Let the people vote.
That was the consensus of residents packing Fire Station #1, Monday, to share their opinion of a proposal to disband Clarkston Police Department.
‘Crime is real and it’s escalated and I think we have to decide where we put our money as citizens,? said lifetime resident Terry Summerlee, whose Springfield Township business has been hit nine times due to increased crime. ‘It needs to be in the protection of our citizenry first, that needs to be the priority. We need to think about where else we can make cuts.?
Mike Moon agreed.
‘In this kind of economy, on the other hand, I think one of the last things you want to do is to pack up public safety,? Moon said.
Ruth Brueck said she pays enough in taxes already and, with a fixed income, was opposed to paying any more.
‘I think the Oakland County Sheriff department does a good job,? she said. ‘They did the job before.?
Lorry Mahler felt the same.
‘If we had a lot of people who lived in the village, I would agree whole heartedly, we should have our own police department,? Mahler said. ‘I just don’t think it makes sense for 1,000 people to pay the additional cost when we don’t have to do it.?
Prior to becoming a city in 1992, police protection was delivered by the Oakland County Sheriff Department, but because the village became a city they were required by state law to offer police services and police protection.
‘I’m not a fool. I realize with officers in town dedicated to the city, the intensity of that coverage is going to be different,? said Mayor Steve Arkwright. ‘I understand that, I think the council understands that also. We can get the same services, but maybe not the same intensity with the Sheriff’s department.?
The city police deficit is expected to grow from $77,205 in 2011 to $145,796 in 2012, and $160,596 in 2013. Currently the department’s budget is about $287,000 this year, out of $816,381 in total revenue. Contracting with Oakland County Sheriff Office through Independence Township would cost $93,000-$98,000. The consolidation plan would save almost $190,000.
Arkwright pointed out they currently share services with Independence Township for Library, Fire and emergency medical protection, Sewer and water maintenance, Parks and Rec, Deer Lake Beach, fleet gas cost, share equipment, recycling/clean up day, and the Lake Improvement board for the Mill Pond.
‘We’ve been doing this a lot for a long time, so this is not a new concept,? he said.
However, resident and former councilmember Cory Johnston said they became a city in order to ‘be independent and have a say.? If they give all their services over to the township, the rates paid are set by the township and the city has no say.
‘The only thing left we will have direct control over, when we give the police over to them, is the DPW. You will have close to $500 administration cost in fees, fees we pay to the township so we can govern $180,000 worth of DPW services, which is essentially lawn mowing,? Johnston said. ‘The question is, what’s the future of Clarkston? Why are we here if all we’re going to do is have a glorified lawn service??
He also pointed out, for the first time ever, the city’s property values are less than in Independence Township’s, but city residents pay 36 percent more in taxes.
Johnston recommended both the police and library be put on the ballot in August, the same time Independence Township residents will be deciding on their police and library millage.
Joe Luginski agreed.
‘At the end of the day we live in this village and it’s up to us,? he said. ‘If we want to pay it, then great. If we don’t, then we have to seek an alternative path, but it’s the people of this village that should have the ability and the right to make that decision.?
Councilwoman Peggy Roth said she spoke with many residents in the City of Clarkston and business owners, but ‘across the board everybody really likes the police department, not one person was for a tax raise.?
Curt Catallo said ‘it’s not about protection, it’s about definition.?
‘The police department was born out of city hood. It has come to really stand for what separates us,? he said. ‘There aren’t many things that separate Clarkston from every other exit along I-75, but patches on the officer’s shoulders tell you a lot about the fabric of the community and you can’t take that for granted.?