City Commission votes 3 to 1 to explore outsourcing of Public Safety. First vote to go against a sitting City Mayor since 2008.

The vote ( Pat Hardy, Michal Dul, Stuart Sherr for. Mayor Sarah McClure opposed. Michael Zambricki absent) grants  City Manager Jay Cravens the right to proceed with his previously requested, hand picked, two City Commissioner  committee, consisting of Michael Dul and Stuart Sherr to study outsourcing of the City's Emergency Dispatch unit.

 Also in attendance at May 14th City Commission meeting were two members of the public (of which one was  this writer), a reporter from another publication and a county commissioner.

Previously, this publication had requested a three commissioner committee be chosen  because the addition of a third member would provide a quorum guaranteeing residents the full rights of participation and information as provided by Michigan's Open Meetings Act.

City Manager Cravens in rejecting such a course of action cited, "The difficulty  in getting everyone
( three commissioners versus two) together." For their part despite decades of experience, neither  Commissioner Hardy or  Commissioner Zambricki  (in abstentia) volunteered their services to such an important committee.

Mr. Cravens stating that he had nothing to hide, said he would adhere to public noticing, public attendance, possible public participation, and the keeping and publishing of minutes.

While the City Manager has nothing to hide, he does has something in mind. That is a definite agenda of possibly sharing dispatch with Bloomfield Township, Birmingham, Troy, and the Oakland County Sheriffs who provide police services for many communities in Oakland County. Also considered will be the option of maintaining the City of Bloomfield Hills dispatch services as 
they are now.