Oakland County voters will have a say on statewide proposals but perhaps getting the most attention is a 10-year countywide transportation millage to expand and enhance existing public transportation…
Elected officials in one of Michigan s smallest and poorest communities are facing criticism from residents after approving pay raises for themselves amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The salary hikes, approved by the Royal Oak Township trustees late last month, include a 25% increase for Supervisor Donna Squalls, from $20,000 to $25,000 a year; 87.5% for Clerk Gwendolyn Turner, from $8,000 to $15,000; and 21.4% for newly elected Treasurer Patricia Singley, from $14,000 to $17,000.
All three are members of the township s Board of Trustees; the other four members received per diem increases that will raise their pay from $100 to $125 every two weeks.
The raises come as many people in the township are struggling with job losses stemming from the pandemic, said longtime resident Felicia Royal. She also noted that testing last year by the Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner s office found elevated lead levels in some township samples.