Annual Township Cleanup Event April 24, 2021

Join us for the 6th Annual Waterford Township Earth Day Cleanup event on Saturday, April 24, 2021, from 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.

Volunteers will be out in the community doing our part to collect and clean up rubbish along roadways in some of the most visible areas of the Township.

Students, adults, families, individuals, and groups are encouraged to participate! Community service hours available.

Just a few hours is all it takes to make a real difference!

Sign up in advance online at www.waterfordmi.gov/earthday or call 248-674-6201.

GFL: New Portal, Yard Waste, Holidays

GFL is excited to announce the roll-out of our new and improved MyAccount online customer service portal between April 1 and 5, 2021. We’re contacting you with important information about the upcoming transition from your current MyAccount to the new system, so please take some time to review the details below.
Your enhanced MyAccount will feature a fresh, modern look and new features that will enable you to easily and efficiently manage all your GFL service accounts and billing options in one place.

The new system will go live on Thursday, April 1, 2021. When launch occurs, please note that you will need to manually migrate your current MyAccount portal to the upgraded version.

On launch day, you will need to create a new login using your email and a new password. To further enhance customer experience, GFL is migrating your current service provider website to a new and improved GFL website on April 1, which means that you will create your new MyAccount login from gflenv.com. Once logged in with your new credentials, you will use your old username and password to migrate your account on the next page. Your billing preferences, including eBilling and AutoPay, will automatically transition to the new system.

Upon login, you’ll see that MyAccount has a new look quick-glance dashboard, which includes a number of convenient new tools. From the dashboard, you’ll be able to:

View and manage all your GFL accounts and services in one place
Instantly see your balance owing for all accounts
Easily navigate to outstanding invoices and pay your bills
Review your pickup schedule on your personal service calendar
Support your community by joining the Full Circle Project (FCP), GFL’s community-driven charitable giving program. Learn more at gflenv.com/fullcircleproject.

We appreciate that navigating a new system can be challenging, but please rest assured that we are here to support you should you need it. We will follow up on this initial communication with further information to assist you with the transition in the near future.

We’re confident that you’ll enjoy MyAccount’s fresh new look and upgraded features, and find it a valuable, convenient and user-friendly tool to track and manage your GFL services in one central location.

Thank you for being a GFL customer!
Sincerely,
The GFL Team

Next Holiday Observed by GFL - Memorial Day

Please remember that if a holiday falls on a weekday, your scheduled service day will be delayed by one day and does include Saturday collection in these cases. Regular collection will resume the following week.
The next holiday observed by GFL is Memorial Day Monday, May 31st.

Monthly Recycling April 10th

Waterford Township offers free monthly recycling collection of magazines and cardboard (shipping boxes, cereal boxes, toothpaste boxes, etc, free of food debris and dry.)
This service is provided the second Saturday of every month from 9am to 1pm in the parking lot at Township Hall. Waterford residents only, please.

Please note that the September 2021 recycling date will be held on the THIRD Saturday of the month instead. September's recycling date is Saturday, September 18th.

Walton Blvd Construction Begins April 19th

Rental/Mortgage Subsistence Payment Programs

With funds received under the authorization of Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), Waterford Township may be able to provide rental and mortgage payment subsistence assistance to low to moderate-income Township residents who have lost their job, been furloughed, or had their hours reduced because of the economic impact of COVID-19.

Subsistence payments are made directly to the provider or lender on the applicant's behalf. Eligible renters/homeowners include those living in households in Waterford Township with incomes at or below 80% AMI and can provide documentation of need due to the applicable impact of COVID-19. Assistance will be provided to income-qualified households on a first come first serve basis until the allocated funds are exhausted or the assistance program is no longer found to be necessary. Assistance cannot exceed three month’s rent or three times the actual monthly mortgage payment, whichever is applicable. Further, rental assistance cannot exceed the actual cost of the rent (including late fees) and shall not exceed fiscal year 2020 FMR values as well as HUD’s standard of rent reasonableness.

For questions, contact Stacy St. James at sstjames@waterfordmi.gov or 248-674-6240.
Rental Assistance Application: Click here
Mortgage Assistance Application: Click here

$3,000 Raised for Waterford Charities

Wow, Waterford, you came through again!

On Saturday, March 27th you donated $3,000 worth of returnables during the four-hour collection event held in the parking lot of Town Hall.

Five Waterford charities will each receive $600 to assist in their efforts to continue serving the community:

Blessings in a Backpack of Waterford

Meals on Wheels

Open Door Outreach Center

Waterford Coalition for Youth

Waterford Youth Assistance

Thank you again to Phil Karmo of Russ' Party Store on Elizabeth Lake Rd. and Joe Frase from Great American Tree Company for your generosity to collect and process all of these cans and bottles, as well as the hours of time you contributed to collect, sort, and transport!

Stories like these are the very fabric of the Waterford community

Waterford Township Public Library April News & Events

Library Collections Now Open for Browsing

Phase 4 of the Library's Reopening Plan is now in effect. Hours of service: Monday through Thursday 10:00a-10:30a Dedicated Time for Vulnerable Visitors, (ages 60+, pregnant women, and those with chronic conditions). Monday through Thursday, 10:300 a.m.-9:00 p.m. & Saturday, 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. - General Public
The capacity limit is 70. Please complete your visit to 30 minutes or less.

Masks must be worn, bridge of nose to chin, at all times during your visit.
Study rooms, Meeting rooms, and study tables are NOT available at this time.

We look forward to seeing you in the library soon!

Mobile Hotspots to checkout
The library has a 5 mobile hotspots available for checkout. Metroparks, in partnership with The Library Network (TLN), our cooperative, has selected our library to participate in this grant funded program. This program provides the Waterford library with the mobile hotspots and unlimited data plans through December 2021. These devices can be checked out for 7 days. Holds can also be placed on them as well.

Poetry Leaves Online Exhibition
Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the 2020 Poetry Leaves outdoor exhibit was cancelled. Instead, we will launch the Poetry Leaves exhibit online in April 2021 in celebration of National Poetry Month. The online exhibit will run from April 1st to April 30th. Please visit www.poetry-leaves.com to view the exhibit in April 2021. We will be retiring the Poetry Leaves Project after the online exhibition of 2020's poems.

Children’s Programs (through age 12)
The Craft Corner on Facebook
Saturdays 10:00a
Join us virtually for The Craft Corner. Follow us on Facebook as we post short, craft videos every Saturday at 10:00 am. The children’s librarians are demonstrating simple, fun, and inexpensive crafts that you can do at home with items either found around your house, or in local stores. See Waterford Township Public Library YouTube channel for archived presentations.
Ready Reads on Facebook
Mondays-Thursdays 11:00a
Join on Facebook for our Ready Reads story time. The children's librarians are reading a story or two, sometimes with a song or other fun activity. Story readings will be on Facebook for a limited time, but we're posting something new every weekday.

Teens (grades 6-12)
Homework Help Here!
Are you looking for help with homework? Do you need assistance preparing for the SAT, ACT, or other tests? Do you or your parents have questions about filling out the FAFSA application? The library now has Brainfuse’s HelpNow FREE online tutoring service that Waterford cardholders can use for these and other situations where tutors can help. All you need is a Waterford library card to begin getting the assistance you’re looking for with homework, writing assistance, standardized tests, college preparation, and more.

Adults – Online Resources
Get Help Finding a JobNOW: Free online career assistance for all stages of job hunting
A Waterford library card is all you need to start Accessing FREE career assistance resources for job seekers:

Resume assistance including live resume experts
Live job coaching
Interview tips and resources
Career resources including eParachute
Unemployment assistance
Skills-building resources
…and so much more!

Enrichment Groups via Zoom
(Registration is required for all Zoom presentations. Provide your email address in order to receive a link to the Zoom meeting one or two days before the event. For help with Zoom, see the GCFGlobal tutorial (https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/zoom/getting-started-with-zoom/1/) or visit the "Joining a Meeting" page on the Zoom website.)
Knitting Group via Zoom
Wednesday mornings, 10:00a- Noon. Registration required.
Share patterns, exchange ideas, show off your projects, and socialize while you knit! During the COVID-19 outbreak, our Knitting Group will meet virtually via Zoom.
Waterford Genealogical Society Afternoon Meeting via Zoom
Wednesday, April 7, 1:00p-3:00p. Registration required.
Waterford Genealogical Society Evening Meeting via Zoom
Tuesday, April 13, 7:00p-8:30p. Registration required.
All are welcome to attend. Genealogy is the study of family ancestries and histories.

Library Garden Club meeting
Wednesday, April 14, 6:30pm-8:00p via Zoom. Registration required.
Seminar topic: TBD
Participants will share information they have found on this topic and useful resources as well as tips & tricks from their own experience growing such gardens. NOTE: No work bee in the library gardens this month.

Virtual Book Discussion Groups
Thursday, April 8, 7:00 pm via Zoom. Registration required.
Title: Afterlife: a Novel by Julia Alvarez
The book is available in eBook and audio formats on hoopla. If you haven’t used hoopla before and would like to give it a try, please visit our Digital Downloads page (https://www.waterfordmi.gov/611/Downloadable-eBooks-Audiobooks-and-Magaz), which has help sheets to get you started. There will also be a limited number of hard copies of the book, including large print and book on CD formats. Please call 248-618-7693 or email wateref@waterfordmi.gov regarding availability.

Monday Afternoon Virtual Book Discussion
Monday, April 19, 1:00 pm via Zoom. Registration required.
Title: Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb
You can get a copy of the book to check out by calling the adult desk at 248-618-7693 and then picking it up using contactless pick-up in the front entryway of the library. This title is also available as an eBook and a downloadable audiobook in our hoopla app.

Friends of the Library Fundraising Event
Book It 5k Virtual Fun Run/Walk
May 1 – May 15, 2021
Join us for this VIRTUAL Fun Run/Walk in support of the Waterford Township Public Library’s Summer Reading Programs. You set the pace. You choose the place. Complete your run/walk between May 1 and May 15, 2021. You will receive an email with a link to upload your virtual timed result if you want to show on the leaderboard (OPTIONAL). Entry fee ($25 Adult, $15 Under 18 years) includes a commemorative event t-shirt, finisher medal, downloadable finisher certificate and chance to win gifts from our sponsors. See https://waterfordmi.gov/1127/5k-Fundraiser for registration link. Deadline to guarantee T-shirt is April 14, 2021.

Outlet Safety Tips From The Waterford Regional Fire Department

Do not overload outlets.
Insert plugs fully into sockets.
Never force a three–prong cord into a two-slot outlet.
Install tamper–resistant electrical outlets if you have young children.
Replace wall outlets if plugs do not fit snugly.

Extension Cords, power trips, and surge protector safety
Do not overload power strips.
Use power strips that have internal overload protection.
Replace worn, old, or damaged extension cords right away.
Avoid putting cords where they can be damaged or pinched, like under a carpet or rug.

Waterford Parks & Recreation Hiring Seasonal Staff

Community Outdoor Art Exhibition Flying Fish

Riverwalk Clean-Up Event - Volunteers Needed!

Citizens Emergency Response Team

Waterford Township Citizens Emergency Response Team

Waterford Township intends to form a Citizens Emergency Response Team. The CERT will be made up of adults that live and/or work in our community and have a passion for community service.
This group of volunteers will be trained to assist various Township departments, including Police and Fire, when our capacity to provide services may be strained due to extreme weather, natural disaster, or even planned Township events.
CERT members may be called upon to provide assistance with downed wires, traffic control, and light search and rescue to name a few. Our short-term goal is to gather names of those interested in serving and begin conducting interviews. We will then start to model an organizational structure and eventually train team members to respond and function when the team is activated. We will select participants throughout 2021 and start training in 2022. Our long-term goal is to have the CERT ready and available for activation beginning in the summer of 2022.

If you are active, self-motivated, and want to serve, this is the group for you. The CERT will work under the direction of the Waterford Township Emergency Management Coordinator. If you are interested, please visit www.waterfordmi.gov/CERT and then contact EMC Brendan Brosnan.

Sincerely,
Brendan Brosnan
Emergency Management Coordinator
Office number 248-618-6199

Household Hazardous Waste Collection Events Begin This Month

Waterford Township has partnered with the North Oakland Household Hazardous Waste Consortium (NO HAZ). NO HAZ provides residents of participating communities a safe and environmentally responsible way to dispose of Household Hazardous Waste (HHW).

Registration links will be posted on the No Haz website www.nohaz.org approximately three weeks prior to each collection date. You must register in advance. Waterford Residents pay a fee of $15.
*Please note, in-person sales at the Development Services office or on the day of the event will NOT take place this year. Online registration only.

This year's collection dates and locations are as follows. All dates and locations hours are 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.:

Registration links will be posted approximately 3 weeks prior to each collection event

Saturday, April 24
Oxford Middle School
1420 Lakeville Road, Oxford
(From M24/Lapeer Road, travel east on Burdick Street)

Saturday, June 26
Oakland County Service Center Campus
1200 N. Telegraph Road, Pontiac
(Follow signs on campus)

Saturday, July 24
Kensington Church
4640 S. Lapeer Road, Orion Township

Saturday, September 25
Oakland County Service Center Campus
1200 N. Telegraph Road, Pontiac
(Follow signs on campus)

Better To Be Safe Than Sorry - Call Miss Dig!

Planning some projects around the yard?

Don't forget to call Miss Dig at 811!

Have those utilities staked for your safety and to protect utility infrastructure. https://www.missdig.org/

Be A Safe Boater!

Are you boater safety certified? Boaters born after June 30, 1996 and most personal watercraft operators who operate a vessel in Michigan must have a valid boating safety certificate.
Additional boater safety tips include:

Wear a life jacket
Boat sober
Make sure the boat is properly equipped and equipment is in good working condition
In addition to legally required equipment such as life jackets and fire extinguishers, always carry a first-aid kit, nautical charts and an anchor
Make sure navigation lights work properly
Ensure the cabin of your vessel has appropriate ventilation to prevent carbon dioxide poisoning
Have a float plan and inform someone who is not boating about the details of your trip
Stay alert - watch out for swimmers, debris in the water, boats, and buoys
Carry a cell phone or another form of communication

Earn your boater safety certificate online at Michigan.gov/RecreationalSafety

Emergency Preparedness:
Do 1 Thing Each Month For 1 Year

Being prepared for disasters and emergencies can seem like a big job. Many people don't know where to start, so they never start at all.

With Do 1 Thing you can take small steps that make a big difference in an emergency.

Do 1 Thing is a 12-month program that makes it easy for you to prepare yourself, your family, and your community for emergencies or disasters.

Head to https://do1thing.com/ for the full list of monthly focuses.

Memorial Day Parade Cancelled

Due to social distancing restrictions and with an abundance of caution, the VFW Post 1008, in agreement with Waterford Township, has announced they will cancel Waterford’s Annual Memorial Day Parade.

The 2019 Memorial Day Parade will air on local access cable Municipal Channel 20, May 31, 2021, at 10:00 a.m.

Please take this day to remember the men and women that have sacrificed their lives for this great Nation.

Citizen's Guide Documents Available

Waterford’s Citizen’s Guide, Performance Dashboard, Debt Service Report and Projected Budget are available for viewing on the Township’s website at https://www.waterfordmi.gov/288/Citizens-Guide-and-Performance-Dashboard

These documents are also available for viewing during normal business hours at the Clerk’s Office which is located at 5200 Civic Center Drive.