By Dean Vaglia
Leader Staff Writer
With a $9,100,000 bond at play for Tuesday’s bond election, it is unsurprising that various parties would have opinions about such public spending. Three groups presented themselves in the form of lawn signs and other campaign materials; one for the bond and two against it.
Supporting the bond is the “Committee to Support Oxford Library,” printed on its signs as “Committee to Support the Oxford Public Library.” According to filings with Oakland County, Deborah Mick is the treasurer and Jackie Ingersoll is the record keeper. Ingersoll is also Vice President of the Oxford Public Library Friends, “a non-profit organization formed to promote the interests and welfare of the Oxford Public Library” according to its page listed on the library’s website
The committee did not answer when contacted at its listed phone number on Oct. 22
On the anti-bond side of the isle was the locally-based “Library Freedom Committee USA,” originally filed as the “Library Freedom Committy USA.” As shown by Oakland County records, the committee looks to be wholly managed by Thomas Hoover.
The committee also did not answer when contacted at its listed phone number on Oct. 22.
Also on the anti-bond side was “Advance Michigan,” a self-described super PAC (political action committee) based out of Novi. Little information is available about Advance Michigan propper, though filings with the Secretary of State show David Staudt as the organization’s treasurer. Other filings show Staudt — who is the Mayor Pro-Tem of Novi — as a director of pro-Republican 501(c)(4) “Advance Oakland.” Other directors of Advance Oakland are Dillon Breen and Jean Staudt.
Staud said he is the treasurer of over 50 other PACs and that he does not have a personal opinion on the bond. Staud said that Advance Michigan “largely supports initiatives that keep taxes down.” Advance Michigan’s involvement in the campaign is $600 spent on yard signs, a detail reflected in the PAC’s October filings which also show it has not received any contributions since October 2020.
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Election results will come in after The Leader goes to press this week. We will post online this week, and in print next.