Operating millage proposals to continue funding police protection and parks/recreation services in Oxford Township were approved by voters in the Tuesday, Aug. 6 special election.
The five-year, 3.9152-mill police tax proposal was approved 2,124 to 933, based on the unofficial results posted by the Oakland County Elections Division. The revenue generated by it will continue paying for law enforcement services provided via contract by the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office. The approved request contains a 0.1213-mill increase.
Sheriff’s Lt. Scott Patterson, commander of the Oxford substation, is “extremely happy” with the outcome.
“I had faith in the people of the township,” he said. “We’ve had a great relationship with them since 2000. I was one of the original officers that came out here. (In) all this time, all I’ve seen is support from the residents. I had a good feeling that they were going to come through like they always do.”
A 10-year, 1-mill tax request to support the parks and recreation department passed 2,265 to 1,365. The approved proposal represents a 0.1766-mill increase.
“That’s awesome. That’s just great. I was nervous to be honest with you,” said Parks and Rec. Director Ron Davis, who wished to express his sincere thanks to everyone who supported it.
“I’m just excited,” he said. “I’ve given my life, my everything, to that department for 24 years. I’m just happy to be able to continue there.”
Leading up to the election, Davis said there was a lot of “negativity” on social media with “people taking shots” at the department.
“Reading some of the comments on Facebook was pretty disheartening,” he admitted. “When you work for the general public, you’ve got to have skin like leather sometimes.”
In light of the social media “rhetoric” he saw, Davis wished to “applaud” all of the people who read the information put out by the department, “took the initiative to call us (with questions)” and voted “based on what we’ve done.”
“We’re just lucky to have the trust of the community,” he said.
A total of 3,634 (or 22.33 percent) of the township’s 16,273 registered voters participated in this election.
More residents voted absentee than cast a ballot at the polls on election day.
With regard to the police millage, 1,812 voted absentee, while 1,245 voted at a polling place. Absentee voters passed the millage 1,186 to 626. Election day voters approved the proposal 938 to 307.
As for the parks and recreation millage, 2,178 voted absentee and 1,452 went to the polls. Absentee voters approved the tax request 1,199 to 979. Election day voters OKed it 1,066 to 386.