HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 2022.06.23 - 37440BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
June 23, 2022
MISCELLANEOUS RESOLUTION #22-140
Sponsored By: Cluck Moss, Michael Spisz, Michael Gingell. Robert Hoffinan, Karen Joliat, Eileen Koivall.
Christine Long, Philip Weipert, Aden Kochenderfer, Thomas Kului
Board of Commissioners - Resolution Opposing the Imposition of Highland Park's Water and Sewer
Debt on Oakland County Communities
Chairperson and Members of the Board:
WHEREAS the Oakland County Board of Commissioners seeks to ensure Oakland County residents and
businesses provided municipal water and sewer services are charged rates that are fair, just, reasonable, and
consistent with their usage of those services; and
WHEREAS Oakland County communities receive water services from the Great Lakes Water Authority
(GLWA) and all Oakland County communities are paying members in good standing with GLWA; and
WHEREAS the State of Michigan has a direct role in GLWA providing water services to the City of Highland
Park: and
WHEREAS the State of Michigan requested then Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD), now
GLWA, to provide emergency water services to the City of Highland Park because the State of Michigan
determined Highland Park's water treatment plant was creating a public health risk to its residents: and
WHEREAS on November 12, 2012. the State of Michigan stated the repairs to the water treatment plant were
to be completed in 3-4 days: but neither the State of Michigan or the City of Highland Park repaired the water
treatment plant, and it remains shuttered to this day; and
WHEREAS the City of Highland Park has paid less than I° o of their water services charges since 2012; and
WHEREAS since 2011 the City of Highland Park has accumulated $54,233,700 in debt to GLWA for both
water and sewer services. Shoulch their payment pattern continue, this debt will rise to $60,977,600 by the end of
FY 2023: and
WHEREAS the City of Highland Park's debt has now been allocated by the GLWA to the GLWA subsidiary
authority member communities, including Oakland County: and
WHEREAS when Highland Park does not pay, the costs are borne by the other member partner communities
receiving GLWA's sewer services, By the end of the current fiscal year, Highland Park's sewer services
arrearages will exceed S42,859,400 if no payments are made. If this pattern continues, the arrearages will
exceed S48,346,000 by the end of FY 2023; and
ZVTIEREAS the City of Highland Park's continued non-payment of charges and accumulated arrearages will
force Oakland County and its communities to pay respective charges, of significant funds that these
communities need for services and investment.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners hereby requests
the State of Michigan and the Great Lakes Water Authority do not require Oakland County and the 86 other
paying member communities to pay for the City of Highland Park's delft to GLWA,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Conmussioners hereby requests the State
of Michigan become directly involved in resolving this dispute.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners calls on the State of
Michigan to create a system in which debts of non-paying water and sewer customers can no longer be charged
to paying customers.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners expresses its support to
Oakland County communities in their efforts to resolve this situation.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Clerk is requested to forward a copy of this
resolution to the Governor of the State of Michigan, the Oakland County delegation to the State Legislature. the
Chairman of the Great Lakes Water Authority Board of Directors, the Executive Director of the Great Lakes
Water Authority, the Chairman of the Macomb County Board of Conurussioners, the Chairman of the Wayne
County Commission, the Oakland County Water Resource Commissioner, and all Oakland County communities
serviced by the Great Lakes Water Authority.
Chairperson, the following Commissioners are sponsoring the foregoing Resolution: Chuck floss, Michael
Spisz, Michael Gingell, Robert Hoffman, Karen 3oliat, Eileen Kowall, Christine Long, Philip Weipert,
Adam Kochenderfer, Thomas Kuhn,
6zd Date: June 27, 2022
David Woodward. Commissioner
Date: June 27 2022
Lisa Brown, County Clerk / Register of Deeds
COMMITTEE TRACKING
2022-04-14 Full Board - Refer to Economic Development & Infrastructure Committee
2022-05-18 Economic Development & Infrastructure - Postponed to 2022-06-15 EDI Meeting
2022-06-15 Economic Development & Infrastructure - Recommend as amended to Board
2022-06-23 Full Board
VOTE TRACKING
Motioned by Commissioner Chuck Moss seconded by Commissioner William Miller III to adopt the attached
Resolution: Opposing the Imposition of Highland Park's Water and Server Debt on Oakland County
Communities.
Yes: David Woodward, Michael Gingell, Karen Joliat. Kristen Nelson, Eileen Kowall, Christine Long,
Philip Weipert, Gwen Markham, Angela Powell, Thomas Kuhn, Chuck Moss, Marcia Gershenson, William
Miller III, Yolanda Smith Charles, Penny Luebs, Gary :McGillivray, Robert Hoffinan. Adam Kochenderfer
(18)
No: Charles Cavell, Janet Jackson (2 )
Abstain: None (0)
Absent: (0)
Passed
ATTACHMENTS
None
STATE OF MICHIGAN)
COUNTY OF OAKLAND)
I, Lisa Brown, Clerk of the County of Oakland, do hereby certiAl that the foregoing resolution is a true and
accurate copy of a resolution adopted by the Oakland County Board of Cora nissioners on June 23, 2022, with
the original record thereof now remaining in nuy office.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the Circuit Court at Pontiac,
Michigan on Thursday, June 23, 2022.
Lisa Brown, Oakland Comm, Clerk !Register gfDeeds