Fire Millage passes by more than 57%
By Jim Newell
Managing Editor
OXFORD TWP. — More than 57% of voters in Oxford Township supported a fire and emergency medical services millage in the Nov. 5 General Election, but decisively rejected the proposed single waste hauler ordinance.
“The people spoke, the board elected to put it on the ballot, the ballot issue failed so it’s business as usual,” said Oxford Township Supervisor Jack Curtis, of the single waste hauler proposal.
Voters also denied a 10-year, half-mill safety path millage request that would have been used to construct new paths and maintain new and existing paths in the township.

Millage for Fire Protection, Emergency Medical Services, and Advanced Life Support Services
Voters in Oxford Township, including the Village of Oxford, supported the fire and medical services millage, with 7,469 votes (57.12%) in favor to 5,608 votes (42.88%) against.
The millage is a new additional millage on taxable property of up to 5.25 mills ($5.25 per $1,000 of state taxable value) for a period of six years, 2024 through 2029, for the purpose of providing funds for operations and capital expenses for fire protection, emergency medical services (EMS) and advanced life support (ALS) services for the Charter Township of Oxford.
It is estimated this new additional millage will raise approximately $6,420,582.21 in its first year. A property with a taxable value of $100,000 would be taxed up to $525 for the millage.
The new millage will be levied in lieu of and replace the previously voted millage of 4.5 mills, which expired in December 2023.
“For years we did not have a true capital improvement plan,” Curtis said. “The fire millage, the increase is truly based on the cost of the equipment, the inflationary cost of the equipment, the longevity it takes to get the equipment and the lack of a plan to replace our equipment that’s needed.”
The millage will help the fire department’s plans to replace vehicles and other capital improvement needs. Curtis added that the township has 40 miles of dirt roads which can cause significant wear and tear on ambulances.
“Now, they’re (vehicles) are going to be ordered in a process that clearly states that this vehicle is going to have X amount of miles on it by this year, it needs to be at least planned on replacing it,” Curtis said. “Statistics show that everything has gone up. Inflation has eaten us alive when it comes to big dollar priced assets.”
Curtis added that the proximity of the new McLaren emergency room in Oxford will also help with some emergency services instead of transporting people to Pontiac, Lapeer or Troy.

Oxford Township Single Hauler Ordinance
Oxford Township also sought a referendum vote on a single waste hauler proposal, asking residents if the township board should adopt an ordinance granting the township the authority to award a residential trash collection contract to one company to service the entire township.
Voters denied the proposed ordinance adoption 7,527 votes (66.4%) against and 3,808 voters (33.6%) in favor. The proposed five-year contract with a single hauler was estimated at $60.75 per quarter per household in the first year and estimated at $71.07 per quarter per household by the fifth year of the contract.
“We wanted to put it in front of the people. That was the wise thing to do… and the citizens spoke,” Curtis said. “Maybe we did a bad job of explaining it to the people, but no one knows more than me how contentious this garbage hauling can be.”
Switching to a single waste hauler has been a highly contentious issue in Oxford Township. In April 2023, the township board tabled the issue after hundreds of residents attended meetings and complained about the possibility of switching to a single waste hauler.
The proponents of switching to single waste hauler say that it will reduce the number of garbage trucks on the road each week, and the township could then hold accountable any waste hauler company that does not live up to the terms of the contract.
Opponents argue that switching to a single waste hauler limits their choices and would affect competition, and companies currently providing services in the township, especially smaller companies, could be outbid by larger companies.
The Oxford Township Board of Trustees unanimously approved on July 10 the ballot language for a single waste hauler ordinance to be put on the Nov. 5 General Election ballot.
“What I want and what I give the people is what the people want. The people don’t want a single (waste) hauler, they were happy with what they had, they’re going to get it,” Curtis said.
Once misconception that residents have is that the township issues permits or licenses for garbage companies to operate in township: that’s incorrect, officials say.
“We don’t have permits, we don’t have licenses, we don’t have requirements, they’re free and willing to operate (in Oxford Township),” Curtis said.
“Although the solid waste regulations do not require a license, permit, or registration from EGLE to haul solid waste, there are several regulations that haulers must meet to ensure human health and our environment are protected,” according to the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE).

Safety Path Millage
Oxford Township voters rejected a proposed safety path millage with 6,983 (53.15%) voting against the millage, while 6,155 voters (46.85%) supported the millage.
The township had sought a millage increase of up to .50 mills ($0.50 per $1,000 of taxable value) for 10 years to finance the construction, maintenance, repair and replacement of a network of safety paths, trails, and boardwalks and the acquisition of rights-of-way for said safety paths for purposes of providing additional recreational opportunities and safe routes to schools, parks and neighborhoods in the township.
This proposal was estimated to collect up to $611,484.02 in the first year if approved.

Oakland County Parks and Recreation Millage
The Oakland County Parks and Recreation Millage passed with 474,117 (69.4%) county voters supporting the measure and 209,001 (30.6%) voting against.