HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 2026.05.21 - 42949
AGENDA ITEM: Sponsorship of Oxford Township Parks & Recreation First Responder Appreciation
Event
DEPARTMENT: Board of Commissioners
MEETING: Board of Commissioners
DATE: Thursday, May 21, 2026 9:30 AM - Click to View Agenda
ITEM SUMMARY SHEET
COMMITTEE REPORT TO BOARD
Resolution #2026-6556
Motion to approve a one-time allotment of $5,000 from the FY 2026 Board of Commissioners’
General Fund Sponsorship line-item budget to sponsor the Oxford Township Parks & Recreation
2026 First Responder Appreciation Event. Further, authorize the Board Chair to execute any
required agreements on behalf of Oakland County. Additionally, require that the recipient publicly
promote the County’s support as a Primary Sponsor and submit an impact report to the Board of
Commissioners by the end of the calendar year, detailing the outcomes of the concert series,
including attendance, participation, and the number of Oakland County residents served.
ITEM CATEGORY SPONSORED BY
Special Project Michael Spisz
INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
Please provide the full name, title, and organization of the person submitting this request.
Phil Castonia, Director, Oxford Township Parks & Recreation
Please provide the requester’s email address and phone number.
pcastonia@oxparkrec.org
Please provide the organization’s address and website, if applicable.
Oxford Township Parks & Recreation, Oxford Township, MI www.oxparkrec.org
Please identify whether the organization is a governmental entity, a nonprofit, or another
type of entity, and include tax status if applicable.
Governmental entity (Oxford Township Parks & Recreation)
Please identify the sponsoring Commissioner(s) for this request.
Commissioner Mike Spisz
Describe what you are requesting the Board to fund and what the public will receive as a
result.
The request is for a $10,000 sponsorship to support the Oxford First Responder Appreciation Event.
The public will receive a free, community-focused event that honors first responders while providing
opportunities for residents to engage with public safety professionals. The event will include
emergency vehicle displays, a helicopter fly-in, K9 units, SWAT vehicles, presentations, a Blessing
of the Badges ceremony, and family-friendly activities. A featured drone light show will recognize
first responders and celebrate key community milestones.
Is this request best classified as a sponsorship of an event or support for a program?
Sponsorship
If this request includes an event, please provide the event date(s), location(s), expected
attendance, and whether the event is free and open to the public.
Tuesday, August 11, 2026, from 5:00–9:00 PM at Seymour Lake Township Park, Oxford Township.
The event is intended to be free and open to the public.
What is the total budget for the overall project, program, or event, and what is the specific
amount requested from the Board of Commissioners? Please present both figures clearly
and explain how the requested amount fits into the total budget.
The drone light show component alone costs approximately $38,000, with an estimated remaining
fundraising gap of $15,000. The request to the Board of Commissioners is $10,000, which would
significantly help close this gap and support overall event costs, including commemorative items.
Please provide a narrative budget explanation describing what costs exist in the overall
budget and which costs the Board’s requested funds would pay for.
Event costs include a $38,000 drone light show and approximately $2,500 for commemorative
challenge coins for first responders. The requested funds would help offset these costs and support
overall event execution.
Please describe all confirmed funding partners, matching funds, sponsorships, or in-kind
contributions, and specify the amount or estimated value of each.
The event is being organized in partnership with Oxford Township Parks & Recreation and local
public safety agencies. Specific confirmed funding partners and amounts were not detailed.
If contributions are not yet confirmed, please describe what is anticipated, what is pending,
and when decisions will be made.
There is an identified fundraising gap of approximately $15,000 for the drone show component.
Additional sponsorships and funding support are being pursued to close this gap prior to the event.
If the Board does not fund this request, what would change, be reduced, or not occur?
Without additional funding, key elements such as the drone light show or commemorative items may
need to be reduced, scaled back, or eliminated.
Please explain the public purpose of the project in clear terms, including how Oakland
County residents will benefit.
The event promotes public safety awareness, strengthens relationships between residents and first
responders, and provides a community gathering opportunity that recognizes and honors those who
serve. It also supports civic pride and community engagement.
Please explain what the County receives in return for the expenditure. If the request is a
sponsorship, describe recognition benefits. If the request is a program, describe program
deliverables and measurable public outcomes.
Oakland County will receive sponsorship recognition through event materials, signage, and public
messaging leading up to and during the event.
If this request includes improvements to property not owned by Oakland County, please
explain who owns the property, who will control and maintain the improvements, and how
the public will have continued access to the benefit funded by the County.
The event takes place at Seymour Lake Township Park. No permanent property improvements are
included in this request.
Please provide a clear implementation timeline with start date, milestones (if applicable), and
completion date.
Event planning is ongoing in 2026, with the event taking place on August 11, 2026, from 5:00-9:00
PM.
Please describe who will benefit from the project, including estimated number of Oakland
County residents served and which communities or geographic areas are expected to
participate.
Residents of Oxford Township and surrounding Oakland County communities will benefit, along with
participating first responders from across the region.
Please describe how success will be evaluated and what measurable outcomes will be
reported.
Success will be evaluated based on community participation, engagement with first responders, and
successful execution of event programming.
Please confirm that the organization will submit an outcomes report to the Board of
Commissioners by the end of the calendar year and describe what that report will include,
such as attendance, participation, services delivered, and resident impact.
Yes. The report will include attendance, participation, and overall community impact.
If requested, please confirm the organization will provide proof of expenditure, invoices, or
comparable documentation showing how Board funds were used.
Yes.
FISCAL IMPACT: Subsequent QR Budget Amendment Required
Committee members can contact Barbara Winter, Policy and Fiscal Analysis Supervisor at
248.821.3065 or winterb@oakgov.com or the department contact persons listed for additional
information.
CONTACT
Michael Spisz, Commissioner
ITEM REVIEW TRACKING
Aaron Snover, Board of Commissioners Created/Initiated - 5/21/2026
AGENDA DEADLINE: 05/07/2026 4:30 PM
ATTACHMENTS
None
COMMITTEE TRACKING
2026-04-30 Full Board - Refer to Finance
2026-05-13 Finance - Recommend to Board
2026-05-21 Full Board - Adopt
Motioned by: Commissioner Michael Gingell
Seconded by: Commissioner Penny Luebs
Yes: Ann Erickson Gault, Michael Gingell, Marcia Gershenson, Robert Hoffman, Karen Joliat,
Christine Long, Penny Luebs, Gwen Markham, William Miller III, Kristen Nelson, Angela Powell,
Robert Smiley, Yolanda Smith Charles, Michael Spisz, Linnie Taylor, Philip Weipert, David
Woodward (17)
No: Charles Cavell (1)
Abstain: None (0)
Absent: Brendan Johnson (1)
Passed