Five Oakland County Townships Figuring Out Next Steps After Failed Police and Fire Millages

(Crystal A. Proxmire, Aug. 6, 2026)

Oakland County, MI – Voters in five Oakland County Townships declined to pass millages for police and fire services, leaving officials to figure out next steps.

Orion Township and Waterford Township are having special meetings on Friday to explore next steps, with proposals likely going on the Nov. 3 ballot. The other communities – Brandon, Highland, and Independence, will also likely have further discussion.  The deadline for placing a proposal on the Nov. 3 ballot is Aug. 11.

In Orion Township voters said no to both police and fire funding.  Police funding had 4914 yes votes and 6949 no votes.  For fire it was 5824 yes and 6045 no votes.  The proposals would have funded services for four years. The Township Board will have a special meeting on Friday, Aug. 7 at 4:00pm at Township Hall.

In a post on social media, the Township invited residents to attend. “We want you to know that we are listening. Your votes, comments, emails, conversations, and feedback are important as we evaluate the future of public safety in our community.

“We invite all community members to attend a Special Meeting of the Orion Township Board of Trustees tomorrow, Friday, August 7, at 4:00 p.m. at Township Hall. During the meeting, Township officials will discuss the current funding outlook, answer questions, and provide an opportunity for residents to share their thoughts and concerns.

“This is your community, and public safety is a priority for all of us. As we move toward the November election and plan for the next fiscal year, we remain committed to working together with our residents to determine the best path forward.

“Please note:  We understand that a 4:00 p.m. meeting time may not be convenient for everyone. Our options for meeting times were limited by conflicts with other community meetings and events, and we selected a time that we hoped would allow more people to attend than the alternative while also allowing the board to vote on General Election ballot language before Tuesday’s deadline.

“Whether shared during the meeting, through comments afterward, or directly with Township officials, your input is an important part of the conversation moving forward and we want to reiterate that all feedback is valued.

“If you are unable to attend in person, the meeting will be broadcast live on OrionONTV and will also be available to watch afterward at your convenience.”

Orion Township contracts with Oakland County Sheriff’s Office for police services.

In Waterford, the meeting is also Friday, with a 6pm start time.  The agenda lists two proposals the board will consider placing on the Nov. 3 ballot, one for police and one for fire.  In the Aug. 4 primary the police millage vote was 8,777 yes and 10,676 no.  The fire millage was a tighter race, with 9571 voting yes, and 9663 voting no.

Members of the public can attend the meeting, or Stream the meeting live from the Township website: https://www.waterfordmi.gov/411/Channel-20-Live, or watch live on Municipal Channel 20, available to Comcast and AT&T U-verse subscribers.

Waterford has their own police and fire departments.

In Brandon Township, voters declined a police millage with 2134 voting yes, and 2280 voting no.  The Township has their regularly scheduled board meeting on Monday.  Thus far discussion of the proposal is not on the agenda, but it could be added.  Brandon Township contracts with Oakland County Sheriff’s Office.

In Highland Township, funding for fire services also failed, with 2962 voting yes and 3097 voting no. Highland Township has their own fire department. The Highland Township’s regularly scheduled board meeting is Monday, Aug. 10. The agenda is not yet posted on their website.

In Independence Township there were two proposals, each dealing with policing. A police millage got 5272 yes votes, and 6080 no votes, while a millage to fund a school resource officer had 4893 yes votes and 6430 votes.

Independence Township also has a special meeting coming up, although it’s a closed session meeting with the topic being “Review Confidential Legal Opinion.” The meeting is scheduled for 8am on Saturday Aug. 8.  While the subject of the meeting is not being shared with the public, if the board were to vote on a proposal for the Nov. 3 ballot, that vote would have to be done publicly.

Township Supervisor Chuck Phyle posted a statement on Facebook, saying “Unofficial election results show that both the Police Protection Millage and the School Resource Officer Millage did not pass.

“I respect the decision of the voters.

“The Township must now evaluate the financial and operational impact, including what these results mean for future police funding, School Resource Officers, contractual obligations, and available budget options.

“I will be requesting a prompt, fact-based review so the Board and residents have a clear understanding of the consequences, the available choices, and the timeline for decisions.

“No assumptions. No rhetoric. Just the facts, the options, and a responsible path forward.

“Thank you to everyone who participated in the election.”

For a look at voter turnout rates across Oakland County, check out this story:

 

 

 

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