Supervisor Asks Board to OK Review Committees for Police, Fire Millage Increase

Approval from the Clinton Township board tonight will put the future of a police and fire millage increase in the hands of residents.

Due to budget cuts, lay-offs and retirements, Clinton Township’s police and fire departments have been reduced to their lowest staff levels in 20 years, and if further cuts are to be avoided, Supervisor Bob Cannon said a millage increase is necessary.

During his State of the Township address Jan. 25, Cannon called for the creation of two citizen committees to review and recommend a millage that would support Jan. 1, 2012 staff levels in the police and fire departments for the next 10 years.

The township board is scheduled to consider this proposal at its 6:30 p.m. meeting Monday. Provided the board approves the creation of these committees, citizens interested in serving on one of the committees will be asked to submit an application and undergo an interview process. 

Once formed, the committees will be asked to review current public safety issues and weigh in on a millage increase.

Should either, or both committees recommend a millage increase, Cannon said a special election to decide the issue could take place in August or November of 2013. As no other elections are planned for those dates, the township would bear the estimated $56,000 cost.

“I would not make a request like this if we had not reduced staff and received employee concessions first,” Cannon said during his address. “The final event I was waiting for was the consolidation of our dispatch with the county … However, I believe we’ve reached the point where further staff reductions begin to render both department’s less and less effective.”

According to township estimates, Jan. 1, 2012 staffing levels could be maintained with a 1-mill increase for the police department and a 1.25-mills increase for the fire department.

If both millages are passed as presented, the average Clinton Township homeowner can expect to pay about $130 more in taxes. 

Clinton Township currently levies 5 mills for police protection and 4 mills for fire service. These millages are the sole funding source for police and fire operations.