing on whether to separate the Village Charter from the Code of Ordinances to be two separate documents. Though nobody spoke for or against the decision, Bryan Cloutier asked why separation was being discussed.
According to Village Clerk Tere Onica, removing the charter from the code makes the process of amending the charter faster. While amending the charter itself requires approval via public vote, amendments currently also have to go through the ordinance approval process. The village’s attorney found no requirement to have the charter in the code and recommended separating the documents.
The council unanimously approved the first reading to separate the charter and code. A second reading will take place likely at the November meeting.

First and Second Readings
“Jake Brakes” — an engine braking system used in semi trucks — were banned by unanimous vote on the ordinance’s second reading. The ordinance will go into effect on Nov. 11 and non-emergency use of the system will result in a $100 fine. Signage informing motorists of the ordinance will be posted “at locations deemed appropriate” by the council.
The council unanimously supported the first reading of an amendment to the Code of Ordinances. The amendment adds stormwater engineering design standards created by the Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner as “Chapter 70 Article V.” The design standards will be designated as Sec. 70-126 and enforcement language from Article IV will be carried over and designated as Sec. 70-127. A public hearing on the amendment will be held at a later meeting.

Hudson & Denison water main replacement and ARPA fund use
The council approved a plan to replace water mains along Hudson and Denison streets and to amend the budget to cover the cost of the project. State lead and copper rules mandate that the work be performed within the next 20 years. Village Manager Joe Madore recommended completing the project soon as well as using ARPA funds to expand the project to sections of Denison and Hovey streets. The expanded water main and associated roadwork are expected to cost $791,169.30, which is $277,169.30 over the amount budgeted for the original only-Hudson plan. The village is set to receive all of its $372,201 in ARPA funds by next year.
The council later discussed ways the ARPA funds could be used. Madore recommended using the funds on the water main project. Council member Allison Kemp proposed the idea of using the funds to cover rental inspections, though Madore was unsure if that was allowed by the language of the ARPA. The idea of hosting a town hall meeting to determine ARPA fund spending was floated, but council decided to wait until more information was available and made no action on how the funds will be used.

Other Business
The council unanimously approved the Oxford Chamber of Commerce’s special event application for the annual Christmas parade. The route has been extended north, turning on Church St. before going down Louck St. to East and Mill streets. Approval is dependent on all the required fees being deposited.
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The village Parks and Recreation plan is set to expire in 2022, and Madore is looking at creating a combined parks plan with the surrounding townships and Oxford Community Schools. OCS and Addison Township have yet to respond, though Madore said Oxford Township Clerk Curtis Wright expressed support for the combined plan.
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The November meeting was rescheduled to the 23rd since Kelsey Cooke would not be able to make the meeting on the 9th.