Quick Hits: White Lake Township Board Approves First Assessment For Lake Neva Dam Repair

The White Lake Township Board of Trustees met Tuesday night and held a public hearing on the first assessment roll for the repair.

Discussion of the issue occupied most of the time during the nearly three-hour meeting.

The resolution passed by the board on Tuesday was to confirm a five-year special assessment for residents affected by the repair of the dam on Lake Neva. The board has stated its intention to come back at a later date and amend the assessments. The initial payment of approximately $40 will be placed on the winter tax bills of all the homes in the assessment district created by the township.

The amount assessed to lakefront homeowners, and homeowners off the lake currently remains the same across the board. However, the township is considering a change, to be reflected in the second assessment roll later this year, that may result in lakefront property owners being assessed more than the non-lakefront property owners.

In August the Township Board approved a resolution to create a around Lake Neva in order to fund emergency repairs to a leaking dam on the lake.

The neighborhood of Lakewood Village, located just off Bogie Lake Road, surrounds Lake Neva and will bear the brunt of the special assessment. However, other homes that border the lake but are not in the neighborhood were also included because they will benefit from the repair, according to the township.

According to Supervisor Greg Baroni, the state Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) inspected the standpipe and stated that the pipe cannot go through another winter freeze and thaw.

"If we are to wait on this issue, there could be serious ramifications for homeowners along Lake Neva," Lilley said. Failure to repair the pipe could result in health and safety issues, township officials said.

In addition to the assessment, the bids for the repair project came in higher than expected. Originally Oakland County had planned to loan $150,000 to the Lakewood Village Association to cover the cost of the repair. It now looks, according to township officials, that the project will cost up to $250,000 because of the high risk factors involved in repair the dam. Those factors include the depth of the lake where the dam is placed.

County Commissioner Jim Runestad said the county will vote on lending the additional $100,000 on Thursday.

"I intend to twist a lot of arms," Runestad said of getting support from the other county commissioners. "I am 80 percent sure they will approve this."

If the county does not approve the additional funds, it will be up to the township to provide the additional monies needed to repair the dam. All money loaned for the repair will be paid back over a period of 5 years by all property owners being assessed.

Other items approved at Tuesday's meeting include:

• The Capital Improvement Plan for 2012-2017.
• A resolution to continue a special assessment district at Coledale Bay for weed control.
• The pay schedule for the new bank specialist position in the Treasurer's office.
• Two equipment purchases for the fire department, totaling approximately $9,600.

The discussion on cemetery services expected to take place was tabled by the board pending more information.