Brighton Township has approved a change in the way they fund a local recreation authority, switching from a per-participant basis to a flat rate.

Amended Articles of Incorporation from the Southeastern Livingston County Recreation Authority, or SELCRA, were adopted by Brighton Township’s Board of Trustees Monday night. One of the major components that changed in the second amended articles focuses on member community funding, which comes from Brighton and Green Oak Township. Instead of paying based on program participants, Brighton Township will now pay an annual $150,000 contribution fee and Green Oak Township, $100,000.

While Brighton’s trustees approved that change in a vote 4 to 3, a motion to make the payment for the upcoming fiscal year failed 3 to 4. Township Manager Brian Vick says he interprets this to mean that the board wants to make sure Green Oak Township also approves the funding agreement at their Wednesday meeting.

He indicates the agreement includes a provision that would allow the townships to opt out or modify that funding scenario, but the expectation right now is that the current funding percentage and dollar amount would proceed in the next fiscal year. Once Green Oak approves the agreement and it has been signed by both parties, it will come back to Brighton Township for approval.

At Brighton’s recent meeting, Clerk Ann Bollin voiced some concerns, stating that the township’s contribution is a “financial ticket to the future for an unknown”. Supervisor Patrick Michel disagreed by saying “there is no free ticket”. He believes a long-term partnership with SELCRA will depend on what Brighton Township decides to do when reviewing their budget next year and if they choose to continue to fund the authority. (DK)