After last weeks public hearing, city officials have decided to let people decide if they want to pay an extra millage to keep the city’s police.
‘The whole purpose of the public hearing was to get the input of the public. We have no intention of doing something of this magnitude in a vacuum,? said Clarkston City Manager Dennis Ritter. ‘The general consensus was to put it to a vote of the people. This is an important issue, major issue, and that’s the right thing to do. I would expect it’s going to be on the August primary ballot.?
The city was faced with two options: get rid the police or go broke.
Ritter said he didn’t look at it as ‘get rid of the police,? but said the issue was a budget issue because the police department takes ups roughly 38 percent of the budget.
‘That’s the first place you look for, departments that are that large,? he said. ‘We’ve have gone through every single line item of every single department and things have been found we can do without. Things have been found that need to be done for sure.?
According to Ritter, it takes the city’s two Department of Public Works workers an entire day to mow the entire city, which is why they’ve considered privatizing the mowing for about the same price.
‘What that does is two things,? he said. ‘It gives us another full day we can use those two men to perform other tasks, we wouldn’t be able to do otherwise, so we’re improving our productivity 20 percent.?
If they didn’t privatize, Ritter said they need to buy new equipment, which would be around $9,000.
Ritter also said he was ‘encouraged? concerning the conservation grant for which the city was eligible, along with Independence and Springfield townships.
‘That’s going to help our operations here by reducing energy costs,? he said. ‘Every little penny counts.?
Volunteers can help with lawn mowing or snow plowing, he said.
‘Last year we put a call out for volunteers and we had some fairly good response to that,? Ritter said. ‘Also had a lot of kids and individuals who have community service as part of their graduation requirements.?
Switching to Oakland County Sheriff Department would reduce deficits, he said.
‘Next year we’re $77,205 in the hole, the second year, $145,796, and the third year $160,596,? he said. ‘By making up the deficit with the OCSD, that goes into fund balance; in the year 2011 the city would have $90,770.?
However, Ritter pointed out, in 2012 they would still have to come up with $44,540.
‘The key to everything is the declining property values, the ultimate key is jobs,? he said. People have to get back work, regain their confidence, until that happen we’re going to experience the difficulties.?