Committee recommends interlocal maintenance agreement with Rochester Hills for Clinton River Oaks park

Oakland County parks officials told the liaison committee they will enter a limited transitional interlocal agreement with the City of Rochester Hills to continue maintenance at Clinton River Oaks County Park through September while county staffing and equipment are finalized.

Alan Jaros, deputy director of Oakland County Parks, said the county is scheduled to take over operations and maintenance at the park on Feb. 1 and that the agreement allows Rochester Hills to continue mowing, trash pickup and basic maintenance through the interim period. “This is a limited transitional interlocal agreement,” Jaros said, explaining the arrangement gives the county time to add positions and equipment through its budget process.

Tom Hughes, chief of operations and maintenance, said larger projects would be handled by county crews once equipment is in place, but routine upkeep will remain with Rochester Hills during the transition.

Commissioners asked why an interim maintenance agreement was necessary. Jaros replied that staffing and equipment are not yet in place for the county to assume immediate responsibility and that the interim arrangement will not materially change overall expenses: the costs will be roughly a wash between what the county pays Rochester Hills and eventual county operations.

The committee voted to recommend the interlocal agreement to the full Board of Commissioners; the transcript records the vote as "78, 0 nays." The item will go to the board for final approval.

Next steps: Parks staff will implement the transitional maintenance arrangement starting Feb. 1 and report back as needed once county operations fully transition by the end of the fiscal year.