LAKE ORION, Mich. (WXYZ) — Lake Orion Village Council voted Monday to establish a committee dedicated to exploring what it would mean financially if the village dissolved or consolidated some of its resources with Orion Township.
Watch Jeffrey Lindblom's video report:
Three council members sit on the committee alongside two residents. The effort comes as century-old infrastructure needs modernization, placing a growing financial burden on taxpayers through special assessments.
Matthew Gibb, Lake Orion DDA Executive Director, said the committee is not a signal that dissolution is inevitable.
"This is not a 'we're going to dissolve the village,' this is 'how can we find the opportunities to do this better,'" Gibb said.
Gibb said the village has been exploring new budget strategies as its infrastructure ages.
"So the village is looking at ways to use assessments and other things because the budget is getting really tight," Gibb said.
Special assessments are used to fund critical infrastructure repairs, with the cost falling directly on affected taxpayers. The village's water pipes are a current example of infrastructure that has been specially assessed.
Lloyd Coe, a resident and owner of Ed's Broadway Gift and Costume, said he and his wife, Kathy, have felt the financial strain firsthand.
"Yeah, it's been going up and up and up," Coe said.
Coe said his last quarterly water bill was more than $1,000 — well above what he normally pays. He said he feels for businesses that use even more water and for his neighbors living on a fixed income.
"I understand why. These pump stations are dilapidated and need to be redone, but it's a lot," Coe said. "Getting clobbered with the water bills and with the cost of gas and inflation and everything else."
Gibb acknowledged the urgency.
"The problem is right now," Gibb said.
The committee aims to identify where the village and township duplicate services — such as public works and law enforcement — and determine whether merging those resources could generate savings.
Village Councilman George Dandalides, who championed the formation of the committee, said residents currently pay both village and township taxes.
"It's not double, but we pay village and township taxes," Dandalides said.
Dandalides said the committee's purpose is straightforward.
"The point is to do the investigation," Dandalides said.
Council President Pro Tem Stan Ford, who sits on the committee, said the central question is simple.
"And would we save money or not?" Ford said.
Ford said he joined the committee specifically to guard against dissolution, warning that while taxes might initially decrease, residents could eventually see services slow down and then face new special assessments to cover the village's existing debt.
"And then, over time, what I'm going to miss is the loss of services," Ford said.
Orion Township said it already collaborates with the village on many fronts and is prepared to offer support. Township officials said they are not pushing for or opposing any particular outcome and will remain neutral until the committee invites them to participate.
Coe said he supports whatever path delivers the most value to residents.
"I think if the taxpayers can save and we're going to get the same services, then of course," Coe said.
Dandalides said if the committee does its job well, it will identify the benefits of consolidation or dissolution — and if no benefits exist, the effort will be dropped.
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