Orion Township Trustee Mark Crane Resigns to Move to Rochester Hills

Orion Township Trustee Mark Crane resigned, effective June 4, it was announced Monday at the Orion Township Board of Trustees meeting.

Crane was not in attendance at Monday's meeting, but according to his letter of resignation he is resigning because his house in Lake Orion has sold and he is moving to Rochester Hills. The board unanimously accepted his resignation, with regret, and debated how to swiftly fill the vacant seat.

After much discussion it was approved with a 4-2 vote (Trustees Mike Flood and voted no) to open up the vacancy to any resident interested and that applications for the interim trustee position would be accepted up until noon on May 24. Interested candidates can pick up the application and drop it off at the Clerk's Office at .

, who will be on the ballot in August running for a trustee position, rose at the meeting conveying her interest in the interim trustee slot.

A special meeting date and time was approved – 7 p.m. May 30 at Orion Township Hall – where candidates will be interviewed with official questions drafted by a few board members. The special meeting will be broadcasted by Orion Neighborhood Television and members of the public are welcome to attend.

Here's a quick summary of other items Trustees covered Monday:

• The language for both the fire and police millage renewals, and was approved unanimously.
• The Board of Trustees voted 4-2 (Supervisor JoAnn Van Tassel and Treasurer Alice Young voted against the motion) not to reimburse Hi-Hill subdivision residents half the cost, over $1 million, of a sewer system they installed.
• The board unanimously approved to eliminate a full-time event manager position within Community Programs Department and add a part-time maintenance/support services position in the Building and Grounds Department. Lisa Sokol, Community Programs director, requested this change based on maintenance needs she has assessed at the Orion Center and Wildwood.
• Trustees approved the resignation of Orion Fire Chief Jeff Key, whose last day was May 2. Assistant Chief/Fire Marshal Robert Smith has assumed the command of the fire department for now.
• A $2,000 contribution, in keeping with the past 25 years, to the village of Lake Orion for its swim program at was approved.
• Motor City Fence Co. was awarded a contract for fencing modifications at , costing the township about $10,000. Due to two incidents on the ball fields at Friendship Park, including the death of Oakland Township's , where emergency vehicle assistance was needed but entry was not possible, the fence is being modified.

Stay tuned to Oakland Township-Lake Orion Patch for additional coverage of Monday night's meeting.