By David Fleet
Editor
Goodrich-It may be a long rough ride, but village roads may soon be smoother.
On Monday night the village council hosted a public meeting to considered four options regarding the millage aimed to improve area roads: To leave the tax as is which will roll back to the basic tax rate of 5.0872 mills adding $8,000 to the general fund. If the rate stays at the current 5.3251 mills about $24,247 will be added to the general fund; If the rate is increased to 6 mills about $69,193 will be added to the general fund.

If the maximum rate allowable 6.919 mills is approved, $130,394 will be added to the general fund.
By a vote of 4-1 village council voted down the .9128 millage hike and instead voted to change from 5.3251 to 6.919, the maximum allowable. The council OK’d the proposal 3-2. Council President Shannon McCafferty, Council President Pro-tem Tim Light and Council Member Tim Barraco voted yes. Council Member Wendy Ciaramitaro and Council Member Doug McAbee voted no.
At a millage rate of 5.3251, the village had ranked third from the bottom of 27 home rule communities in Michigan that replied. The millages ranged from 13.2984 to 1 mill. The reaction from village residents ranged from support to needing a plan to consideration of a bond issue for road repair.
“I agree with some of the residents (that spoke) the amount of $70,000 is not enough to fix the issue we have out there,” said Barraco. “Seventy thousand would take years to fix the issues we have. I’m in favor of going to 6.9 mills. I’m 100 percent in favor of doing something that will actually put a big Band-Aid on a big problem. Instead of bleeding it out as long as possible.”
Light, council president pro-tem agreed.
“Funds are needed in a short term to be able to build quicker, once we have a handle on problem areas,” said Light. “The issue can be revisited. Had there been money set aside (for roads) for the past 15 years we would not be in the situation that we are in right now with no money for road maintenance or road repairs. What we did tonight is a step in the right direction to keep us on track. Now that we have money set aside that we know how much we are working with—this will give us five years out, ten years out we can budget. It’s got to start someplace.”
David Lucik, a former village council member in 1998 supported the road millage.
Lucik reported the cost in 1998 to make improvements to Park, Pine, Oak, Kearsley, Seneca, Pontiac, Cemetery, Saginaw, Huron, Dutch, Hawes and Putnam roads were estimated at $1,004,271.
“Oil was much cheaper back then,” said Lucik. “We are going to have to spend money sooner of later and we did not spend money back then in 1998.”
Lucik supported the improvements then and was recalled from office, he said.
“So hindsight is 100 percent,” he said. “If we look at what we could have got (roads fixed) for back then compared to now—it should have been done. We have to move forward. It’s not easy but we have to ante up.”
Norm Bass, a village resident expressed concern about a road plan before imposing additional taxes.
“I’m not against taxation for the betterment of the whole community,” said Bass. “However what about bond issues and get good criteria from professional engineers to find out the actual cost and what we do with these (road) funds. We can activate this and put it out for competition then get the job done. Now we have a slush fund. How are we going to be fair about that? How are you going to administer that money? It’s done in the wrong direction.”
Council Member Ciaramitaro said a plan is needed.
“I don’t think we have done our due diligence,” said Ciaramitaro. “I don’t see a clear plan (for roads) in place. I agree with the concerns presented. I’m not going to listen to the comments on social media, I’m going to listen here. There has not been enough.”
Council Member McAbee could not support the millage.
“I voted no the first time around,” said McAbee, with regard to consideration of a millage increase. “I can’t support any of these proposals. The road issue is the biggest problem that we face. We have had discussions. The rate increase is not going to raise an awful lot of money.”
Shannon McCafferty, council president supported the hike.
“There is road project going on everywhere, said McCafferty, who drives to Warren to work each day. “I think the village residents would benefit from this. No one wants a tax increase—I don’t want a tax increase. But I will support one to assure our infrastructure is not failing. If we keep putting it off and keep kicking the can and kicking the can (down the road), it’s going to come up again. There are a lot of people that don’t want it, there are a lot of people that do. And I’m in support of it because we need it. Cutting back in spending is not going to pave a road. We need to have a plan along with an informational meeting, there’s a lot of work. Without it the roads are continue to fail.”
Mark Baldwin, village resident and former council president said a need for more research is needed.
“Invite someone to come in and explain the bond issue,” said Baldwin. “It would be nice to know. It’s a pretty steep increase for the residents.”