The Ypsilanti Courier
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Board discusses police millage
By Dave Wak, Special Writer
PUBLISHED: April 17, 2008
Augusta Township board members last week voted 7-0 to put a police milage proposal on either the August or November ballots.
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Currently the Augusta offcials report that they have enough funds for two sheriff's deputies, contracted from the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Dept., until the end of 2008.
The board will most likely be asking residents for a 1.5 milage increase to pay for two deputies at least through 2010, although board members said they don't know how much the county will be charging per officer beyond then.
Voters rejected the township's last police milage, opting instead to approve the fire department milage.
Trustee Bill Tobler said it was up to the voters whether they wanted two officers, one officer, or none at all.
"So basically it boils down to what the citizens want," Tobler said.
Trustee Bill Manty, who also serves as the township's police liaison, said the current cost for one deputy is roughly $155,000.
Manty said the proposed millage would cover the costs for police protection, but added that costs were uncertain beyond 2010.
Manty also said residents may not have passed the last milage because the language was somewhat confusing. He and other board members stressed that this time around the language needed to be as simple as possible.
Township Clerk Kathy Giszczak said the board should give voters a choice on whether they wanted to pay for one or two deputies, and suggested having two sets of ballots for each scenario. However, other board members thought that might be confusing to the public.
Treasurer Lynda Dew added that most people wanted at least two deputies patrolling the area.
"The most common complaint we have about police is that we don't have enough of them," Dew said.
In late February, Manty attended a meeting with representatives of five other townships and the City of Ypsilanti to look into the costs of starting a regional police department.
Manty said the price for starting a new department would be very expensive and the costs would be similar to what the township pays the county now for police services.
Manty said some of the townships discussed leasing police from the City of Ypsilanti but Manty said that option was no cheaper than the county. He added that the Ypsilanti police would charge the townships for gas costs and it might run an extra $6,500 per year for Augusta Township in gas charges alone.
The Board of Trustees has until May 27 to put the milage together to get it on the August ballot. Otherwise they have until Aug. 27 to get it on the November general election.
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