By David Fleet
Editor
Atlas Twp.-On Monday night the township board of trustees voted 4-0 to join the Flint Area Narcotics Group. Ann Marie Moore, township treasurer was absent with notice.
The 2021-2022 membership dues for the township are $10,581.95 which will now be part of the township police budget. The amount is based on State Equalization Value and population in the 2010 Census of the township.
“The communities that have participated and that are involved with F.A.N.G. are very pleased with the outcome,” said Shirley Kautman-Jones, township supervisor. “There’s power in numbers. It is my recommendation that we join participation with F.A.N.G.”
Established and operating in Genesee County for 36 years, F.A.N.G.. detects and investigates drug-related crimes, and provides specialized services from membership agencies. The group provides resources and equipment to assist with investigating all high-profile criminal activity.
The township will now join the Villages of Gaines and Otisville, the Townships of Davison, Flint, Forest, Gaines, Genesee, Grand Blanc, Montrose, Mt. Morris and Mundy, the Cities of Flint, Mt. Morris, Burton, Davison, Fenton, Linden, Mt. Morris and Swartz Creek.
The township was one of the few communities not contributing to F.A.N.G.
“It sounds like we are one of the few communities (in the county) not contributing to F.A.N.G.,” said Pat Major, township trustee. “It sounds like the right thing to do.”
In May, the township along with voters in the Village of Goodrich OK’d a police millage renewal of 2.1 mills and a fire millage of 1 mill.
The Genesee County Sheriff contract was effective Jan. 1, 2021 through Dec. 31, 2022 with the sheriff department and includes four deputies along with funding for a detective-sergeant, split between Fenton and the township. The cost is about $610,000 per year.
“There’s been an issue with drug problems around here,” said Barry June, township trustee.