Also on Nov. 3 ballots: Bloomfield Township's $50M police and fire bond, Orion's safety millages, Commerce pathways

Our earlier guides covered the countywide museum and zoo millages, school bonds, library questions and several city and township millages. This one rounds up the remaining local questions on Oakland County ballots for Tuesday, Nov. 3.

All rates, amounts and terms below come from the Oakland County Clerk's official Nov. 3 proposal list. One mill equals $1 for every $1,000 of a property's taxable value. Taxable value is often well below market value.

Bloomfield Township: $50 million for police and fire buildings

What it asks: Whether the township may borrow up to $50 million in unlimited tax general obligation bonds to build and equip a fire station and a township police department building. Each series of bonds could be outstanding for up to 20 years.

What it would cost: An estimated 0.2350 mill in the first year, with an estimated average of 0.4380 mill a year over the life of the bonds. The township puts the average annual cost at about $128.96 for a home with a taxable value of $294,450.

What it would build: A new police headquarters in the parking lot between Township Hall and the 48th District Court, and a replacement for Fire Station No. 3, which would stay in the Maple and Telegraph area, according to the township's bond information page. Construction would start in 2027 and finish in 2029.

The township says police operations use about 17,000 square feet and are spread across three buildings, while an independent assessment found a need for about 58,800 square feet. Fire Station No. 3 was built in 1960, and some modern fire trucks can't fit through its bay doors, according to the township.

"We are policing in 2026, in a building from 1938, added to in the 60's and again in 1998," Police Chief James Gallagher told WXYZ in September.

The township says it has about $23 million in capital reserves to renovate existing buildings as departments move, and a $1.5 million state grant for Fire Station No. 3. The bond is separate from the township's operating millage. If the bond fails, police and fire would stay in their current buildings, the township says.

Orion Township: police and fire money, second try

Orion Township voters rejected both a police operating millage and a fire and EMS millage in the Aug. 4 primary, The Detroit News reported. The fire request had sought a 28% increase to add nine staff members, and failed by about 1% of the vote, WXYZ reported. Supervisor Chris Barnett told WXYZ in August that without the money, "As of January 1, Orion Township will have zero dollars coming in for police and zero dollars coming in for fire."

In November, the township is asking three separate questions:

• Police operating millage: up to 3.3761 mills for four years, December 2026 through December 2029, about $8.75 million in the first year. This continues the 2020 police millage at its current rolled-back rate. Property in the Village of Lake Orion is excluded. The township contracts with the Oakland County Sheriff's Office for police services, the News reported.
• Proposal 1, fire and EMS operating millage: up to 2.8846 mills for four years, December 2026 through December 2029, about $8.08 million in the first year. This continues the 2020 fire and EMS millage at its rolled-back rate. It covers the whole township, including the Village of Lake Orion.
• Proposal 2, new fire and EMS capital and staffing millage: a new tax of up to 0.40 mill for four years, December 2026 through December 2029, about $1.12 million in the first year. The money would go to more fire and EMS staffing, emergency response and capital needs such as fire trucks, equipment and station improvements.

Orion voters will also decide a $13.3 million library bond. Our library story.

Brandon Township: police renewal

What it asks: Whether the township may levy up to 3.9509 mills for eight years, 2027 through 2035, for police protection. It would renew the millage voters approved in November 2018, as rolled back, which expires in December 2026. Estimated first-year revenue is up to $3.23 million.

Brandon voters narrowly rejected a police millage renewal in August, The Detroit News reported. Like Orion, Brandon contracts with the Sheriff's Office for police services.

Clarkston: police, fire and emergency response

What it asks: Whether the City of the Village of Clarkston may levy 7.0 mills from July 1, 2027, through June 30, 2031, to continue police protection, firefighting and emergency response services. It would raise about $457,116 in the first year.

Commerce Township and Wolverine Lake: $18.6 million pathway bond

What it asks: Whether Commerce Township may borrow up to $18.6 million in unlimited tax general obligation bonds, repaid over no more than 10 years, to build paved non-motorized pathways in the township and the Village of Wolverine Lake.

What it would cost: An estimated 0.5986 mill in the first year and an average of 0.5989 mill a year.

Supporters with the group Pathways Connecting Communities say the plan would add about nine miles of trail on five pathways and connect to the Michigan Airline Trail, WDIV reported. "It's .6 mills, so if you have a state value on your property is a state taxable value of $150,000, it's about $90 a year," group treasurer John Buller told the station. The township and village would maintain the paths, and supporters hope to start construction next year, according to WDIV.

Oakland Township: parks and safety path renewals

• Parks and recreation: renews up to 0.6809 mill for 10 years, starting with the December 2027 levy, about $1.46 million in the first year.
• Safety paths: renews the 2016 safety path millage at its rolled-back rate of up to 0.1580 mill for 10 years, December 2027 through December 2036, about $351,302 in the first year.

Questions that don't raise taxes

• Beverly Hills: A village charter amendment would set aside 0.75 mill of the village's existing 12.9184-mill general levy for road and street work, from the July 2027 levy through the July 2030 levy. The ballot language says it would not raise or lower the village's maximum tax rate.
• Milford: A village charter amendment would remove the $2,000 threshold that now requires contracts to go to the lowest responsible bidder. The Village Council could instead set purchasing limits by resolution, appoint a purchasing agent, award contracts to the bid "most advantageous to the Village" and allow some public work to be done by village staff when an ordinance permits.
• Ferndale: Two charter amendments. One would repeal the charter section on the resignation of a council member. The other would amend the charter's chapter on vacancies in elective offices. The ballot language does not describe the changes in more detail.
• Orchard Lake Village: Asks whether the city may sell a city-owned vacant parcel at 4039 Pontiac Trail.

Community colleges and two more school districts

A few questions reach only parts of Oakland County:

• Mott Community College: renewal of 0.6152 mill for 10 years, 2028 to 2037, about $8.9 million in the first year, for voters in the college district.
• Schoolcraft College: renewal of its operating millage at 2.27 mills with a continued Headlee override for 10 years, 2029 through 2038, for voters in the district, which includes part of the Novi school district.
• Almont Community Schools: a sinking fund of up to 2 mills for four years, 2026 to 2029, about $1.09 million in 2026.
• Goodrich Area Schools: renewal of its non-homestead operating millage for five years, 2028 to 2032, about $1.89 million in 2028.

Earlier guides

• School bonds and millages
• Museum, zoo, Waterford, Independence, Highland, Novi, Royal Oak and Clawson questions
• Pontiac's road bond and Clawson's Renshaw question
• Library questions in Bloomfield Hills, Lathrup Village, Lyon and Orion
• Where and when to vote early

Check your sample ballot at Michigan.gov/Vote.

This story uses the Oakland County Clerk's official Nov. 3, 2026, proposal list; Bloomfield Township's bond information page; and reporting from The Detroit News, WXYZ and WDIV/ClickOnDetroit.