Three Day Work Weeks, Taxes and Meeting Notices

Days Open at Township
Bloomfield Township employees have three day work weeks for the next three weeks. The following are the days the township is open: Dec. 19, 20, 21; Dec. 27, 28, 29 for 2011; and Jan. 3, 4, 5 for 2012.

Library Closed During the Holidays
The Bloomfield Township Public Library will be closed on Dec. 24 and 25, and     Dec. 31, 2011 and Jan. 1, 2012. The virtual door to the library is always open.

RIZZO Solid Waste Collection Holiday Hours
No Changes to the services provided by RIZZO. Collection will be on the regularly scheduled day as Christmas and New Year's Day both fall on Sunday this year.  However, Christmas trees will be collected through Jan. 20, 2012 if placed with regular trash. All other yard waste collection has been discontinued and will resume March 15, 2012.

Property Taxes and Payment Options
All property taxes are due before year end if you are planning on claiming the costs on your 2011 tax returns for the IRS. Otherwise, the deadline to pay 2011 property taxes is February 14, 2012. There are payments options to pay bills by cash, personal check or credit card and through a company called Official Payments Corp., according to the Treasurer's section of the website. I have never used this service. I just found it on the website. Township Treasurer Dan Devine,   should be able to answer questions about this company by calling 248-433-7705.

"Official Payments is a leading provider of electronic payment solutions for the IRS, states, municipalities, colleges and universities nationwide. So give yourself the benefits of Official Payments and consider your payment Officially Paid."

Meeting Notices

Bloomfield Township Public Library Board meeting CHANGED to tonight at 7 p.m.
Please note that the December 2011 Library Board of Trustees meeting, originally scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 20, at 7 pm, has been changed to Monday, Dec. 19,  at 7 p.m.

Planning Commission: There is a Planning Commission meeting scheduled for Monday, Dec. 19 at 7 p.m. The agenda states there is a public hearing for the ATM kiosk site plan in the Bloomfield Hills Shopping Center at the southeast corner of South Boulevard and Opdyke Road. The site plan indicates that 11 parking spaces will be eliminated. There will be more lighting to provide safety while using the bank ATM.

The main question is: was there 15-day notice of a public hearing required by law? This issue came before the Design Review Board on Dec. 7. Where was a notice published? It was not under legal notices on the township website. Fifteen days have not even passed since it was first heard at the township.

The January meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2012 at 7 p.m. as township offices are closed on Monday, Jan. 2.

Design Review Board Meeting
The township website has not yet indicated whether or not there is an agenda for the Design Review Board scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2011 at 2 p.m.   The township  continually claims the 18-hour notification. I continually claim the Design Review Board is illegal as it is set up for a township government. The legal opinion I requested has not been provided.

The January meetings should be the first and third Wednesdays, Jan. 4 and Jan. 18, 2012 at 2 p.m.

Board of Trustees Meeting
There is no meeting on Dec. 26, 2011 as the township offices are closed. The next scheduled meeting is Jan. 9, 2012 at 7 p.m.

Zoning Board of Appeals Meeting
The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2012, at 7 p.m.