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HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 2003.05.29 - 27231Miscellaneous Resolution• #03122 May 29, 2003 BY: General Government Committee, William R. Patterson, Chairperson RE: Board of Commissioners - Support for Senate Resolution #76 - Disaster Relief for Oakland County Communities Stricken by Ice Storms TO: Oakland County Board of Commissioners Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen: Whereas, during the first part of April, unseasonably fierce ice storms hit several communities in Oakland County. The extent of the damage was remarkable, with widespread power outages and large numbers of downed trees and other debris. According to DTE Energy reports, the damage from the ice storms was more severe than any since 1976; and Whereas, at the peak of its fury, the storm, which killed 3 people, left more than 400,000 without power. For approximately 60,000 people, electricity was out for up to 12 days. Estimates of the financial losses from the storms range as high as $40 million. The magnitude of the clean-up efforts was such that crews from Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, West Virginia, and Wisconsin were needed to restore power and clear trees; and Whereas, the Road Commission for Oakland County announced that the storm devastated so many trees across the county that it will take at least three months to finish cleaning up all the downed trees and branches on county roads or in road rights-of-way; and Whereas, the Midwest Regional Climate Center (MRCC) found that Northern Oakland County was the location of most of the damage. The total of more than half a million without power made this the worst ice storm in Michigan in 27 years and will lead to very substantial economic costs. In the Detroit Edison area alone, more than 3,000 separate power line failures occurred in over 44 miles of service lines; and Whereas, communities within Oakland County that were especially hard hit by the ice storm should be considered eligible for up to $30,000 in disaster assistance for police and fire overtime and debris removal, including: Brandon, Orion, Oxford, Highland, Holly, Rose, Waterford, White Lake ; Oakland, Addison and Independence Townships and the Cities of Auburn Hills, Pontiac, Ortonville, Lake Orion and Holly; and Whereas, local communities have been frustrated to date in their efforts to obtain disaster relief. Without additional funding, these communities, which already are in serious financial difficulty, will face severe problems in the months ahead. Clearly, efforts to provide public safety and essential services in the months to come may be threatened as a result of the significant storm losses incurred; and Whereas, the Michigan State Senate passed Resolution No. 76 that urged the Governor to support disaster relief for Oakland County Communities stricken by ice storms in early April 2003. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners hereby supports the Senate Resolution No. 76 and joins in urging Governor Granholm to provide disaster relief for Oakland County communities stricken by ice storms in April 2003. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this adopted resolution be sent to Governor Granholm, the Michigan Delegation to the State Legislature, the Michigan Association of Counties and Oakland County's Legislative Lobbyists. Chairperson, on behalf of the General Government Committee, I move the adoption of the foregoing resolution. GENERAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE aiii/44w oetdcdtz- General Government Committee Vote: Motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote. Senators Bishop and Johnson offered the following resolution: Senate Resolution No. 76. A resolution to urge the governor to support disaster relief for Oakland County communities stricken by ice storms in early April 2003. Whereas, Over the first part of April, unseasonably fierce ice storms hit several communities in Oakland County. The extent of the damage was remarkable, with widespread power outages and large numbers of downed trees and other debris. According to DTE Energy reports, the damage from the ice storms was more severe than any since 1976; and Whereas, At the peak of its fury, the storm, which killed 3 people, left more than 400,000 without power. For approximately 60,000 people, electricity was out for up to 12 days. Estimates of the financial losses from the storms range as high as $40 million. The magnitude of the clean-up efforts was such that crews from Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, West Virginia, and Wisconsin were needed to restore power and clear trees; and Whereas, Local communities have been frustrated to date in their efforts to obtain disaster relief. Without additional funding, these communities, which already are in serious financial difficulty, will face severe problems in the months ahead. Clearly, efforts to provide public safety and essential services in the months to come may be threatened as a result of the significant storm losses incurred; now therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate, That we urge the governor to support disaster relief for Oakland County communities stricken by ice storms in early April 2003; and be it further Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the Office of the Governor. Pending the order that, under rule 3.204, the resolution be referred to the Committee on Government Operations, Senator Hammerstrom moved that the rule be suspended. The motion prevailed, a majority of the members serving voting therefor. The resolution was adopted. Senators Jelinek, Kuipers, Birkholz, Cassis, Toy, Cherry, Goschka, Jacobs, Cropsey, Clarke and Garcia were named co-sponsors of the resolution. G. William Caddell, County Clerk Resolution #03122 May 29, 2003 Moved by Suarez supported by Palmer the resolutions on the Consent Agenda, as amended, be adopted (with accompanying reports being accepted). AYES: Coleman, Coulter, Crawford, Douglas, Gregory, Hatchett, Knollenberg, KowaII, Law, Long, McMillin, Middleton, Moss, Palmer, Patterson, Potter, Rogers, Scott, Suarez, Webster, Zack, Bullard. (22) NAYS: None. (0) A sufficient majority having voted therefore, the resolutions on the Consent Agenda, as amended, were adopted (with accompanying reports being accepted). ES MT RENE ‘111.0 EOM OM STATE OF MICHIGAN) COUNTY OF OAKLAND) I, G. William Caddell, Clerk of the County of Oakland, do hereby certify that the foregoing resolution is a true and accurate copy of a resolution adopted by the Oakland County Board of Commissioners on May 29, 2003, with the original record thereof now remaining in my office. In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the County of Oakland at Pontiac, Michigan this 29th day of May, 2003.