Whether the fate of Clarkston Police goes to voters is still up in the air, officials say.
‘It’s certainly a big enough decision it should go before the people to vote about it, but in that same tone I know there are people in this city, regardless of whether they want a police department or not, cannot afford any tax increase,? said Councilman Charles Inabnit. ‘Those are the people I worry about. How are they going to be affected if it does pass??
It’s also not necessarily something to be decided just by the council, Inabnit said.
‘I certainly don’t like living my life paycheck to paycheck and it seems that’s exactly what the city is doing and has been doing for awhile now,? he said. ‘Just hoping and praying some sort of hiccup doesn’t come in the road.?
City Council members will discuss the topic further at the April 12 meeting.
‘I’m not disagreeing that cutting the police may be what we have to do,? said former Councilman Cory Johnston. ‘My argument is I don’t think there is enough information to decide that’s the solution we have to go forward with.?
City Manger Dennis Ritter said in an earlier interview the matter would be voted on by the citizens.
‘I was really bothered by his quotes because it seems that decision has been made,? Johnston said. ‘He may be correct, but I’ve been scolded for trying to speak for the city without the City agreeing with me.?
Johnston said there could be a possible savings in the DPW, to help offset the police cost, due to the major expense of equipment used for snowplowing, but definitely not enough to cover the whole thing.
‘The budget does not tell the true story,? he said. ‘Police is all on one page and DPW is spread out all across the place. No where do they tell what it cost us to have a DPW department. I think that is an insult to the people to try and hide that.?
Carol Eberhardt said she is a firm believer people would pay the extra millage.
‘My major concern is they will pull the entire amount they need to run the police department and fund it 100 percent with a separate millage, which could be a lot of money,? she said. ‘I’m going to be real interested to see what process they pick because I did some quick figuring when I sat at that meeting and there shortfall isn’t that bad. The mill rate could be fairly high if they funded the entire amount rather than the shortfall.?
Like Johnston, Eberhardt does not want to forfeit all their resources to the Independence township and be controlled by township voters.
I like being able to affect change,? she said, which why she lives in the village. ‘I have the ability to put pressure on and it’s easier to affect what happens to me here then it would be in a 35,000 resident township and I’m willing to pay more taxes to do it that.?
Inabnit agrees the police is the one service where everybody in the city benefits, but for he personally doesn’t feel any safer than if OCSD was on the job.
‘I think they would do a fantastic job, I feel they’re the most professional department in the state myself,? he said. ‘I’d put them up against anybody in the country, they’re just that good.?
He said he doesn’t mind the Clarkston police, but is not willing to pay extra taxes to keep them.
Councilman Stephen Hargis said he is for keeping the Clarkston police and believes it deserves to be a vote of the residents, but has to look at all sides of the table.
‘I’m here to take in all information and take in what I hear from people, the way they talk and then work with the council and with the mayor to make the best decision for the city,? he said. ‘I’m trying to stay as neutral as I can up until the rubber meets the road.?
Resident of 20 years, Don Frayer said he believes the two scenarios of eliminating the police department or raising the taxes is ‘too limiting? because he also sees neighbors who are hurting financially.
‘I suggest we as citizens perhaps through neighborhood meetings discuss other options to this end such as special assessments for 2011 and 2012, rather than a permanent tax increase,? he said. I believe it is imperative we look out into the future beyond the next three years and think of the consequences of any current actions.?
Frayer said they need additional time for discussions because the budget tax base estimates are ‘guesses with a probable bias toward ‘worst case??
‘We need to buy some time through 2011 and 2012 to see what transpires,? he said. ‘At the same time we can make some smaller moves and free up some money for the DPW by deciding where volunteer work is feasible and by funding Depot Park through a contributory fund.?