By David Fleet
Editor
Atlas Twp.-By a 4-0 vote on Monday night the township board of trustees OK’d a new contract with the Genesee County Sheriff Department. Township Supervisor Tere Onica, Clerk Katie Vick, Trustee Barry June and Trustee Patrick Major voted yes. Treasurer Ann Marie Moore was absent from the meeting and did not vote.
The new $599,780 two-year contract is about a 2 percent increase over the previous amount of $586,777. The contract is effective Jan. 1, 2019 through Dec. 31, 2020 with the sheriff department and includes four deputies along with funding for a detective-sergeant, split between Fenton and the township.

“The only changes in this contract I noted is there is going to be some vacation day payout (for deputies) potentially,” said Onica. “All deputies take their vacation time, but at the end of the year, if they get transferred out or retire we could be on the hook for a week of vacation. But the undersheirff assures me that’s not going to be the case and if he sees that happening we’ll negotiate.”
The new contract, which jumped about $13,000, is funded by a 2.1 millage OK’d in May 2017, by township voters for police protection and 1 mill for the fire department. The five-year millage will generate an estimated $620,000 for the police services and $294,000 for the fire department
A township taxpayer with a $100,000 home pays about $105 per year for police protection.
Genesee County Undersheriff Chris Swanson was pleased with the new contract.
“We’ve been partners with Atlas Township for more than 20 years and it’s the best deal on the market for full-time police,” said Swanson. “The sheriff is thrilled to serve the residents of Atlas Township once again. It is clear by the unanimous decision of the township board, the men and women of the sheriff office, who work so hard everyday to protect the township, are appreciated.”
The township established a contract with the Genesee County Sheriff’s Department about 25 years ago, funded then by 1 mill from area property owners.
“It’s amazing what we get down with four deputies,” added Swanson. “That’s the power of having a contract with the sheriff’s office and a great relationship with the community—they are our eyes and ears.”
A school liaison officer for Goodrich School district had been discussed during the past year.
“I met with Greg Main, school board president and he indicated to me there will be no rush to get a school resource officer,” said Onica. “If they do get a resource officer it will be next September (2019). They (school district) sound like they are in favor of it, but they want to examine all their options.”
The Genesee County Sheriff Office provides nine contracts within Genesee County.
Residents of Vienna Township pay about $1.2 million a year for eight deputies and a detective-sergeant to cover the area; Fenton Township funds about $667,655 each year for five full-time deputies and share a detective with Atlas Township; Hurley Medical Center in Flint also has a contract for five deputies; the Genesee Intermediate School District has seven deputies along with a K-9; the Genesee Health System has a deputy; Clio Area School has a liaison officer; Lake Fenton also has a liaison officer and the Genesee County Circuit Court Alternative Education Schools also utilizes a deputy.